Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home (Hocus and Pocus #1)

When ebullient, bohemian witch Jinx deposits a litter of stray puppies at the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets, the establishment’s manager predicts that offers for adoption will quickly follow because they’re all “more than slightly adorable.” But Hocus, who can see two minutes into the future, and Pocus, who can turn bad feelings into edible bubbles, have strong opinions about their fates. Determined to not be separated, the two eponymous pups hatch a scheme with the endgame to be adopted by the witch herself. The ensuing pages of this rambunctious chapter book by Capetta (The Heartbreak Bakery) see Hocus and Pocus embarking on an adventure that’s both slapstick and heartfelt. Peppy, digital spot illustrations by Chua (Boys Don’t Fry) that tip a witch’s hat to classic animation portray the floppy-eared duo as they steal into Jinx’s house, win the hearts of her three young apprentices, and wreak havoc with the witch’s cauldron collection. In the end, Jinx can’t resist the pups’ charms and notes that Hocus and Pocus are actually “highly magical puppies”—a prescient setup for the series’ successive entries. Human characters have varying skin tones. Ages 5–8. (May)