Karen' Witch

In the first book of the Babysitter's Little Sister series, Karen is convinced that her next door neighbor, Mrs. Porter, is a witch. Mrs. Porter has frizzy gray hair, wears long black dresses, has a cat named Midnight and mumbles to herself in her herb garden. So when Karen overhears Mrs. Porter telling Midnight that a meeting is set for 12 o'clock, Karen jumps to the conclusion that it is a witches' meeting. By the time Karen realizes she is wrong, it is too late to get herself out of trouble. Writing in the first person, Martin ( Stage Fright ) has created a quirky heroine who is as independent as she is silly. Ages 7-9. ( August )