The Courage of Cat Campbell

In this lighthearted sequel to The Power of Poppy Pendle, Lowe introduces Cat Campbell, daughter of the now-adult Poppy Pendle, who chose baking over magic. As such, Poppy is not thrilled when Cat finally shows signs of being a witch. After Rutherfield Academy, the local school for witches, rejects Cat for her uncontrollable magical abilities, she devises a plan to gain admittance by capturing feared witch Madeline Reynolds, who has just escaped from Scrubs Prison for erasing half of Italy. Cat captures Reynolds, though she turns her best friend, Peter, into a guinea pig in the process. With patience and neighborly help, Cat becomes the witch she's always wanted to be, and finds a place for herself, balanced between her mother's baking and her own passions. Lowe echoes the whimsy of J.K. Rowling and Anna Dale with vibrant descriptions ("A burst of pink smoke covered the table, with showers of green sparkles shooting out like fireworks"), a cozy atmosphere (several "magical" recipes are included), and charismatic characters. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. Agent: Ann Tobias, A Literary Agency for Children's Books. (Jan.)