Kicking off this new early chapter book series, a backyard witch cures a young girl's loneliness and boredom. Left behind when her two best friends go on vacation, nine-year-old Sadie is comforted and entertained by a friendly witch who appears of! her backyard playhouse. Time passes quickly as Ms. M, the snaggle-toothed witch, enlists Sadie in her hunt for her missing cat and her best friend, accidentally transformed into a yellow warbler. Ms. M shares her knack for identifying birds and, upon her departure, leaves Sadie with a bird guide and some sensible advice: "The most powerful magic is . . . paying attention." The sprightly third-person narrative moves along with plenty of dialogue and humor, especially as the witch often says and does the unexpected. Mild suspense is supplied by Sadie's parents' determination to sell the playhouse. Vignettes and occasional full-page gray-scale images support the text and add interest. A helpful afterword invites readers to become "twitchers" (birders) themselves. An appealing package with sequels promised.

Gr 2-4 Sadie's two best friends, Jess and Maya, are going on vacation without her. She is miserable thinking about what she will do while they are away when she discovers that something magical is occuring in her very own backyard. A witch has moved into her playhouse. The witch is searching for her friends Ethel, a bird, and Onyx, a cat. Sadie vows to help the witch find her friends and learns about different types of birds along the way. This is a delightful adventure with humorous characters that will keep the interest of young readers. Charming black-and-white illustrations add to the overall mood of the story. VERDICT The first in a new series, fans of "Ivy and Bean" (Chronicle) and "Clementine" (Disney-Hyperion) will enjoy this new addition. Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY