This dark, haunting tale opens with the death of one of Sister Witch's twin sons, and village whispers that "the wrong boy" survived.
In her grief, the witch uses her magic to bind the dead boy's soul to her remaining child, Ned, but this desperate act is not without its consequences. In another part of the kingdom, the Bandit King's heart grows twisted with greed and he sets his sights on the witch's stores of magic. As he tries to steal it, he inadvertently puts in motion events that throw his daughter and Ned together, as was foretold in dreams and rumblings of ancient stones. More than adventure, The Witch's Boy weaves a complex history of corruption and magic into a classic fairytale framework, making it both familiar and entirely new. Kelly Barnhill casts her own spell with this beautifully written tale that carries a message about kindness and taking control of your own destiny. --Julia Smith, blogger and former children's bookseller