Willow is a good witch who lives in the same forest that Hansel and Gretel call home. Using her good magic, she has constructed a gingerbread house and lives there happily.
While on a walk in the woods, she notices a bread crumb trail and meets two children at he end of it. Hansel and Gretel are rude to Willow. Willow's worry is that the bread crumbs might provide the only invitation needed for the mice and birds of the forest to find their way to a gingerbread feast at her house. She asks for help cleaning up. As happened in the story of the Little Red Hen, the brother and sister see no need to help.
"But Willow did not get angry, because Willow was a good witch."
That refrain is repeated throughout this fractured fairy tale. After the work is done, she arrives home to find them eating her house, and promptly invites them in for dinner. (You know what happens then!) When they find her book of spells and use them for mischief, they create a big problem. Not wanting to take any advice from a good witch, they push Willow into the oven and continue creating mayhem.
Willow's alter ego finally takes a stand! Readers will be delighted with the comeuppance for two incredibly nasty children!
This is the third book by Ms. Woollvin that takes a traditional story and gives it a twist. If it sounds appealing to you, look for Little Red (Pan Macmillan, 2016) and Rapunzel (Two Hoots, 2017) at the library or in your local bookstore. They are sure to become favorites with your little ones.
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