Leila, The Perfect Witch
by Flavia Z. Drago
Narrated by Marisa Blake
Audible.com Release Date July 12, 2022
Publisher Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Children, Siblings, Witches
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.
In this charming picture book from the author-illustrator of Gustavo, The Shy Ghost, a witch who is spellbindingly good at everything discovers that baking is no piece of cake.
Leila Wayward is a little witch who excels at everything she does. She’s the fastest flier, the most cunning conjuror, and the most superb shape-shifter. She has won trophies for potions, herbology, and alchemy—and now she dreams of winning the Magnificent Witchy Cake-off! As the youngest in a long line of masters of the Dark Arts of Patisserie, Leila wants her entry to be perfect. But even with the most bewitching of recipes, she realizes a terrible truth: she’s a disaster in the kitchen. Luckily, Leila has three magical sisters who are happy to share their culinary secrets with her. What’s more, Leila discovers that baking with them is fun! Win or lose, she has already tasted the sweetest thing of all: acceptance—with a pinch of nightshade and a bit of mandrake. Filled with expressive and fancifully offbeat illustrations, Flavia Z. Drago’s enchanting story of trying your hardest despite your imperfections is sure to delight little witches and novice bakers alike.
Review:
Lelia, a young witch, is one of those young people who succeeds easily. She is accustomed to winning the awards and blue ribbons. This year, Lelia has hopes of winning a cake-off. The problem is that baking doesn’t come as easy as so many other tasks. She tries but the cakes fall or slide.
When Leila’s sisters offer to help, Leila, must accept their help if she wants a chance in the Cake-off. And, as a plus, Leila has fun with her sisters.
This is a very sweet children’s story. The message of accepting help and sharing a workload are clear and engaging. Since I listened to the audio, I didn’t get to enjoy what look like charming illustrations. I recommend the story and it might be good to get the audio and the print book to share with children.
Audio Notes: Marisa Blake does a very nice job with the narration. Her voicing enhanced my enjoyment of the book, even though I did miss the images.
Source: 2022 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2022NetGalley and 2022Audiobook goals.
