Four kids, Three cats, Two cows, One Witch

From the Publisher
Beverly, who is bossy and a bit of a snob, convinces her cautious friend Elizabeth to accompany her on an adventure to the island off the coast. Gerard, Beverly’s messy brother who is barely tolerated by the girls, insists on going with them and brings his cat. Things begin to look up when at the last minute the good-looking Kevin joins the trip, but when they become stranded on the island and encounter a strange inhabitant, this motley crew must find ways to support each other and put up with one another’s shortcomings.

Author Biography: Siobhán Parkinson is the editor of Children’s Books in Ireland and the author of The Leprechaun Who Wished He Wasn’t, Sisters. . . No Way!, and Cows Are Vegetarians.

Children’s Literature
Aimed at upper elementary and lower middle school students, this novel follows the adventures of four kids in the seaside vacation town of Tranarone, Ireland. While walking on the beach one day, Beverly wonders what it would be like to explore the supposedly uninhabited island nearby. She decides to enlist the help of newly arrived Elizabeth and her younger cousin, Gerard, for the adventure. Preparations complete, they begin to set out at low tide, which will allow them to actually wade to the island. Just as they are about to leave, Kevin, a local proprietor’s son, asks if he can come along, while adding that he has heard that the island is really not uninhabited. They arrive safely, but the adventure soon takes a downturn as Gerard becomes separated from them. During the course of their ups and downs, including their opposing personalities, each of them relates their own monotonous tale, adding to the mystery of the trip. While searching for Gerard, they discover a cabin that turns out to be inhabited. Will the inhabitant be foe or friend? Will they return safely or…? This Bistro Book of the Year Merit Award winner will be satisfying to those readers who love this genre. 2002 (orig. 1997), O’Brien Press,