Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country

Crimson Twill is a fashionable young witch who enjoys bright flowers, polka dots, and red pointy hats, even though these aren’t considered typical for a witch. She lives with her mother on a farm in Cackle County but has travelled to the big city, called New Wart City, where she made friends with some witches her own age. Crimson is preparing for these new friends to visit by helping her mother to make the farm ready with extra cobwebs hung throughout their house and to cool down a meal of stew rather than heating it up. She hopes that all of their hard work will make for a perfect visit. These upside-down details make the reader believe in the special witchy world of Crimson and her friends, Mauve and Wesley.

Witch in the Country is a book with a light sense of humour. The visitors fly in on one broom and bring a second one along, named Dusty, who just really likes to sweep. Dusty is always competing with Crimson’s broom, called Sweepy, to see which one can tidy up the most dust, leaves, or messy pathways. The young witches visit an orchard filled with rotting apples, a pond where they can hug giant frogs to capture their croaking for spells, and a beautiful field filled with shining straw which is used for making brooms. At each of these stops on the tour through the countryside, the children run into challenges which prevent Crimson’s perfect day from becoming a reality. Using their limited magic, they find a way to rescue each other from unexpected spells, an attack by a hungry giant, and a flight into the sky caused by magical broom straw.

Black and white illustrations throughout the book highlight the scenes of Crimson, Mauve and Wesley in their magical situations, including one two-page spread which successfully shares the beauty of a field of flowing straw. The children have cheerful, large eyes, matched by simple smiles, and even the troll and giant are similarly friendly.

Although Crimson is slightly disappointed that her plans for the day with her friends are not realized, they all find that they learn something, and Mauve tells Crimson that it was the best day ever. They celebrate with a delicious meal, and their parents agree to extend the visit with a sleepover. Witch in the Country is a book that leaves readers wishing that the characters will see each other again soon and that it won’t be long before they can read the next magic-filled book.