BOOK REVIEW: The Witching Hour

TITLE: The Withching Hour
AUTHOR: Riku Frydryk
PUBLISHED BY: Pegasus Elliot MacKenzie

This is a story about a young prince who escapes from his castle at night to discover that the hour of midnight doesn't have to be frightening; at the same time it aims to teach children not to be afraid of the dark. It is an adventure story for young readers about what happens when the sun goes down and witches and a library fly. A great-great-great-grandfather clock which sits on the top of the library chimes as The Witching Hour (midnight) begins.

I was immediately drawn to this book by the brightly coloured illustrations which bring the story to life.  They are emotive and have vibrant colours and lots of detail which really catch the eye and tell the story very well.  Each page is a different colour with imaginative graphics.

The book’s compact size makes it manageable for a child with small hands to hold. Plus, it has easy to slide pages which make it easier for small hands eagerly wanting to turn over to the next part of the story to handle. An additional advantage is that it has wipe-clean front and back covers, a bonus for parents reading the storybook to children with sticky fingers.

With a feel-good ending, which brings the story to a satisfying conclusion there are several messages the young author wants to communicate to young readers especially those afraid of the dark. He wants them to think differently about what might be in the dark which they can’t see. Additionally, he wants them to understand that there is nothing to be afraid of, even in the darkest hour at midnight and that something good can come out of what appears to be, at first, scary. Through the story, he portrays the powerful side of imagination introducing the reader to the world of magic.

The author is a ten year old boy who has a passion for writing, which started at an early age; this is his first publication.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard