Horrifa's Magic Makeover
Horrifa's Magic Makeover
by Susan L. Krueger
(Story Monsters Press)
Horrifa, a headstrong young witch, has her heart set on attending a mortal ball, hosted by a handsome prince at his nearby castle. Although her mother, Dragunda, is appalled that a sorceress would aspire to mortality, Dragunda finally agrees to help her fairytale-struck daughter transform herself into a blond haired, blue-eyed beauty, complete with a lacy pink gown. As Horrifa’s Magic Makeover unfolds, Dragunda's spellbound innovation results in complete pandemonium dashing Horrifa's hopes to meet the prince of her dreams. Despite her disappointment, Horrifa finally realizes that being true to herself scales, warts and all is more important than her mortal ambitions.
Book Details
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-58985-088-0
Trim Size: 6 in. x 9 in. / 90 pages / black and white interior
The eBook is available to purchase from Amazon.
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Awards
New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, Finalist, Juvenile, 2012
Reviews
“Highly recommended for young readers and their teachers. A magical tool of the trade!”
—Priscilla M. Claypool, retired 5th grade teacher, Foothills Elementary, Peoria Unified School District
”Stuffed with rich language and head-over-heels humor, this magical, witty romp makes a great middle-grade read sure to delight girls and boys alike, as well as any unsuspecting adults who come along for the read. A great elementary teaching aid for creative writers!”
—Ruth Murphy, Retired School Librarian, Peoria Unified School District
“Horrifa’s Magic Makeover is a great book for your child who is just venturing into the world of chapter books. Some children find chapter books intimidating but with its large print and eye catching black and white graphics this book is fun to read. Horrifa is a typical witch with scaly skin, ashy breath and gnarly hair; a real beauty in the witch world. She wanted to attend a ball with mortals just once. She wanted to look as hideous as them. I loved how this book reversed the typical ugly and beautiful roles we find. Dragunda, Horrifa’s mother, was a great role model. She didn’t agree with what Horrifa was doing but she wholeheartedly supported her. I enjoyed reading this book with my daughter because it taught a great lesson. Children will always want to try new and different things that parents might not approve of and parents need to let their children try. In the end a child who is given a chance to try and be supported while doing so will always share a strong bond with their parent.”
—Margherita M., Famadillo.com
“Horrifa’s Magic Makeover: ‘Witch’ Way to the Ball is a laugh out loud story about a scaly, warty, young witch who dreams of becoming a pink-fleshed mortal wearing a lacey, sparkly dress to attend the prince’s ball. Although her mother, Dragunda is not crazy about her daughter, Horrifa’s wish to meet the prince, she helps her ‘downgrade’ her look from a gorgeous, beautiful witch dressed in black to a dreadfully despicable and ugly ‘princess-like’ mortal. Despite the chaos and pandemonium that ensue from her mother’s efforts and the disappointment Horrifa feels at not meeting the prince in this spin of a Cinderella tale, Horrifa learns to accept and love her scaly, warty self for who she is.
Susan Krueger’s language is rich and her descriptions are both funny and creative in a twisted kind of way that will make kids laugh. Nadia Komorova’s spooky illustrations complement the text and bridge the gap between those words that might prove challenging for some readers to understand. Aimed at both girl and boy readers between the third grade reading level through the fifth grade reading level, Horrifa’s Magic Makeover: ‘Witch’ Way to the Ball is sure to entertain readers and send home a key message: accept yourself for who you are. Warts and all! Kids, even reluctant readers, will be hard pressed to put this book down and will certainly read Horrifa’s Magic Makeover in one sitting from start to finish!”
About the Author
Susan L. Krueger
A teacher of children and adults for thirty-two years, Susan L. Krueger holds a doctorate degree from Northern Arizona University. Her first book, Addie Slaughter: The Girl Who Met Geronimo, was recognized as an Arizona Centennial Project and received numerous other awards. A fantasy, Horrifa's Magic Makeover, was published the following year. She has served as a master docent at the Phoenix Art Museum since retirement in 2000. Other hobbies include gardening, quilting, traveling and genealogy.
