The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole
The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole
“It’s perfect!” Hildegurp replied. “We’ll live upstairs and run a pet store below.”
“An emporium of pets!” Yuckmina said.
“Gack!” Glubbifer agreed. Glubbifer did not use words, but she always meant what she said.
“No one has lived here for many years,” Rupert explained. “Do you plan to fix it up?”
“Not to worry, Rupert Flich,” Hildegurp said.
“Worry not, Rupert Flich,” Yuckmina said.
“Tsk, tsk,” Glubbifer said, wagging her long finger. She pressed against the porch post, and the roof sagged.
“See?” Hildegurp said. “That’s better already! A few more cobwebs, a little less paint, and you’ll hardly recognize this place!” (Pp. 12-13)
The town of Covenly has three new residents at 1313 Jitters Drive – Hildegurp, Yuckmina and Glubbifer - as well as their cat Graymalkin. They all wear tall hats as they move into an abandoned house in serious need of repair. The weird sisters will live upstairs and set up a pet store on the first floor.
Their first visitor is Jessica Nibley who has just lost her pet baby goat. Instead of a “sensible” pet, Jessica wanted a goat – and now he is lost. At first, the three sisters are a bit confused by Jessica. She is looking for a “kid”, but she is a “kid.” It takes a few minutes, but the sisters finally realize she is looking for her baby goat. They ask her to stay for their Hurlyburly Soup and admit to her that “We’re still learning how not to be bad witches.” (p. 19) Jessica agrees to help them, but, on the way to search for her goat, she discovers a strange note: “Sisters: leave our town or else.”
Cosmo Keene is a nosy neighbour who keeps a close watch on everything in order to protect his community. He is convinced that the friendship between Jessica and the sisters is trouble. The new friends believe that he is behind the threatening note. There are now two mysteries – a missing goat and a mysterious note. Other characters, such as teacher Chelsea Oh who loves to make casseroles, Rupert Flitch the real estate agent, and Officer Golsa Nazeri, are also involved in solving the mysteries. The three weird sisters struggle to adapt their supernatural ways to a community of interesting individuals. In the end, the mysteries are solved by all of the neighbours working together.
The three weird sisters, inspired by the witches in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, are engaging and amusing characters who befriend lonely Jessica. They are struggling to leave behind their “bad witch” habits and to become part of a community. They still wear their tall hats, fly on broomsticks, and use their magical Eye and magic wands. There are lots of amusing episodes, such as Rupert’s washing his brushes and tossing the dirty water on the sisters. There are also several examples of clever wordplay which will amuse young and older readers alike. The addition of a recipe for Hurlyburly Soup at the end of the novel is an added bonus!
The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole is a well-written novel about witchcraft, friendship, and community. The black and white illustrations are a wonderful addition to the novel. They give young readers a great deal of visual information about the characters, their feelings, and the evolution of the story. The chapters are short, and the text will appeal to both male and female readers. They will be intrigued by the fast-paced action, the unusual characters, and the mysteries. The Weird Sisters: A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole is the first book in a series, and readers will definitely look forward to the next chapter in the story of the weird sisters!
Myra Junyk, who lives in Toronto, Ontario, is a literacy advocate and author.