Ghostly Getaway

Gr 2-4–Bea Black is on a school trip to Cadabra Castle, and she and her friends are expecting a magical time—they are witches, after all. Their first activity is a scavenger hunt, where they must learn to work together and get along. Later, they discover the castle is haunted by a ghost, and Bea is teamed up with Blaire, who she does not get along with. The story is structured like a diary, but the frequent, short entries—sometimes just minutes apart—make it feel choppy. A more cohesive approach with one or two entries per day summarizing events would have improved the flow. Additionally, many pages include footnotes that are quite small; integrating them into the main text with a different font or emphasis could have made them easier to follow. Black-and-white doodle-style illustrations appear on every page, adding personality and energy to the story. The magical adventure is engaging, and the characters feel relatable, making this a fun read despite its structural drawbacks. VERDICT A fine purchase for large libraries and where magical books are especially popular. —School Library Journal