The Art of Flying

August 1, 2013
Having accidentally transformed three birds into humans, sibling witches must coerce a practical girl to help them reverse the spell, but she proves an unreliable cohort. The Baldwin sisters keep a low profile in "poky old Wheatfield," where no one knows they are really witches. By turning an owl and two fledgling sparrows into a man and two boys, the sisters have breached the strict witch code forbidding human transformation and have five days to reverse the spell or the change becomes permanent. Worse, they then lose the ex-owl and one of the ex-sparrows. When the sisters lure 11-year-old Fortuna Dalliance to their suitably spooky house to see if she's got the right stuff to help them, she's terrified, but she's also been itching for excitement. Soon becoming attached to bird-boy Martin, Fortuna hides him so he'll remain human. Threatened by the local coven and aided by the bird community, the sisters are desperate to find the three missing bird-humans, but Fortuna can't decide what to do. Like the crones in Dahl's The Witches, the Baldwin sisters supply sinister humor, while conflicted heroine Fortuna must decide whether to let her friend fly free. Black-and-white spot art adds charm to this contemporary debut fantasy. Silly witches, transformed birds and a plucky heroine equal "real, live adventure." (Fantasy. 8-12)

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February 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-In this debut fantasy, Hoffman spins a tale of transformation. Eleven-year-old Fortuna's presence has been requested by her mysterious and strange neighbors, the old Baldwin sisters. They have transformed a sparrow into a boy, now called Martin, and are trying to restore him to his former self. However, Martin has run away, and they only have five days to turn him back before the change becomes permanent. Fortuna is recruited to help find the missing child because she's the daughter of a bird scientist, and as a child, she still has the ability to believe in magic. As she sets out on her hunt, her friend Peter has his own adventure in the woods, including a puzzling boy with birdlike qualities. Could this be the missing Martin? Or are there two fowl-turned-kids roaming their neighborhood? And who is the threatening man lurking near Fortuna's house, and how is he connected to the girl's quest? Fortuna is a likeable protagonist and the witchy sisters are comical, and ever-so-slightly scary. The transformed characters retain certain bird mannerisms, which adds interest and mild humor. The plot resolves neatly and satisfactorily, making this novel an appealing choice for those who like their fantasy on a smaller scale.-Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2013
Grades 3-7 Fortuna Dalliance has been sent on a mysterious mission to the Baldwins' house, and she's pretty sure they're not just friendly old ladies down the street. The Baldwins, a pair of elderly witches, have accidentally turned three birds into people, which is an act punishable by death. Now they desperately need Fortuna to help them find Martin, one of the birds who escaped from their home, so they can turn him back before anyone on the witches' council is the wiser. The only problem is that Martin doesn't want to have anything to do with the Baldwins. Moreover, the two other birds, Martin's brother and the cruel owl Arrakis, who wants to stay a human forever, are nowhere to be found. With the help of a magic notebook and a few talkative birds in the neighborhood, Fortuna and Martin set off on a search for the newly transformed. Though it suffers from uneven pacing and somewhat one-dimensional characters, Hoffman's debut has enough magic and humorous witches to appeal to burgeoning fantasy fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
An errand to help her neighbors, the reclusive Baldwin sisters, leads Fortuna to uncover layers of secrets: the sisters are witches, and they've broken witch law by transforming several birds into humans. Omniscient narration gives this unusual fantasy broad appeal by looking at the story from a variety of angles. Spot art decorates each new chapter.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)