Book: The Hippity Dippity Witch by Lorraine O'Byrne

categories: Book, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Animals, School, Quest, Witchcraft, Spells, Magic, Enchantment, Woodland Animals, Humour, Children's Book

Lorraine O'Byrne

about this book: 'The Hippity Dippity Witch is my first children's book. It took me a year to write it and by the time all the illustrations were completed a further six months to publish it with Feedaread Publishers. The hardest part about writing the book was coming up with the ideas and making the story interesting.'

'When I was growing up, I loved fairytales, adventure and playing make believe. I took my inspiration for writing the book from the Walt Disney movies that I still watch today. My inspiration also came from the animals in my farm, in particular, my dogs, three cats and my pony.'

'I also like to write about woodland creatures, that's why I have a squirrel, a toad and various other delightful animals in my book.'

'The Hippity Dippity Witch is for the seven to ten age bracket, it has two main characters, Jenny and Marigold. The story unfolds when eight year old Jenny skips school one day to avoid a spelling test that she has been dreading and escapes to an enchanted wood called Willow Grove. In this magical place, Jenny can talk to the animals: Cindy squirrel, Elsa the deer, Louis Noodle a grumpy old owl to name but a few. But when she arrives in Willow Grove it is a scene of total devastation. She discovers that her friends have all been living in terror of this new witch Marigold who has descended upon their once peaceful haven.'

'The new witch is difficult ten year old Marigold who has come to stay with her aunt Griselda for the summer. Used to getting her own way all the time, she deceives her aunt into believing she has passed her test in the academy of magic. Marigold believing school to be a complete waste of her precious time angrily stomps through the wood casting spells here and there causing mayhem everywhere she goes.'

'I'd just like to finish up by saying, anyone can write a book, all it takes is determination, a good dose of imagination and self-belief.'

• "Thoroughly enjoyable read. Conjures an absorbing and enchanting world that children and children at heart can be immersed in." — Review from amazon.co.uk