Tag Bethan Stevens

The Not-So-Wicked Witch

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The Not-So-Wicked Witch
Bethan Stevens
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This is a delightful play on the wicked witch trope with a young protagonist who puzzles the other little witches by not joining in with their trouble-making deeds that include such things as eating the very last biscuit in the tin and pinching one of your favourite socks.. Because of this, the baddy brigade decides that the littlest witch needs to be rescued from ‘all this icky, gooey goodness’.

The lessons in wickedness commence with upsetting children at meal times, which fails dismally. Next location is a birthday party – what better place for a spot of wickedness?

Our littlest witch is instructed to acquire various items for a potion that will enable them to steal all the marshmallows (their favourite ever food) from the party.

What happens however is rather different: the littlest witch concocts her own sweet recipe and sabotages the plans of the would-be marshmallow stealers.

The result is that the wicked little witches finally learn that ‘kindness beats wickedness’ …

With detailed illustrations of the enchanting kind, a thoroughly endearing little witch who doesn’t fit the mischief-making mould, a wealth of speech bubbles for the adult reader aloud to dramatise, young human listeners will delight in watching as the littlest witch teaches everyone that goodness is the way to go.

A Damsel Not in Distress

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A Damsel Not in Distress
Bethan Stevens
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books First Editions

Regular readers of this blog may already know that I’m a fractured fairytales enthusiast and Bethan Stevens has chosen to turn the traditional Rapunzel story inside out, throwing the stereotypical helpless princess trope right out of the window. Our damsel states from the outset – or tries to – that she certainly is not distressed, nor is she trapped in her tower by a curse. Indeed she lives with her grandma and the castle moat is full not of horrific monsters, but ducks and frogs. In fact she seems pretty satisfied with her lot, except for the fact that her story is being spoiled at every turn of the page.

When her peaceful yoga session is interrupted, 

she cleverly predicts the fate of the first gallant knight that comes to rescue her from the massive dragon that has appeared. The brave Prince Charming is equally unhelpful but who’s this? A gnome with acrophobia supposed to scramble up the brambles to the top of a tall tower – really?

Our protagonist has had enough and is determined to turn the story around so its finale is to her liking? Can she do so and how? Hot chocolate anyone?

This is huge fun with Bethan’s text and illustrations working really well together, and the expressions on the faces of the characters are hilarious be they human or animal.

The Grumpy Fairies

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The Grumpy Fairies
Bethan Stevens
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

I suspect that most people, youngsters especially, are of the opinion that fairies are cute, kind little things, but that isn’t true of the entire fairy race. The smallest ones especially are grumpy, not just a little bit but grumpy in the extreme. They flatly refuse to do those helpful jobs expected of them by the adults of their kind

as well as being downright rude to the birds that request their assistance. And as for the goblin warning those same birds give them, they don’t even bother listening to it.

The grumpy fairies treat the bees and Mouse in similar fashion, ignoring their words about there being a hungry goblin on the wander looking for lunch; and they’re so busy with their grumps, that they fail to notice …

It’s fortunate that in addition to grumpiness, these particular fairies have cleverness as part of their constitution. Can they succeed in extricating themselves from a very tricky situation, or will they become a ‘sweet and sour’ midday repast for a certain goblin?

This is Bethan Stevens’ debut picture book. It’s full of visual humour; I love her portrayal of those Grumpy Fairies that are similar to grumpy little humans in so many ways, and her hirsute-limbed goblin is terrific fun.