Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
Categories
Books for very young children, children’s picture books & activity books

MISCHIEF SEASON

Sophie Blackall John Bemelmans Marciano

Welcome to Benevento, an ancient town famous for its witches!

The children of Benevento have to be careful and clever to evade the clutches of such witches as the Manalonga, the Janara, and the Clopper, who hide in wells and under bridges, fly at midnight, and play tricks during Mischief Season.

Five cousins – Primo, Emilio, Rosa, Maria Beppina, and Sergio – share adventures and narrow escapes, and discover astonishing secrets as they outwit the witches in each exciting story.

The Janara are wrecking the farm with their nightly mischiefs. Father blames Rosa for everything that goes wrong, and it’s up to the Twins and their friends to find a way to stop the Janara. Will some mysterious advice from an unexpected source be the solution to their problems?

Writer and artist John Bemelmans Marciano is the grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans. John has continued his grandfather’s legacy of the Madeline books with MADELINE AND THE OLD HOUSE IN PARIS, MADELINE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, and MADELINE AND THE CATS OF ROME. He is the author of BEMELMANS: The Life and Art of Madeline’s Creator, and of THE NINE LIVES OF ALEXANDER BADDENFIELD, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. John lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Andromache, and their daughter, Galatea.

Sophie Blackall has illustrated more than thirty books, including the New York Times Best Illustrated books BIG RED LOLLIPOP and THE BABY TREE, which she also wrote. Born in Australia, Sophie lives in Brooklyn with her children Olive and Edward.

John and Sophie share studio space in Brooklyn, which makes it easy for them to collaborate.

Available products
Book Published 2016-04-19 by Viking Books for Young Readers
Book Published 2016-04-19 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Comments

An old-world atmosphere and prickly sibling rivalry make the book read like a classic fairy tale, while an undercurrent of mystery paves the way for future books.

Magical spells and amusing characters with distinctive personalities, coupled with an engaging story with a twist, will captivate readers and leave them clamoring for future stories centered on the other cousins.

Not your run-of-the-mill chapter book. What we have here is a fresh, charming tale about an Italian village afflicted with witches and the brave, quarrelsome band of friends who try to make their acquaintance. A frisky, ingenious introduction to an old world and a new series.

There is a lot of character development packed into this trim novel. Blackall’s warm, charming illustrations accent the text.

Loosely based on folklore and decorated with Blackall's two-color drawings of elfin figures in country dress on nearly every page, the comical tale kicks off a projected series set in the picturesque town.

Hebrew: Keter (first two books)

Blackall’s delicate, lovely artwork is bewitching and Marciano’s text is, as the title implies, loaded with molto mischief. I can't wait to read what the Janara have in store for the Benevento kids next.

Marciano builds a charming environment of magic and trickery using a pleasantly old-fashioned tone to tell gently scary stories of witches and spirits. Blackall’s beautiful two-color illustrations, in shades of gray and blue, adorn almost every page and contribute significantly to the antique look of the whole package. This refreshingly unusual tale will appeal to kids in love with fairy tales.

illustrator Sophie Blackall won this year's Caldecott Medal! Read more...