Luna rides a battered old broom that keeps crashing itself into the school pond. She has a witch’s hat and wand and sometimes she’s quite good at magic, but she isn’t completely sure that she’s a real witch. She doesn’t have a familiar for one thing, and she doesn’t know where she came from, only that she was found by three witches who she now calls her aunts.
When she swaps a ring for a rare boobook owl, things aren't as they seem and Luna is set on a collision course with the fearsome Madame Valadon as she unravels many questions; the biggest one of all is who she really is.Lauren Crozier won the Text Prize for this, her debut novel. Aimed at middle-grade readers, it's a lovely story about being true to yourself, finding your space and place in the world, and about friendship and family.
It did take a little while for me to settle into the story, but Crozier hooked me in with her colourful characters and humour. She uses the familiar witch tropes, but the story isn't stale or formulaic. Crozier keeps it fresh and exciting, with strong characters, situations and settings that dance from the page. Luna is a great lead character - she's curious, a little self-depreciating, loyal and independent.
Some of the language might trip up the average middle-grade reader, and the book is a little longer than others marketed for the same age. However, Crozier's spell-binding storytelling makes for a great book to stretch eager readers.
The Best Witch in Paris is a magical read with lots of twists and turns to captivate the reader. I have no doubt Luna's adventures will continue and I can't wait to see which adventure Crozier takes readers on next.
Reviewer: Rebekah Lyell
Text Publishing
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