The Weird Sisters: A Coop, Some Goop, and a Sandwich

Weird Sisters Detective Agency #3

by Mark David Smith, Kari Rust

Three sleuthing sisters become aware of how their spells affect others in book three of this hilarious magical mystery series
It’s autumn, and Covenly residents are gathering at the annual fall fair. The three Weird Sisters—Hildegurp, Glubbifer, and Yuckmina—are running a Flying Broom ride for the town’s kids and nine-year-old Jessica Nibley is overseeing the petting zoo nearby. Suddenly, a prized show chicken goes missing and there’s a new mystery to solve. Suspecting  fowl  play, the four friends team up to find the hapless hen in a madcap hunt that involves an enchanted roller coaster, a frog in a top hat, and a sticky trail of goo. As they sleuth, the sisters also discover some unfortunate and unintended consequences of their magic, bringing about a gentle lesson in apologizing. The third book in this whimsical chapter book mystery series is full of clever wordplay, humorous misunderstandings, and dynamic illustrations. With hints and phrases from  Hamlet , readers are reminded that actions have consequences that can’t always be undone.

Genres: Childrens, Mystery, Fantasy

112 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2024

About the author

Mark David Smith teaches English for the Coquitlam School District, which gives him a needed outlet for correcting people's grammar--a practice he has come to understand is socially inappropriate in other contexts. He lives in Port Coquitlam, BC, with his wife and three children.

Reviews

[Tonja Drecker]

Quirky adventure, silly magic, and ridiculously clever word play make this into a read packed with fun and twists which lead in the most unexpected directions.

The three Weird Sisters are having a blast offering a Flying Broom ride at the annual town fair. Of course, they hide their magic abilities as best they can, except from their best friend, Jessica, who is running a petting zoo next to them. When one of the girl's chickens goes missing, the sisters are ready to help out, especially since something strange is going on. But what might prove the most difficult problem of all is the lasting and unexpected results of the spells the sisters have cast in the past.

I did not read the other books in the series before diving into this one, and while it wasn't too hard to get into the story, it would be better to start this series at the beginning, since it weaves in aspects from the earlier adventures. Still, it was a fun read and easy to get caught up in the silly excitement.

The three sisters carry very distinct personalities and are quite the funny group. They handle and see life in an unique way, and when mixed with magic, chaos and humorous situations are guaranteed. I was surprised to see that there are quite a few other characters, who get their chance to be in the spotlight. The chapters rotate from one characters' perspective to the next, making subplots twist and turn in a spaghetti like knot until, somehow, it all weaves together in a perfectly understandable way...odd and funny, but it works. There are characters to like, others not so much, and some who fall somewhere in between. It's a rich mish-mash which molds into a ridiculous fun.

Then, there is the word play. The sisters' dialogue is quite the clever twist and turn, at times, and fiddles and faddles in delightful ways. At first, I was wondering at the word use, since some of the terms are going to stretch chapter book readers' abilities, but that's exactly the point. The same words are poked, kneaded and teased, not only into pure silliness, but they worm their ways into the readers' minds. The font is large, making easier reading, and fitting illustrations slide in abundantly to add to the scenes.

This is a quirky read, and that's exactly how it needs to be. Chapter book readers, who are enjoy magic with the feel of riddling fun, will find more than a few laughs and silliness...and heart...along the way.
I received a DRC through Edelweiss, am giving this 4.5 stars while rounding up, and enjoyed the unique mix quite a bit.

[Melanie Dulaney]

Aptly titled The Weird Sisters, 3 very unusual looking witches and their human friend, Jessica Nibley, solve mysteries and have adventures in this early chapter book series for 2nd-4th graders. This installment is #3 and was easy to read/enjoy despite not having read either books 1 or 2. The names of most of the characters are goofy-Yuckmina, Hildegurp, Glubbifer, Leona Swapnik, Graymalkin-which will both amuse readers and potentially hinder their reading. Lots of word puns using homonyms like “foul” and “fowl” add to the humor. The mystery at the heart of this episode centers on a missing cat, prize chicken and a frog wearing a vest and top hat who are somewhere in the middle of a town carnival. Misapplied love spells and magic broom and roller coaster rides are only a part of the fun when the witch & human team of 4 attempt to find the missing animals while at the same time, trying to keep the witch’s magic a secret from the townspeople.

With humor being a real draw for the target age group plus the low page count, large font, ample white space and frequent sketches, The Weird Sisters series is likely to be a favorite. Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. Race and sexual orientation are not factors but name conventions and different skin tones in the sketches do imply various ethnic groups.

Thanks for providing me with a finished copy, Owl Kids books.

[Rachel]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

I love these books! I'm a huge word nerd so I love anything with puns, homonyms, and other fun word play. The characters and plots are just the right amount of over-the-top silly and are sure to entertain younger readers. And the illustrations/artwork are just perfect - they match the tone and overall spirit of the story and also help any readers who may not know exactly what they should be picturing as they read. The nods to Shakespeare are a nice little touch for adults reading the story with their kids. The length is also great for younger readers - not too short and not too long, which keeps the action moving at a good pace. Overall, these books are perfect for anyone who enjoys a fun and silly read!

[Pam]

I received an electronic ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley.
The third in this series.
The local fair is here and the three witches have created a booth. They want to give children something fun to do like take a broom ride. Jessica is happy to help and to manage her own booth - a petting zoo. When things start to disappear, Jessica sets out to solve the mystery. With help from her friends and other town people, they locate the missing chicken and cat. Smith weaves humor throughout and continues to develop these characters. Readers will love the ways they experience the Fall Fair and help/hinder Jessica's investigation. A light read for mid-elementary level.

[Kay S.]

This one kind of feels like it's trying too hard? The mystery is cuter than the last ones and more in line with the medium of the book itself. But it feels like it's pushing the cute wordplay so prominent in the other books into places it doesn't need to be. It also hardly involved the sisters, and seemed to revolve more around Cosmo the chicken man.

I just didn't love it as much as the others. It felt too confusing and there were too many avenues and not enough plot - which should really be the opposite in a short chap book like this...