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Grimelda #2

Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show: A Fun Rhyming Picture Book for Kids (Ages 4-8) About a Witch, Her Cat, and Magic

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From author Diana Murray and illustrator Heather Ross, of Grimelda: The Very Messy Witch, comes a hilarious sequel starring Grimelda that is reminiscent of Norman Bridwell’s classic The Witch Next Door. This time Grimelda is on the search for her spell book so she can win first place her local pet show.

With the right spell Grimelda knows she can make her cat Wizzlewarts spooktacular in seconds. But when her spell book goes missing in her untidy room, will Grimelda find another spooktacular pet to win the prize, or will her magic make an even larger mess?

Told in rhyming verse with charming illustrations of pet monsters and all things witchy on every page, Grimelda is perfect for Halloween but also a fun read-aloud all year round for mess-makers everywhere.

40 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 2017

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About the author

Diana Murray

31 books274 followers
Diana Murray is the author of UNICORN NIGHT (an Amazon Best Book of the Year from the bestselling UNICORN DAY series) and GOODNIGHT, VEGGIES (a Jr. Library Guild Selection), as well as many other picture books and early readers. Diana grew up in New York City and still lives nearby with her husband, two creative kids, and a dancing dog. http://www.dianamurray.com

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5 stars
34 (29%)
4 stars
37 (31%)
3 stars
36 (30%)
2 stars
7 (5%)
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3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Abigail.
8,062 reviews271 followers
August 29, 2020
That most untidy young witch, Grimelda, returns in this follow-up to her debut adventure, Grimelda: The Very Messy Witch , this time determined to enter Cobweb Town's 'Spooktacular Pet Show.' Concerned that her cat Wizzlewarts isn't spooky enough to win first prize, Grimelda searches in vain for her spell-book, determined to transform him. Then she sets out to find another pet, only to find this futile as well. Will Grimelda make it to the pet show? Can Wizzelwarts demonstrate that he's a winner?

There's never much doubt as to the answer to these questions, but Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show still makes getting to the conclusion fun. The rhyming text from author Diana Murray, and the bright, colorful artwork from illustrator Heather Ross together make this an entertaining read-aloud selection, particularly for witchy and/or Halloween story-times. The conclusion highlights the idea that we should love and appreciate our pets as they are, rather than attempting to change them. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed the first book about Grimelda, as well as to those seeking lighthearted witchy picture-book fare.
Profile Image for SheReads.
701 reviews91 followers
July 4, 2017
A fun and silly story to delight all young readers.

Grimelda is a witch who has lost her spellbook at a most crucial time. She needs it in order to win a pet show. Everyone else has cool pets such as dragons that are much more spooktacular than her fluffy kitty, but she can change that as long as she can find her book.

Read the rest of the review at YA Books Central:
http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
Profile Image for Set.
2,196 reviews
September 23, 2019

This is a cute rhyming story of a messy witch and her cat just in time for Halloween.
Profile Image for Edie.
490 reviews13 followers
July 11, 2017
A fun book, especially for readers with pets who want to show them at their "best". Murray's text rhymes naturally and would be a fun read aloud. She wants her pet to win the Spooktacular Pet Show but the cat seems a bit too innocent. Of course there are surprises and the pets she considers in place of her cat add to the fun of the story. Great for Halloween but anytime a pet is in play.
Author 1 book95 followers
August 16, 2017
This is a delightfully rhyming story just in time for Halloween. Great for girls with messy rooms and lots of imagination.
Profile Image for Bethany.
Author 22 books99 followers
November 26, 2017
Grimelda spots a flyer advertising the upcoming Spooktacular Pet Show and she immediately thinks of her pet cat. The only problem is that she doesn't think he's spooktacular enough to win. But with her spellbook missing, there's nothing she can do about him.

So, Grimelda sets out to find a new pet for the show. Each animal she comes across doesn't seem right and when she runs into danger with a monster eel, she decides it's best to return home. Settling for her cat, she's surprised to see that he has found her spellbook. Now, they can win the show for sure, but nothing really is certain, is it?

GRIMELDA AND THE SPOOKTACULAR PET SHOW has fun and clever rhymes that makes it exciting to read to my daughter. I loved the animals and Grimelda was a character I would like to see more of.


Final Verdict: This was an entertaining read that had my daughter smiling at the rhyme scheme. I would recommend this to those who love to read to their children and to those children who love rhymes with a twist of fantasy.
Profile Image for Amy.
28 reviews
November 5, 2020
My 3-year-old loves these books. I'm always looking for books that depict which is in a better light than the standard green warty face. This switch is an adorable little girl who is lovable and we'll intentioned, albeit very messy. She also uses only yucky, moldy, slimy ingredients in her spells, which is a drawback for me. However the children's book and it is silly and funny and doesn't portray witches as evil, and that is really what you need.
Profile Image for Jillian.
2,525 reviews32 followers
September 28, 2017
I thought this one was really cute. The rhyming text was a little grating at first, but then I got into the story itself and it seemed to flow better.
I did like that the plot wasn't just a re-hash of "it's too messy to find anything," but still stayed true to the original. All in all, I just really enjoyed the story.
Profile Image for Brenda.
602 reviews
November 8, 2017
This fun little title gives a warning about giving up a pet in favor of finding a new, more spooktacular pet. The rhyme and colorful, digital illustrations will make listeners and readers giggle. I recommend this title for school and public libraries as an additional title for readers/listeners ages 4 - 8.
Profile Image for Jane Healy.
542 reviews7 followers
November 13, 2017
What a perfect treat for Halloween! The only tricks are the ones little witch Grimelda tries to cast to come up with a winning entry for the Spooktacular Pet Show. Rollicking rhyme for a flowing read-aloud, fun wordplay (words like "eye-scream"), an engaging story, and adorable illustrations make this my choice for a child's Halloween !
Profile Image for Lisa.
2,156 reviews24 followers
October 9, 2017
This book was so much fun!!! The pictures were adorable, the story was not too too wordy, and it had a fun ending. There were so many cute and freaking pets in this book. This would be a good not too scary book to read for a storytime for Halloween. I could totally get behind this book.
Profile Image for Maggie Ignasiak.
378 reviews
October 30, 2017
Pros: adorable witches, spooky Halloweenish fun, puns, and a cute cat
Cons: she spends the story trying to change something that's perfectly fine the way it is, which is her cat whom she loves

Probably won't use it for storytime, but it's a good bedtime read.
1,258 reviews8 followers
February 9, 2018
Love the illustrations.
A little witch enters a contest for the spookiest pet. She doesn't think her cat is spooky enough so she tries to find a scary animal but can't find the right one. She puts a spell on her cat and it doesn't seem to work until the little kitty scares everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for M'Kayla H.
42 reviews1 follower
August 30, 2019
I really enjoyed this Children’s book, it will be one to remember for when I start Teaching. The illustrations are very eye catching, and it has many elements of poetry that is easy to follow along with such as “ But still she held her wand out strong, oh please don’t let my spell go wrong”.
Profile Image for Clementine.
1,850 reviews202 followers
August 9, 2017
Maybe die-hard fans of the original will like this one, but there's nothing new or even very interesting here. The pictures have the kind of detail that will fascinate some readers, though.
Profile Image for Donna Mork.
2,193 reviews13 followers
March 29, 2018
Cute little book about a witch that enters her cat in the spooktacular pet show. The cat defeats a mighty beast and wins the show.
Profile Image for Angela De Groot .
Author 1 book31 followers
February 10, 2019
Grimelda wants to win the Spooktacular Pet Show, but her kitty just isn’t spooky enough. Or is he? This is a fun rhyming read aloud.
Profile Image for Jessica.
109 reviews14 followers
June 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for story/writing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for illustrations
Profile Image for Pinky.
7,057 reviews23 followers
February 15, 2022
Grimelda wins the Spooktacular Pet Show thanks to her clever cat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*.
6,121 reviews219 followers
December 12, 2017
Ross, Heather. Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show, illustrated by Diana Murray. Page #. Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins), 2017. $16.99. Content: G. PICTURE BOOK.
Grimelda is a witch and she wants to win the Spooktacular Pet Show. The only problem is that her cat, Wizzlewarts isn’t very Spooktacular. She tries to find her spell book to turn her cat into something spookier. She can’t find it, so she goes to the General Store, but they’re practically sold out. She searches for a new pet and find several that just won’t work. She catches a monster of an eel—only it is too Spooktacular! She flies back home to find Wizzlewarts sitting on her spell book. They rush to the pet show and Grimelda messes up the spell. Wizzlewarts is now pink and cute. The monster eel catches up with Grimelda and Wizzlewarts saves the day.

Charming illustrations coupled with a delightful story are sure to appeal to wee witches and warlocks everywhere. The magical creatures are never too scary, but definitely Spooktacular. The story has a few twists and a perfect ending. This picture book would be great for a Halloween story time.

Pre-K, EL-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews