Izzy Hoffman is Not a Witch by Alyssa Alessi

What worked:

Sharing a story about the Salem witch trials in a modern-day setting feels fresh. Izzy’s link to her great-times-ten grandmother begins as terrifying nightmares when the Bony Witch appears in mirrors and tries to grab her. The Bony Witch, or actually Alice Young, was the first witch hanged in Salem and the memory of many other innocent victims silently remains in Marblehead without notice. Tourists flock to the town taking selfies in front of Alice’s statue and to purchase souvenir shirts and coffee mugs. This atmosphere establishes the backdrop of the story as Izzy and her best friend Nat slowly realize something malevolent has entered their lives.

This book offers a spooky plot featuring witches and ghosts but it’s not overly intense for young readers. However, it still includes tense moments between supernatural beings to keep things exciting. The hunt for witches might not be over as the story makes connections between the events happening now and the execution of women accused of witchcraft centuries ago. An important part of the book is to never forget the women who were victims of needless, tragic deaths. Fear, prejudice, and anger combined are lethal combination that can get drastically out of hand.

I’ve read many books with middle-grade characters and often wonder why they don’t confide in their parents or trusted adults when things get too dangerous. Izzy and Nat understand they don’t know what’s happening so they enlist the help of the town’s psychic despite her kooky reputation. The séance doesn’t turn out as expected so the girls begin to grasp the ramifications of ghostly threats. Most adults will probably scoff if they share their experiences with them but Izzy decides she must talk to her mother. Speaking to her parents still has mixed results but it’s refreshing to see a young character ask for help. The author still manages to keep the focus on Izzy and doesn’t let the adults take over the story.

What didn’t work as well:

This book is fairly short at 144 pages so the plot doesn’t have time to introduce any significant complications. Actually, the effects of the antagonist are major parts of the story while the man himself only makes brief appearances. The overall tale is very entertaining but it might be even better if the conflict was developed into a more dramatic, suspenseful issue. The plot doesn’t create a feeling of urgency as well as it might.

The Final Verdict:

The narrative tells a thrilling ghost story and highlights an appalling time in our country’s history. The opening pages grab the attention of readers as Izzy is terrified during a chilling dream. Or is it a dream? I recommend this book for lovers of ghost stories and history.