EVELYN WITCH GETS A PET
An Amazon Book of the Year 2025
A Good Housekeeping 2025 Kids'
Book Awards Winner
Come join Evelyn Witch as she waits for her new pet egg to hatch and discovers that . . .
Waiting is Hard!
What People are Saying
"When a young witch acquires an egg that conceals a “mystery pet,” she impatiently uses her magic to attempt to hatch it.
Playful text paired with vignettes of the frustrated Evelyn watching over the egg make the young witch’s displeasure clear: Waiting is hard! . . . Evelyn treks over mountains, sails seas, and explores a cave, casting delightfully rhyming spells—to no avail. But after a heartwarming epiphany—and a lesson in the value of patience—Evelyn and readers alike are rewarded with a perfect result. Comical, scribbly art—a creative mix of panels and full-page spreads—complements the text, whose extensive vocabulary is couched in conversational syntax;
Evelyn’s frequent exclamation of “Sniveling snails!” is a particular delight.
Fun for witches in training and aspiring pet owners alike."
- Kirkus Reviews
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A “mystery pet” provides a plucky, green-haired sorceress with an embodied experience of patience in this polished picture book. Purchasing a single white egg from the pet store, Evelyn Witch impatiently awaits the being’s emergence, but when the creature fails to materialize, the proactive protagonist springs into action (“Sniveling snails! Something had to be done!”). She treks up a snowy mountain in an attempt to transform the egg into a unicorn, then rows out to sea in the hopes of hatching a narwhal. Ferry’s wry tone makes for a lively read, and handmade textures soften Santoso’s digital renderings, which add a dollop of humor with their characterizations of the heroine’s impatience.
When Evelyn discovers that giving the egg time may be more powerful than magic, the epiphany feels suitably transformational, foregrounding an approach that elevates care over force.
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- Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
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"The breezy rhymes, silly spells, and exuberant exclamations make for a pleasurable read, and Evelyn’s impatience and frustration are especially relatable. Entertaining artwork bursts with humorous detail and adorable animals in this uproarious reminder that a slow approach is sometimes the most rewarding one."
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- Booklist
early sketches
