The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Book Two: Big Birthday Bash

by Frank Cammuso

Overview

Young witch Salem Hyde is stubborn, impulsive, and loves flying. Her cat companion, Whammy, is nervous, careful, and loves staying on the ground. Somehow, though, they’re best friends. In this second book in the series, Salem is invited to a birthday party, and she wants to make sure everything goes perfectly. But from the invitations to the presents, party games, and spells gone awry, nothing happens exactly the way it should, and she’ll need Whammy’s help to sort it all out.

Praise for The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Book Two
"Cammuso’s lively art conveys wonderful expressions with just a few strokes, and young readers will enjoy the humor of Salem’s predicaments. Salem manages to give Edgar a memorable birthday party, and readers a very fun book."
—Booklist

"With lots of laughs and lots of heart, this sophomore offering doesn’t disappoint."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Salem Hyde is a whimsical character. The bright two-color pink and black illustrations convey the spunky heroine’s energy. Dark shadows lend volume and height where needed. Frames, wide and magnified in varying degrees, are filled with action and high jinks."
—School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419710261
Publisher:	Abrams Fanfare
Publication date:	05/20/2014
Series:	The Misadventures of Salem Hyde , #2
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Frank Cammuso is an Eisner-nominated cartoonist, the creator of the popular middle school graphic novel series Knights of the Lunch Table, and the illustrator of several beginning-reader graphic books, including Otto’s Orange Day. He lives in Syracuse, New York.

Editorial Reviews

2014-03-12
With giant spectacles and even more spunk, budding witch Salem Hyde is back, determined to give her friend the best birthday ever. Tempestuous Salem is a flurry of a girl, always acting first and thinking second. Luckily, her feline companion, Whammy, is there to help keep her grounded and help her use—or, more often, help her undo her use of—her nascent magical powers. When Salem is invited to her friend Edgar's big birthday bash, she's beyond excited. However, right from the start, her adversary, the know-it-all Shelly, is determined to upstage her at every turn. Salem decides she'll give Edgar the best and biggest present ever—with disastrous, magical results. Salem and Whammy are perfect foils, with her whirlwind liveliness balanced by his (semi) calm wisdom. Cammuso keeps the jokes flowing throughout the volume and adroitly weaves them in and out of each narrative section, coming full circle by the end. Line-based art reminiscent of Calvin and Hobbes sets an immediate mood, and the characters' dramatic facial expressions make a winning complement to the steady stream of chuckle-worthy antics. This volume makes a fine jumping-in point for the series, but readers should also make sure to check out the excellent series opener, Spelling Trouble (2013). With lots of laughs and lots of heart, this sophomore offering doesn't disappoint. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews