Witch Wars

By Sibéal Pounder and Laura Ellen Anderson

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'This is a witch story like no other – and it's a blast!' – Bookseller
'Brilliantly magical' – Tom Fletcher Book Club
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The first book in the hilarious Witch Wars series for kids aged 7+, perfect for fans of The Worst Witch. Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

Join Tiga on her quest to win Witch Wars and become Top Witch of Ritzy City!

When Fran the Fabulous Fairy turns up in Tiga Whicabim's shed to tell her she's a witch, Tiga doesn't believe her. Or at least not until Fran points out that TIGA WHICABIM is actually an anagram of I AM A BIG WITCH and magics her away down the drainpipes to compete in Witch Wars – the competition to crown the next Top Witch of Ritzy City.

Filled with silly spells, delectable dresses, ridiculous riddles and a serious shoe problem, Witch Wars is a witch story like no other... although if you enjoyed The Worst Witch, you'll love this too!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Mar 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781408852668

Sibéal Pounder

Sibéal Pounder is the author of the bestselling Witch Wars and Bad Mermaids series of books. Her debut, Witch Wars, was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Bad Mermaids Meet the Witches was a 2019 World Book Day title and a Sunday Times bestseller and has been optioned by Sony Animation. She has also written Beyond Platform 13, a sequel to Eva Ibbotson's The Secret of Platform 13, and her latest book Tinsel is all about a young girl called Blanche Claus and asks the question: what if a long time ago we all got the Santa story a bit wrong? Previously Sibéal worked as a journalist, writing for publications including the Guardian and Vogue Online and was a philanthropy columnist for the Financial Times.

Reviews for Witch Wars

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When Tiga Whicabim, who leads a miserable life with her cruel guardian Miss Heks, suddenly finds herself confronted by a fairy named Fran, who insists that she (Tiga) is a witch, the young girl isn't sure what to believe. But then she is sucked down a drainpipe to Ritzy City, a vast underground settlement populated by witches, and discovers that she has been entered into the Witch Wars contest. A televised competition, in which nine nine-year-old witches vie for the right to rule Ritzy City for nine years, Witch Wars introduces Tiga to a whole new world. Here, in this beautiful city where everything is black and white, she makes her first true friends - fellow competitors Peggy Pigwiggle and Fluffanora Brew - and gets a glimpse of a happier life. But will she be allowed to stay, if she doesn't win...? And how did she come to be nominated for Witch Wars at all, when she knows no one in Ritzy City...?The first in a series of lighthearted fantasy novels featuring Tiga and the witches of Ritzy City, Witch Wars reminded me in turn of the Harry Potter books, the Hunger Games trilogy, and a certain kind of very girlish fantasy. The revelation that Tiga is actually a witch - her full name is an acronym for "I Am a Big Witch" - recalls similar developments in Rowling's initial Harry Potter novel, with fairy Fran taking Hagrid's place as the messenger who reveals the heroine's true destiny. The actual Witch Wars competition, with its televised orchestration by Brollywood (the entertainment sector of Ritzy City) put me in mind of the Hunger Games that Katnis and Peeta must enter in Suzanne Collins' dystopian future, although Pounder's competition is far more benign, with no lives threatened. This felt like a very feminine fantasy to me, not just because all of the characters are women and girls - are there no men in Ritzy City, or do they simply appear 'off-screen?' Have witches learned how to procreate without both sexes, if not, how do they have children..? none of this is addressed in the book - but also because there is great emphasis on elegant dress and appearance, with Tiga's introduction to the joys of high fashion feeling like nothing so much as wish-fulfillment of the middle-grade girl variety.Despite the many parallels and similarities that struck me, while reading Witch Wars, I also found Sibéal Pounder's debut novel original, quirky, and often entertaining in its own right. The accompanying artwork by Laura Ellen Anderson really captures the madcap sense of fun here, and the enchantment of Tiga's adventures. Although not destined to become a personal favorite, I do think this is a fantasy novel that young girls in particular will enjoy.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first in a series (currently 4 books) about a nine year old girl names Tiga Whicabim. She lives with her guardian, mean and nasty Miss Heks. She spends most of her time in the shed to get away from her. Meals consist of cheese soup, yes a small bit a mouldy cheese in boiling water. Get the picture, a pretty nasty home for poor Tiga.When Fran the Fairy shows up at Tiga’s shed to tell Tiga that she’s a witch, she doesn’t believe her. Fran tells her that she will take her to Ritzy City via the pipes and jumps down, Tiga sticks her finger in the drain and BOOM, she is sucked in. The adventure begins. Tiga has been nominated to participate in Witch Wars. The winner rules Ritzy City, but if she loses, it is back to the shed and Miss Heks. Tiga is a wonderful little witch and quickly makes friends to help her solve the riddles and win. With Peggy at her side, Tiga sets off determined to solve the riddles, win Witch Wars, and remain in Ritzy City forever.This is a great story for young girls (8 to 10). It has everything: best friends, mean girls, friendly and not so friendly competition, quirky characters, great settings and names for places like Clutterbucks, Sinkville, Brollywood, and depicts loyalty, perseverence, smart girls, and more. The characters in the story are fun. Each of the nine witches in the wars are different and have different characteristics. For a short book, there was a lot packed in. The story flows easily and the plot is developed so the young reading the book will be able to follow it. The illustrations are amazing. The bring the characters and the setting to life. A great beginning chapter book for young girls. I recommend this book to public, school and classroom libraries. I can see this series becoming a favourite of young girl. The publisher generously provided me a copy of this book via Netgalley.