Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

After almost being cooked by their local witch, siblings Connie and Sol hastily leave town. Unfortunately, they run into the forest domain of the ancient witch Monique--and a hunter who specializes in targeting runaway children. The narrative's dark humor, enhanced by moody black-and-white illustrations, creates a satisfyingly eerie atmosphere for the adventures of two daring and quick-witted children to unfold. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Having narrowly avoided becoming dinner in The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children (2009), sibs Sol and Connie face another folkloric fate in this equally gothic sequel. Hoping to leave child-eating neighbor Fay Holaderry far behind, Sol and Connie board a departing bus--but then incautiously step off while the driver fixes a flat and are immediately lost in a justly ill-reputed forest. Fortunately, they run into Monique, a friendly forester who leads them to her cabin. Unfortunately, Monique is another evil witch, who transforms the children into animals for her bespelled huntsman, David, to hunt down and convert into taxidermy exhibits. McGowan infuses his tale with Brothers Grimmstyle motifs and atmosphere, but obscure riddles, Sol's homemade computer and several other elements turn out to clutter the story rather than contribute to it. Furthermore, David's fatalistic ruminations on his curse (recorded in multiple journal entries) are likely to leave even adult readers cold, and his relationship with Monique comes off as, at best, ambiguous. Tanaka's scenes of androgynous-looking children gradually acquiring animal parts ably abet the atmosphere. Extraneous elements, rampant psycho-symbolism and multiple point-of-view switches turn this into a loosely woven grab-bag, but the resolution does provide some satisfaction. (Fantasy. 11-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 4-6-This sequel to The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children (Holt, 2009) is an exciting adventure. Sol, 11, always wanted to be athletic, but being turned into a deer was not how he envisioned becoming a better runner. Having just escaped from the evil witch who attempted to eat them, he and his younger sister, Connie, are once again under the influence of evil, this time in the form of a witch who feeds children potions and turns them into animals. She keeps these stuffed animals in a cabin and manipulates them into different poses. This is where she also keeps David, who is cursed to hunt the animal-shaped children against his will. Sol and Connie are his newest prey. But they have an ally, a wood thrush sent by the only person the children know they can trust, an old woman who possesses the power to control nature and animals. With the help of the thrush and her own strength in fighting the potion that is turning her into a rabbit, Connie fights the hunter, rescues her brother, and returns both of them to their human form. The added perspectives of the All Creatures Manager in the town they left and the journal of the hunter, tortured by his dreadful task, as well as the squabbling of the two siblings make this story a bit more complex than just a good-versus-evil tale. A well-done continuation of the story that leaves readers wanting to hear from this brother and sister again.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Picking up where The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children (2009) ended, the Blink siblings 11-year-old science-buff Sol and 8-year-old feisty Connie are fleeing Grand Creek after escaping witch Fay Holaderry's cooking pot and their complicit parents. They're off to seek refuge with their distant Aunt Heather, but after the bus breaks down, the pair gets lost in the forest and encounters further perils, including a witch with a dark secret and macabre collection. They fall victim to her sinister spell and are poised for a potentially dire fate. À la the previous title, which incorporated and extended the Hansel and Gretel-like premise, McGowan here creatively interweaves aspects of Grimms' Brother and Sister, blending classic fairy-tale and contemporary elements; magic; suspense; and vibrant, diversely drawn kid protagonists into another edgy, absorbing read. Droll touches, descriptive and detailed prose, and interspersed (if occasionally superfluous) side characters' stories all enliven the narrative and add depth. Tanaka's dusky, black-and-white illustrations contribute to the eerie atmosphere of the book.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2010 Booklist