A Pinch of Magic

A spellbinding middle grade fantasy about three sisters who go on a quest to break the curse that’s haunted their family for generations.​

All Betty Widdershins wants is an adventure—one that takes her far away from Crowstone, the gloomy island where she’s always lived. But instead of an adventure, Betty and her sisters, Fliss and Charlie, are given of a set of magical objects, each with its own powers: a scruffy carpet bag, a set of wooden nesting dolls, and a gilt-framed mirror. And these magical objects come with their own terrible secret: the sisters’ family is haunted by a generations-long curse that prevents them from ever leaving their island—at the cost of death.

The sisters set out to break the curse and free their family forever. But after stumbling upon a mysterious prisoner who claims to be able to help them, they find themselves in great danger. And in order to break the curse—and stay alive—they must unravel a mystery that goes back centuries, one that involves shipwrecks, smugglers, and sorcery of the most perilous kind.

• A Powerful Sibling Story: Adventurous Betty, proper Fliss, and mischievous Charlie must rely on each other to unravel a generations-long mystery and save their family.
• Three Magical Objects: A traveling carpet bag, a set of invisibility nesting dolls, and a mysterious mirror hold the key—but they come with a terrible secret.
• An Unbreakable Family Curse: For generations, no Widdershins girl has been able to leave the gloomy island of Crowstone without facing death. Can the sisters be the first to break free?
• Atmospheric Witches and Magic: A spellbinding tale of shipwrecks, smugglers, and perilous sorcery that will keep young readers turning the pages.

Michelle Harrison is the author of twelve novels for children and young adults. Her first book, Thirteen Treasures, won the Waterstones Children's Book prize, and her work has been translated into seventeen languages. Michelle lives in England with her son, Jack, and a black cat called Marmite.