Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- Initial publish date
- May 2024
- Category
- Dogs, Alternative Family, Fantasy & Magic
- Recommended Age
- 5 to 8
- Recommended Grade
- k to 3
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781536236729
- Publish Date
- May 2024
- List Price
- $7.99
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781536224924
- Publish Date
- May 2024
- List Price
- $22.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
From award-winning author A. R. Capetta comes a new first-chapter-book series delivering plenty of puppies, magic, and charm.
Puppies Hocus and Pocus are still waiting to be adopted from the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets. Even though Hocus can see two minutes into the future and Pocus can turn bad feelings into bubbles (which he eats!), nobody seems to want them. This could be because the two keep causing mischief so they won’t be separated. When Jinx the witch uses a “spell for home” potion to help a color-changing tortoise find his match, the puppies know what to do: sneak both their hairs into the mixture to ensure they get adopted together. But with these two, anything can happen—from a shrinking spell to giant bees! Can the puppies, along with Jinx and her young apprentices—witch Archer (he/him), wizard Ofelia (she/her), and warlock Tam (they/them)—fix the magical mess? And will they finally find a home, maybe even right under their noses? This adorable new series takes readers to a vibrant world full of magic, community, surprises, and welcoming homes.
About the authors
CHARLENE CHUA a illustré de nombreux livres pour les enfants de tous les âges. Ses illustrations lui ont valu de nombreuses récompenses et les livres qu’elle a illustrés ont été mis en nomination pour USBBY Outstanding International Books, OLA Best Bets, une récompense Shining Willow, et Kirkus Best books. Son premier livre Hug? a été publié en 2020. Elle vit à Hamilton avec son époux.
CHARLENE CHUA has illustrated more than a dozen books, including Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao, The Pencil, and Hug?, and her work has been nominated for the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award, the Forest of Reading Awards, the Shining Willow Award, and the First Nation Communities READ Award. Charlene lives in Hamilton, Ontario.
Excerpt: Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home (by (author) A.R. Capetta; illustrated by Charlene Chua)
Chapter One
Slightly Magical Puppies
Hocus and Pocus were born in late October, when even the wind was full of mischief.
A witch found their entire litter wandering outside as the last of the leaves fell. She could tell they were too small to stay out in the cold. They needed homes with soft laps and plenty of treats. She could also tell the pups were slightly magical. They needed witches, wizards, and warlocks who would take care of them.
This witch wanted to help. She took the litter to the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets.
The shelter held a slew of bewitching kittens, dozens of enchanted fish, three charmed chinchillas, and a sad tortoise whose shell changed colors when it rained.
“It’s good to have you here,” the human who owned the shelter told them. “You probably won’t stay long, though. People love puppies. Magical humans are always looking for magical puppies. You are all slightly magical and more than slightly adorable.”
Hocus, who had been born first, was the biggest of the litter. Her coat was partly white and partly the color of sweet, salty caramel. The thing that made her slightly magical was this: she could stare deep into a person’s eyes and see what would happen in exactly two minutes.
Pocus, who had been born last, stayed little. His coat was white with spots like chocolate sprinkles, and his head was the color of a perfect cup of hot cocoa. The thing that made him slightly magical was this: he could snuggle up to you and any bad feeling you had would float away. First Pocus turned it into a brightly colored bubble. Then he ate the bubble with a snap of his jaws.
Double, Toil, and Trouble each had enchanted ears that could pick up the sound of a spell being cast miles away. Whenever they saw a witch, wizard, or warlock, they ran up and flipped over for a belly rub. All three were adopted within days.
Hocus and Pocus wanted a home, too. But they didn’t want to go to different homes the way Double, Toil, and Trouble had. They wanted a home together.
“What do we do?” Pocus asked, gnawing the shark slipper he’d borrowed from the shelter owner. “Someone will take you first, I know it. I’ll never see you again!”
“Unacceptable,” Hocus grumbled. “We’ll use our magic to stop it.”
“What if that’s not enough?” Pocus asked.
“Then we’ll use our mischief, too.”
Chapter Two
Too Much Mischief?
When a warlock and witch couple came in the next day and asked to look at puppies, Hocus stared deep into their eyes.
“Oh no,” she said. “In exactly two minutes, they’ll ask to adopt one of us! Only one!” Hocus knew it would be her, but she didn’t want to make Pocus even more nervous, so she didn’t add that detail.
“No!” Pocus cried, already nervous enough. “We have to stop it!”
Pocus leaped into the witch’s arms.
Hocus squatted low.
Hocus had what the shelter owner called “an accident”—but this was an “on purpose.”
The warlock danced around, shouting, “It’s getting on my robes!” Pocus turned all their bad feelings into bubbles and ate them. He didn’t want these people to be too mad at Hocus.
But they definitely didn’t adopt anyone.
Another day, a wizard came in with a small wizard-baby and a wand that looked like an excellent fetch stick. “I’m looking for one perfect pet who will grow up along with my little one.”
“Just one pet,” Hocus said.
“Mischief time!” Pocus shouted.
Hocus climbed the wizard like a tree.
Hocus slurped a hundred kisses on the wizard-baby’s face.
Pocus grabbed the wizard’s wand while they were distracted and did what he did best: power chew.
He spent the next two days burping sparks.
The shelter human shook their head. “This might be harder than I thought. You’ve been here for months and nobody’s even filled out an application.”
Pocus had actually eaten several applications.
“What if no one ever adopts us?” Pocus asked. “What if our mischief is backfiring? Like a wand when you chew on it?”
“Hmmm,” Hocus grumbled. “Maybe we have to stop thinking about what we don’t want . . .”
“We don’t want to get split up!” Pocus yelped.
“And spend time trying to get what we do want.”
“We want treats and a person to give us lots of treats,” Pocus helped.
“We want a home. Together. Right?” Hocus had to help her little brother along sometimes. He needed someone to talk him into things. “We’ll be extra good when the next magical human comes in, okay?”
“We’re good dogs,” Pocus said, but he didn’t sound so sure.
Right at that moment, a witch burst through the door. The same witch who’d brought them to the shelter in the first place.
Hocus said, “We’ll be this witch’s puppies in no time.”
But the witch had other ideas.
Editorial Reviews
When ebullient, bohemian witch Jinx deposits a litter of stray puppies at the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets, the establishment’s manager predicts that offers for adoption will quickly follow because they’re all “more than slightly adorable.” But Hocus, who can see two minutes into the future, and Pocus, who can turn bad feelings into edible bubbles, have strong opinions about their fates. . . . The ensuing pages of this rambunctious chapter book by Capetta (The Heartbreak Bakery) see Hocus and Pocus embarking on an adventure that’s both slapstick and heartfelt.
—Publishers Weekly
Stories featuring cute dogs or magic are always popular, and this book will be no exception. . . . The theme of acceptance and belonging is reinforced by the diversity of the apprentices in appearance and gender. . . A first chapter book that combines pets, potions, and a happy ending; perfect for readers who enjoy lighthearted mischief and canine cuddles.
—School Library Journal
This lively chapter book is engaging, with unexpected and entertaining developments. . . . The colorful, cartoonish illustrations add verve and unquestionable cuteness. . . . These magical, mischievous pooches prove irresistible.
—Kirkus Reviews
Chua's eye-catching and aesthetically drawn illustrations enhance the storytelling. . . Kids who like stories about magical worlds where anything is possible will appreciate this eight chapter adventure filled with endearing moments and valuable lessons of friendship and belonging.
—Booklist
If your young reader loves the enchanting hijinks of The Princess in Black, introduce them to this illustrated chapter book about Hocus and Pocus. . . . My family read this story together in one sitting, laughing at the inevitable magical messes, enjoying the slew of colorful, joy-filled illustrations, and looking forward to the next book in the series.
—LitHub
Adorable. . . . This is so much fun, and I love the diverse range of pronouns used by characters.
—Book Riot
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