Description

New-found witch and eco-warrior Orla is up against some seriously dark magic in this creepy and funny adventure, the second in the series.

Orla, her brothers and Dave the dog are on holiday in Norfolk, visiting their eccentric Uncle Valentine. Orla may have recently learned she’s a witch, but she’s not looking for trouble. Nope. Definitely not. Unfortunately, her timing is terrible. She quickly discovers the beautiful Anna’s Wood, due to be bulldozed any minute for shale gas. The locals are all convinced that GasFrac’s plan is a great one. Make way for a new shopping centre and car park! But why doesn’t anyone care about the destruction of the wood? Where are the protests? Orla soon begins to suspect that this isn’t just indifference … there’s dark magic involved here. With the help of a magpie, she finds out who is behind GasFrac. And what he wants is worse than she could possibly have imagined.

• Strong environmental theme. Orla has a magical connection with the natural world – particularly the woods and the birds, here.
• “It was a real treat to get lost in this sprawling adventure full of magic, pirates, witches and a most heroic Jack Russell. Orla and the Serpent’s Curse is packed full of adventure, mystery, humour and thrills… All shot through with lots of wonderful witchy magic – this is rich storytelling sure to appeal to fans of Catherine Doyle’s magical Storm Keepers series or Robin Stevens’ brilliant mysteries.” James Nicol (author of The Apprentice Witch) on Orla and the Serpent’s Curse.
• “Orla and the Serpent’s Curse, by the first-time children’s author C. J. Haslam, is a welcome breath of fresh air … We pause to admire every view – but the action whips on, resulting in a wonderfully suspenseful debut that will lift the spirits of any child cooped up at home.” Emily Bearn, The Telegraph

Ages 9-12