{"product_id":"hocus-and-pocus-and-the-spell-for-home-isbn-9781536224924","title":"Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom award-winning author A. R. Capetta comes a new first-chapter-book series delivering plenty of puppies, magic, and charm.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePuppies Hocus and Pocus are \u003ci\u003estill \u003c\/i\u003ewaiting 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 \u003ci\u003eboth \u003c\/i\u003etheir 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.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 (\u003ci\u003eThe Heartbreak Bakery\u003c\/i\u003e) see Hocus and Pocus embarking on an adventure that’s both slapstick and heartfelt.\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStories 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.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 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.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChua'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.\u003cbr\u003e—Booklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf your young reader loves the enchanting hijinks of \u003ci\u003eThe\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003ePrincess in Black\u003c\/i\u003e, 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.\u003cbr\u003e—LitHub\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAdorable. . . . This is so much fun, and I love the diverse range of pronouns used by characters.\u003cbr\u003e—Book Riot\u003cb\u003eA. R. Capetta\u003c\/b\u003e is known for groundbreaking LGBTQ YA genre novels, including \u003ci\u003eEcho After Echo, The Lost Coast, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Heartbreak Bakery. \u003c\/i\u003eThe Hocus and Pocus series is their first foray into writing for younger readers. A. R. Capetta lives in a small town in the mountains with their family, including two dogs who make \u003ci\u003ealmost \u003c\/i\u003eas much mischief as Hocus and Pocus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCharlene Chua \u003c\/b\u003e(she\/they) is the author-illustrator of \u003ci\u003eHug? \u003c\/i\u003eand the illustrator of numerous books for young readers, include the Stonewall Book Award winner and Lambda Literary Award finalist \u003ci\u003eLove, Violet \u003c\/i\u003eby Charlotte Sullivan Wild; \u003ci\u003eBye Bye, Binary \u003c\/i\u003eby Eric Geron; and the Amy Wu series by Kat Zhang. Charlene Chua lives near Toronto.\u003cb\u003eChapter One\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e Slightly Magical Puppies\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Hocus and Pocus were born in late October, when even the wind was full of mischief. \u003cbr\u003e   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. \u003cbr\u003e   This witch wanted to help. She took the litter to the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets. \u003cbr\u003e   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.\u003cbr\u003e   “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.”\u003cbr\u003e   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.\u003cbr\u003e   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 \u003ci\u003esnap \u003c\/i\u003eof his jaws.\u003cbr\u003e   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. \u003cbr\u003e   Hocus and Pocus wanted a home, too. But they didn’t want to go to \u003ci\u003edifferent \u003c\/i\u003ehomes the way Double, Toil, and Trouble had. They wanted a home \u003ci\u003etogether\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e   “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!”\u003cbr\u003e   “Unacceptable,” Hocus grumbled. “We’ll use our magic to stop it.”\u003cbr\u003e   “What if that’s not enough?” Pocus asked.\u003cbr\u003e   “Then we’ll use our mischief, too.”\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter Two\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e Too Much Mischief?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eWhen a warlock and witch couple came in the next day and asked to look at puppies, Hocus stared deep into their eyes.\u003cbr\u003e   “Oh no,” she said. “In exactly two minutes, they’ll ask to adopt one of us! \u003ci\u003eOnly one!\u003c\/i\u003e” Hocus knew it would be her, but she didn’t want to make Pocus even more nervous, so she didn’t add that detail. \u003cbr\u003e   “No!” Pocus cried, already nervous enough. “We have to stop it!”\u003cbr\u003e   Pocus leaped into the witch’s arms.\u003cbr\u003e   Hocus squatted low.\u003cbr\u003e   Hocus had what the shelter owner called “an accident”—but this was an “on purpose.”\u003cbr\u003e   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 \u003ci\u003etoo\u003c\/i\u003e mad at Hocus.  \u003cbr\u003e   But they definitely didn’t adopt anyone. \u003cbr\u003e   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.” \u003cbr\u003e   “Just \u003ci\u003eone\u003c\/i\u003e pet,” Hocus said.\u003cbr\u003e   “Mischief time!” Pocus shouted.\u003cbr\u003e   Hocus climbed the wizard like a tree.\u003cbr\u003e   Hocus slurped a hundred kisses on the wizard-baby’s face.\u003cbr\u003e   Pocus grabbed the wizard’s wand while they were distracted and did what he did best: power chew. \u003cbr\u003e   He spent the next two days burping sparks. \u003cbr\u003e   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.”\u003cbr\u003e   Pocus had actually eaten several applications. \u003cbr\u003e   “What if no one ever adopts us?” Pocus asked. “What if our mischief is backfiring? Like a wand when you chew on it?”\u003cbr\u003e   “Hmmm,” Hocus grumbled. “Maybe we have to stop thinking about what we don’t want . . .”\u003cbr\u003e   “We don’t want to get split up!” Pocus yelped. \u003cbr\u003e   “And spend time trying to get what we \u003ci\u003edo\u003c\/i\u003e want.”\u003cbr\u003e   “We want treats and a person to give us lots of treats,” Pocus helped.\u003cbr\u003e   “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?”\u003cbr\u003e   “We’re \u003ci\u003egood dogs\u003c\/i\u003e,” Pocus said, but he didn’t sound so sure. \u003cbr\u003e   Right at that moment, a witch burst through the door. The same witch who’d brought them to the shelter in the first place.\u003cbr\u003e   Hocus said, “We’ll be this witch’s puppies in no time.”\u003cbr\u003e   But the witch had other ideas.","brand":"Candlewick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301332832485,"sku":"NP9781536224924","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781536224924.jpg?v=1767729119","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/hocus-and-pocus-and-the-spell-for-home-isbn-9781536224924","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}