JazzyBonilla
In 1961, three curious friends-Elliot, Riley, and Henry-set out to uncover the truth behind the terrifying rumor whispered through their school: a witch who eats children... in her soup. What starts as a daring, mischievous adventure behind the school quickly turns into something far stranger and more dangerous than they ever imagined.
On their way back from searching for the witch, the trio discovers a massive, hidden tree towering above them, with an opening just wide enough to squeeze through. Inside, they find a wand unlike anything they've ever seen. Excited and unaware of its true owner, they pocket it-but when they leave, a golden, magical note appears, its words harsh and uncompromising: return the wand, or the witch will use them as seasoning for her soup.
Determined to survive, the friends follow a trail of centuries-old poems left by a 1500s poet for travelers like them, leading them on a journey to the witch's castle. Along the way, they encounter puzzles, eerie forests, and the creeping sense that time itself behaves strangely-their six-day adventure in the magical world passes in just six hours back home.
When Riley and Henry are captured and slowly turned into golden dust for a witches soup, Elliot must confront his deepest fears. Alone and desperate, he has to overcome his shy nature and take on the darkness of the forest by himself.
A Poet's Footprints is a darkly whimsical, middle-grade fantasy that combines folktale horror, magical adventure, and the timeless power of loyalty and bravery. With vivid imagery, clever riddles, and a hauntingly magical world, it's a story that will linger long after the last page.