In a coming-of-age story, ten-year-old Elizabeth (who prefers to be called Eliza) learns how to cope while surrounded by anger and hurt. With an older brother who's angry at the world (including her), distant parents, and classmates getting away with bullying, it's no wonder she buries her nose in books instead. However, when a certain classmate claims a witch is going around her neighborhood looking for children to snatch, she follows the young woman and befriends her in the process. The two make an unlikely friendship that changes both their lives for the better.
Content advisory: Mild Bullying, Mentions of Issues at Home, Grief and Loss
Moving to England was never going to be Ellie's choice. The land of bad food, pointless Royalty and weird sports (do people actually watch cricket?) was cruelly forced upon her by unthinking, divorcing parents, and Ellie was determined not to like it. But life in grey England is about to get more colourful. Having to contend with a newly-single mother, a gay grandfather and the hottest boy in town, Ellie's life is set whirling in a whole new direction of self discovery, the likes of which she would never have known in her sleepy American hometown.
Ellie's life has truly been turned upside down, with more downs than ups, and she's struggling to adjust, even with the attention of the gorgeous Lewis who seems to have set his sights on her. Within a week she's angered the resident school bully, fallen totally head-over-heels, and picked up a few bad habits along the way...But someone or something is working for Ellie behind the scenes, and with a little magic she gets far more than she bargained for. As Ellie's relationship with Lewis turns sour she learns in the most surprising way that being true to herself is really all that matters.