The Last Witch on Skye - Carolyn J. Nicolson

A delightful middle-grade fantasy, set on the Isle of Skye and featuring eight full-page illustrations (including a map).

The Ban the Witches and Fairies (BW'F) Party has chased all the supernatural beings out of the Isle of Skye. Only Magaidh, a young witch, remains, hiding in a castle disguised as a cat. But she and the Queen of the Fairies have a plan to rescue the Fairy Flag, allowing the fairies and Magaidh to return to Skye. As Magaidh resumes her business, Spells, Inc., she thinks about getting revenge on the BW'F Party, but the Fairy Queen suggests that peace would be a better plan. While Magaidh considers which it will be, peace or revenge, her business allows her to help the people of Skye with love potions and spells to reverse the troublesome effects of fairy arrows. She and her two fairy friends, Sean and Iain, go on many adventures together, including rescuing a baby Welsh dragon; dealing with Big Blue Donald, a ghost; and befriending a baby water horse. In the process, Magaidh gets to know her father and finds out why she is different from her siblings, who force her to choose revenge!

This gentle, rollicking tale is steeped in the folklore and culture of the Isle of Skye and incorporates Gaelic names and phrases. A glossary at the beginning of the book (titled "A Reader's Guide to the Magical World of Skye") provides a pronunciation guide for the non-English words. In addition to the fantasy elements, the novel is also about family. Magaidh discovers that she is only half-supernatural; she is surprised to learn that her birth father is not only a human, but a leader of the BW'F Party. Nonetheless, she seeks him out and hopes to establish a relationship with him; he is open to connecting with her, but they meet with resistance from his other children. The story is a lesson in tolerance and acceptance.