Wart Book

Stewart has plenty of reasons to dislike his new art teacher, Wanda Gibbs. Not only did she give him the awful nickname "Wart" at school but she has also started dating his dad. She must have placed his dad under some sort of spell, which is entirely possible since, according to her very own son, she also happens to be a witch.

But nobody, including Stewart's father, will believe this outlandish accusation, even though Wanda suggests that if Stewart will support her, she might use her magic to his benefit. Stewart can't help but notice his athletic ability mysteriously improves every time Wanda shows up at his basketball games. Is it really magic, or is it just Stewart's imagination? It's going to take a lot of ingenuity to solve the mystery of Wanda Gibbs.

VOYA

Eighth grade presents Stewart with many questions: Will he make the basketball team? How can he make the popular, beautiful Taylor notice him? Should he ditch his lifelong friends Ham and Rachel in his quest to be popular? But the most important questions concern the substitute art teacher, Wanda Gibbs: Is she going to be his stepmother and is she really a witch? She seems to cast a spell over Stewart's widowed father and his younger sister. When Stewart uses the cologne that Wanda gives him, his basketball playing is spectacular and the popular kids are drawn to him-including Taylor. Despite this good fortune, Stewart is uneasy, especially when his father seems inclined to marry Wanda and forget Martha, his longtime girlfriend and Wanda's good friend. Younger teen readers might find connections with Stewart as he struggles with the guilt over dropping his real friends versus the thrill of his inclusion with the popular crowd. The story line concerning the question of Wanda's magical powers is less compelling and a little difficult to swallow. The story is strongest when dealing with the relationships between Stewart and his classmates.