Whispering to Witches Book

When I first saw this book, I was around twelve years old. I didn't want to read it. I saw it again in college when I was a page at a public library. I checked it out, but never got around to reading it. Then I checked it out for a fantasy project on which I am working, and I am so sorry I didn't read this book sooner. Anna Dale's writing is charming. It's not Harry Potter, though it does take place in England. I love her witches because they are stereotypical witches, yet not at the same time, and I love that. The story is about a boy named Joe who is going to Canterbury to spend Christmas with his mother, stepfather, and his half-sister. But the train ride to Canterbury is filled with strange happenings, and before Joe knows it, he is face-to-face with real witches! One of the witches he meets is a young girl about his age named Twiggy. Soon, Joe is caught up in a tangled web of good witches, bad witches, and evil magic. If you love fantasy, READ THIS BOOK!