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F.P. LaRue is the award-winning author of the Scary Shivers Mystery series. The Weeping House won First Place Awards for Juvenile Mysteries and Juvenile Fantasy & Magic in the Spring 2024 BookFest Awards. The Curse of Shadow Park won a First Place Award for Juvenile Action & Adventure in the Fall 2024 BookFest Awards. The Legend of the Serpent Witch was released in September 2024. F.P. is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Before writing children’s books, F.P.’s career had been in education, where she progressed from a teacher to the Dean of Academic Affairs for a small Michigan college. She also authored an article entitled Ten Tips to Get Children Reading More. For more information, visit FPLaRue.com.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
The Legend of the Serpent Witch by F.P. LaRue begins with Ollie, a twelve-year-old boy who begins noticing strange items and marks in the woods near his school, which could be linked to recent child disappearances. Along with his friends, Mellie and Scotty, he investigates and discovers a connection to a witch named Hagatha, who has been luring children to their deaths. As they dig deeper, they meet a boy named Adrian who was trapped for years by Hagatha and reveals that she uses children’s innocence to maintain her youth. The group learns of her ongoing attempts to trap more children, but the worst comes when Scotty disappears, leading to an epic confrontation to free Scotty and prevent more children from falling into her trap.
The Legend of the Serpent Witch by F.P. LaRue is a great mix of mystery, adventure, and supernatural suspense in a middle-grade reading package. The 'malevolent witch in the woods' angle isn't new, but LaRue makes it feel fresh with writing that is textured and atmospheric, perfectly introducing the chills factor as the pages turn. The pacing is tight, keeping readers on edge as the group confronts increasingly eerie phenomena. LaRue gives us ominous smoke, unusual symbols, and the kid-lit pièce de résistance: creepies, crawlies, and snakes! My youngest reader and I both thought having Ollie's point of view in the first person was brilliant, and his curiosity and courage are drivers for all that transpires. With its easy mix of folklore, magic, and suspense, this addition to the Scary Shivers Mysteries series is a win. Very highly recommended.
