May 2025’s newsletter: “Book Recommendation: Cattywampus.”
“Cattywampus” by Ash Van Otterloo is a stand-alone, LGBTQ+, middle grade, witch contemporary-fantasy. It was my March 2025 Trans Rights Readathon read.
My librarian cousin recommended this book months ago, but it took me a while to get around to reading it. Why did I wait so long?!
“Cattywampus” gave me strong “ParaNorman” vibes, with a spooky/whimsical feel that only middle grade can capture.
Summary of “Cattywampus”
Magic is forbidden in Howler’s Hollow, but Delpha McGill is desperate to use her family’s witch heritage to solve her mama’s money problems. Her dreams come true when she discovers her family’s old spellbook.
But her spellbook is soon stolen by Katybird Hearn, the daughter of a rival witch family. Katy has her own struggles with magic. She’s plagued with Doubts that– as an intersex girl– she might not ever become a true Hearn witch.
Their conflict raises their dead ancestors and rekindles an ancient witch war. The two girls must work together to save their town before their families’ secrets are blown.
And they might learn about themselves along the way.
The Characters
Delpha is a big reason I’m considering making “Cattywampus” a comp title for “Dez and the Iron Prince.” Due to her backstory– which I won’t get into because spoilers– she’s jaded beyond her years. She has trouble trusting people and leaning on others. Her personal arc is a healing journey, learning to let people in.
Katybird also struggles with her mental health, as she’s plagued by Doubt. Doubt whispers in the back of her mind that she’s not a real witch and will never be good enough. It isn’t a magical creation– we all experience doubt in our lives, some stronger than others. Katy doubts because of how society treats her. She is comfortable in her own skin, but people react like there’s something “wrong” with her for being intersex, and impose their doubts onto her. I’d never read a story with an intersex character before, so I’m glad to see the world through Katy’s eyes.
And she has a pet racoon. How doesn’t love a furry animal companion?
Tyler Nimble was one of my favorite characters. I have a soft spot for the sweet and earnest characters. Tyler is the girls’ classmate, a non-witch, who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to witness them raising the dead. Despite the terrifying undead witch army, and the girls not always treating him kindly, Tyler sticks by their sides. We get to see him grow, as he goes from fainting in terror, to acting as a decoy for his friends. There’s even more I could say about him, but I don’t want to give away spoilers, so you’ll have to read the book to find out!
Magic as the “Other”
Many fantasy authors writing about diversity will often write magical characters as the “other” in their society. Magic makes them different, an outsider, even an outcast, and they must search for acceptance and self-identity within a hostile world.
It’s a way to write about an experience many minorities face in our real world, but with a fantasy twist that makes it more accessible for readers.
Witches are common in this narrative, given our real world history with witch persecution. So it makes a great deal of sense that “Cattywampus” places our heroines in the position of having to hide their witch identities as they undergo journeys of self discovery.
Delpha says to her mother, “[Magic] is part of me. You can’t just… hack everything out of your life that makes you scared!”
These sentiments no doubt ring true to many LGBTQ+ kids. The LGBTQ+ community has a long history of hiding their identities and struggling for self discovery and acceptance in a world that views them as the “other.”
The comparison is particularly strong for Katybird, who is both an intersex girl and a witch.
In “Cattywampus,” kids can read about kid protagonists who experience familiar pains, but also get to be the heroes. It’s a story that allows the readers to feel special too. They are magical.
The Ending Felt a Little Rushed
Throughout the story, the characters emphasized how Howler’s Hollow’s ordinary townsfolk fear magic, and how bad it would be if they discovered the Hearns and McGills have it. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say things get out of hand anyway.
And yet, the book’s falling action wraps up this plot point in a single sentence.
It feels a little hand waved. Especially after the book spent so much time telling us how bad it would be if their secret got out.
Now, you could say that this is a middle grade book, so it’s expected that things turn out okay.
On the other hand, if the Percy Jackson or Alcatraz books did this, wouldn’t I feel cheated?
Most of the overarching plot points are handled well. Some are wrapped up, and some are left ongoing and are going to take time to heal.
But I think the town’s fallout was a weakness.
Final Thoughts on “Cattywampus”
I’m a big believer in giving kids diverse books. It’s important that we can all see ourselves in the heroes we read about and the stories we tell.
“Cattywampus” is a story about outcasts who find themselves in their familial heritage and the healing friendships they make with each other. As a stand-alone, it’s a short time commitment for a great story.
Check out “Cattywampus” at your local bookstore, online, or at your local library.
Want more middle grade recommendations? Check out my Ultimate Compendium of Fantastic Fiction Books to help you find your next great read!
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