48 pages • 1 hour read
Claribel A. OrtegaWitchlings
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 11-20Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 11 Summary: “Light as a Feather”
A group of curious townspeople gathers around the Witchlings, but only the Town Gran and the Town Uncle come to their aid. Seven is barely conscious because she used magic above her proficiency level, which is illegal, but the Gran covers for her. The two adults bring the Witchlings to the Gran’s home, Starlight Cottage. On their way, they pass the Cursed Forest. The Uncle sees a menacing shadow and hurries into the woods. Seven fears he’s being eaten because she hears “terrible ripping and crunching sounds” (124). He is unharmed when the Gran carries him from the forest, but his hat is missing.
Chapter 12 Summary: “Starlight Cottage”
Inside Starlight Cottage, Seven marvels at the Celestial Sword, a weapon so powerful that only the Ravenskill Town Gran can wield it. The Gran wishes that she could help the Witchlings with their Impossible Task, but she warns them that this is the last time she’ll be able to intervene directly. The Gran contacts the girls’ parents, and Seven notices that Valley looks afraid at the mention of her father. The Gran suspects that the cuco took the Uncle’s hat to track him or someone who has touched the hat, such as Beefy or Seven. The cucos haven’t touched the jelly bean fish, and it’s also strange that one tried to attack the Uncle even though it was injured. The Gran observes that it’s odd for the Witchlings’ potential punishment to be toadification since each Impossible Task should come with a unique punishment. Rulean tried to help the Cursed Toads back in 1965, and he was ill for months after they failed. Strangely, the Gran doesn’t remember the Cursed Toads’ names, and she says that it was a chaotic time in which fires devastated the Twelve Towns.
Gran sends everyone but Seven out of the room and gives her a ceramic bird called an ave that serves as an emergency beacon. She warns the girl that using the ave is dangerous for anyone below the rank of Uncle. It may drain her power or even kill her. The Gran praises Seven’s bravery and encourages her to let Thorn and Valley help her. The Gran and the Uncle go to prepare healing tonics for the Witchlings, leaving the three girls together. Valley glares in the direction of the Hill, fumes at the unfairness of their situation, and breaks a candy dish. While the Gran has a private conversation with Valley, Seven says, “I hope Valley is okay” (137). Thorn tells Seven that she can stop pretending that she and Valley aren’t friends, but Seven insists that Thorn has it wrong. Later that night, Valley sends Seven a message: “They took the Town Uncle. The cuco came for him. He’s gone” (139).
Chapter 13 Summary: “The Nightbeast’s Cave”
The Gran leaves Ravenskill to meet with the Twelve Towns’ council about Uncle Rulean Pennyfeather’s disappearance. The Witchlings decide to look for the Nightbeast early the next day so that they have a chance to stop the monster before it reaches full strength. The girls look for Bayahíbe roses, which wither in the monster’s presence. Ignoring Valley’s warnings, Seven uses the machete spell to clear a wall of brambles blocking their path. The spell almost kills the girls, and Valley explains that the Cursed Forest corrupts magic. The woods retaliate by nearly drowning the girls in mud. Thorn escapes and recruits a group of ghosts from Spector Lagoon to save her friends.
The Witchlings find a field of Bayahíbe roses on the other side of the lagoon. The flowers are dead, but someone enchanted them to look alive to conceal that the Nightbeast entered the forest. The Witchlings find the Nightbeast’s cave and toss a sleeping potion inside, but the monster escapes by using another exit. Valley blames Seven because the machete spell alerted the forest’s creatures to their presence and demands to know why Seven still doesn’t trust her. Through angry tears, Seven retorts, “You want me to suddenly start trusting you after you played mean tricks on me for years?” (154). Thorn encourages the two girls to postpone this conversation until they’re calmer.
Chapter 14 Summary: “So You Lost Your Best Pal, Huh?”
Poppy stops Seven on her way home after the failed Nightbeast-tracking attempt. She claims that she’s been too busy to talk to Seven because of mandatory banquets and classes with House Hyacinth. Seven reminds her former best friend that her life is in danger and that she promised they would stay friends even if they weren’t in the same coven. Poppy admits that she’s been ignoring Seven because she “feel[s] weird” around her. The girls apologize to each other. Although Poppy sheds tears during her conversation with Seven, she skips away arm-in-arm with the rest of her coven immediately afterward.
Chapter 15 Summary: “Boggs Ferry Raccoons vs. Stormville Lightning Forks”
Two days later, the Witchlings decide to take a day off and watch a toad race between Boggs Ferry and Stormville. While Thorn buys the girls snacks, Valley apologizes to Seven and explains that what Seven thought were cruel pranks were actually failed attempts to befriend her. For example, she snuck a tame rat into Seven’s backpack because she heard Seven wanted a pet, not realizing that Seven is scared of rats. She also explains that she stole Seven’s lunch money once because her “dad took food away for [two days] as punishment for a bad grade” (157). Concerned, Seven urges Valley to tell her mother what her father did, but Valley asks Seven not to say anything. Seven apologizes for how she acted in the Cursed Forest, and the two girls agree to cooperate. Boggs Ferry is Thorn’s old town, and she’s thrilled when their team claims victory. Boggs Ferry’s star player, Tia Stardust, accepts the trophy and tells the crowd, “I know that there are some dark times falling on the Twelve Towns right now, but together we can overcome anything” (174). Seven feels a sense of foreboding.
Chapter 16 Summary: “The Truth about Boggs Ferry”
As the girls chat after the race, Seven reaches the startling conclusion that she “really liked” Valley. One of the Boggs Ferry racers is an old friend of Thorn’s named October, and she introduces the Witchlings to her girlfriend, Tia Stardust. The five girls gather at Evanora’s Tea Room. Tia and October reveal that 50 cucos attacked Boggs Ferry three days ago, killing three witches and taking the Town Uncle. Uncle Rulean disappeared on the same night. The Boggs Ferry Gran used an illegal shush hex to prevent her townspeople from talking about the cuco attacks. The hex doesn’t stop the teenagers from talking to the Spares because they’re in an unusual state between Witchlings and full witches.
Chapter 17 Summary: “An Unfortunate Discovery”
The night after the toad race, cucos attack Stormville. While researching the cuco attacks in Boggs Ferry, Seven discovers that the Town Grans of Ravenskill and Boggs Ferry have introduced Amendment S, “a bill that would expand Spare rights” (187). Both Boggs Ferry and Stormville were attacked the nights that their town councils were set to vote on Amendment S. The Ravenskill council is scheduled to vote on the amendment that night. Seven warns her father about the likelihood of an attack, and he reaches out to the other council members. Seven sees this as the Witchlings’ chance to find a cuco that will lead them to the Nightbeast.
Chapter 18 Summary: “A Perilous, Chaotic, and Kinda Fun Slumber Party”
The Witchlings leave a trail of jelly bean fish from the Cursed Forest to Seven’s house and dress a sack in Beefy’s clothes to lure the cucos. Thorn surprises Seven and Valley with matching ensembles in the same red as their amulets. The seamstress is elated with her friends’ reactions, and her joy gives Seven the reassurance that together they can “find happiness no matter what their fate” (194). The girls share a group hug, and Thorn photographs them together. A cuco slips past the wards the Gran and the Uncle put on the Salazar house and sneaks into Beefy’s nursery. Seven tries to protect her brother, but the monster throws her across the room. The baby beats up the cuco using his superstrength. Seven wants to try to kill the cuco, but Thorn and Valley convince her that they should try to follow it. Together, the three witches cast a wind spell that blows the cuco out of the window, and it dies when it hits the ground. The cucos attack four families that night, and one witch is taken. The next morning, the Gran returns to Ravenskill.
Chapter 19 Summary: “Totally Spies”
The Witchlings don disguises and enter the Hall of Elders with the goal of learning who opposes Amendment S. They suspect that one of those opponents is using cucos to sabotage the vote. A ghost clerk named Alaric recognizes them immediately, but he’s happy to help them. He reveals that the records about the Cursed Toads were lost in a fire in 1965, and he can’t remember their names. Alaric isn’t supposed to let anyone see the records from the most recent council meeting, but he sneaks a file to the girls when they claim they urgently need it for their schoolwork. The records reveal that the council meeting was interrupted by the cuco attack before they could vote on Amendment S. The girls discover that the cucos targeted families with members on the council. Seven suspects that the attacks were meant to intimidate the council members. Tia supports this theory by confirming that council members’ families were also targeted in Boggs Ferry. Seven asks, “Who has the most to lose by not having Spares around to do their dirty work?” (221). Valley suggests that the culprit is from the Hill.
Chapter 20 Summary: “A Secret Potion”
Five days later, the Witchlings slip into the potions room at the Goody Garlick Academy for Magic to brew a memory potion. They plan to attend the rescheduled council meeting, identify a suspect, and use the potion to examine the suspect’s memories. Seven criticizes the injustices Spares face even though there’s “more than enough magic and potions to help all Ravenskill residents live comfortably” (224). Thorn praises her friend’s eloquence and encourages her not to give up on her dream of becoming a journalist. Thorn wonders if Valley’s father might be the traitor, and Valley observes that this “wouldn’t be the first time he did something terrible” (226).
Chapters 11-20 Analysis
In the novel’s second section, the Witchlings grow closer as they learn important information about each other and the odds stacked against Spares. The once-timid Thorn becomes increasingly confident, and this helps her keep the other girls in check when they bicker: “Thorn should stand up to her and Valley. They could be butt-toads sometimes” (137). This shift shows that Thorn feels more secure in her friendships with Seven and Valley. The most significant character development in this section occurs in Chapter 15 when Valley reveals that she is not intentionally a bully but rather someone who struggles to make friends and experiences abuse. This transforms the protagonist’s understanding of the character: “She felt warmer toward Valley than she probably ever had” (168). Seven’s warmth toward Valley underlines how these revelations paint the character in a more sympathetic light.
The author weaves the theme of Systems of Exclusion and Disenfranchisement into the novel’s mystery, raising the story’s stakes and suspense. Ortega starkly portrays Spares’ exclusion from the community in Chapter 11 when a crowd of spectators gathers around the three injured children but “[n]ot one of them stepped forward to help or see if the Witchlings were okay” (120). The situation facing the Witchlings and other Spares grows even more dire with the revelation that the story’s mysterious antagonists are willing to kill to prolong their disenfranchisement. In Chapter 20, Seven gives a searing indictment of the way her society oppresses the marginalized to keep power and wealth in the hands of a few: “We have more than enough magic and potions to help all Ravenskill residents live comfortably, but they just won’t, for no good reason other than hate” (224). The Witchlings’ difficult struggle against the Twelve Town’s corruption conveys the daunting but necessary work of dismantling systems of exclusion and disenfranchisement.
The Witchlings achieve milestones for the theme of The Power of Cooperation and Trust in these chapters. Chapter 13 showcases the unique strengths each girl brings to the team, such as Thorn’s connection with ghosts, Seven’s knowledge of magical plants, and Valley’s monster-hunting skills. This offers a glimpse of what the girls can achieve when they work together, but Seven’s lingering distrust toward Valley severely limits the group’s efficacy: “Seven knew the only way to get something done was to do it her way” (145). Once again, the protagonist’s unwillingness to listen to Valley nearly gets her and the rest of her coven killed. The Nightbeast’s escape underlines the dire consequences of the Witchlings’ failure to cooperate and spurs the characters to confront the rift between them. Valley asks, “How many times do I have to prove myself?” (154). The fight this question triggers gives Seven and Valley the opportunity to clarify their history and reconcile in Chapter 15. Following the revelations about Valley’s attempts to befriend Seven and Mr. Pepperhorn’s abusive behavior, the girls understand each other better than ever, allowing them to build a solid foundation of trust and cooperation: “‘Let’s try to, like, work together maybe?’ Valley said” (168). To this end, the Witchlings make progress when they work together to cast a spell to defeat the cuco in Chapter 18 and when they brew the memory potion in Chapter 20. Seven and Valley take significant strides toward cooperation and trust in these chapters, giving them the power they need to work toward their goals together.
Chapter 18 advances the novel’s symbolism by giving the protagonist a positive and empowering view of the color red. The suits that Thorn sews help Seven realize that their red Spare pendants “could be quite beautiful” (195). This change helps the protagonist and her allies take pride in their coven despite their marginalized status in society. The suits also highlight the Witchlings’ growing cooperation by visually marking them as a team: “Their suits matched perfectly, and each one complemented the others in a way that, without knowing exactly why, you knew you needed all three suits to be complete” (195). The Witchlings’ red ensembles celebrate the girls’ teamwork and contribute to Seven’s changing attitudes toward being a Spare.
Ortega uses the literary devices of red herrings and foreshadowing to enhance the novel’s mystery and suspense. The author intentionally leaves clues that seem to suggest that Mr. Pepperhorn is the main antagonist to draw attention away from the Uncle. For example, in Chapter 20, Valley expresses her belief that her father could be controlling the Nightbeast: “It wouldn’t be the first time he did something terrible” (226). Mr. Pepperhorn’s odious behavior toward his daughter and his undisguised contempt for Spares make him a believable villain. This increases the surprise of the plot twist that the Uncle and the other Cursed Toads are the main antagonists.
At the same time, Ortega offers hints about the true culprit. For example, in Chapter 11, the Uncle needlessly charges into the forest and deliberately loses his hat so that the cucos can use it to track Beefy. Suspiciously, the monster in the Cursed Forest “didn’t even scratch” the Uncle despite his theatrics (124). Similarly, the Uncle’s disappearance in Chapter 12 seems suspicious because the Witchlings decimated Ravenskill’s cuco population in Chapter 10: “They had somehow managed to kill two of the cucos, with the third on its way to meet the same fate” (118). As the passage illustrates, the third cuco likely won’t survive, let alone have the strength to abduct a powerful witch. These clues foreshadow that the Uncle’s disappearance is a ruse to lure the Gran away from Ravenskill just like the fires kept her occupied during the last Impossible Task. In addition, the enchanted roses the Witchlings discover in Chapter 13 offer further proof that a witch is using the Nightbeast for their own ends. This foreshadows the revelation that the Cursed Toads are guiding the monsters’ attacks to sabotage Amendment S. This, in turn, suggests that Ravenskill will need a new town Uncle, and Seven’s reception of the ave offers a clue that she will fill this role at the end of the novel.
