There Flies the Witch

Red may not know who her true family is, but she’s determined to find out where she truly belongs. Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev’s unforgettable sophomore novel is a literary, character-driven story about magic, nature, family, love, and betrayal. There Flies the Witch will enchant fans of Erin Entrada Kelly, Tae Keller, and Grace Lin.



Red doesn’t remember who she is or where she came from. In fact, her only memory is a terrifying, repeating dream of a threatening shadow and a foggy field. But after many years, she wonders if that’s just something she made up.



Red does know that she belongs now with Yakaka, the witch who rescued Red when she was a little girl. Full of power and magic, Yakaka travels the world, healing the planet when it calls for her help. Yakaka carries Red between the wings on her back during these journeys, teaching her skills of witchcraft, storytelling, and healing—skills Red can never seem to master.



After a dangerous mission leads to Yakaka and Red’s falling from a great height and into the roiling ocean, Red wakes up alone on a seemingly deserted island. Days later, a young boy and his mother find Red and help her heal. For the first time Red has a friend her own age to play and explore with, and a chance to live a different kind of life. But what happened to Yakaka?



Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev’s sophomore novel is a literary, character-driven fantasy with themes of family, identity, belonging, and resilience. A truly extraordinary coming-of-age story for readers of Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Lauren Wolk’s Beyond the Bright Sea, and Laurel Snyder’s Orphan Island.