Horrible story only meant for tween or teen girls looking for something to get reading hours in for school. Unless you're a cheerleader whose only care is what her hair looks like in the morning, don't even bother with this book. ( )

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

For Prudence Stewart, sixteen, leaving behind her home and school in Beverly Hills to move to Salem, Massachusetts, is more than just an inconvenience. She's worked for years to get where she is--which is near the top of the Beverly Hills High School popularity list. Right before she was to be named the youngest head cheerleader ever, her parents announced the move to Salem. It seems that Pru's younger brother, Dorklock (or, if you prefer, Tobias), needs to attend school in Salem, where he can get a handle on his powers. Yes, powers. Oh, did I forget to mention that Pru and Dorklock are the half-mortal, half-witch children of their four-hundred-year-old mother, Patience?

Yes, Patience Stewart is a witch. And although her husband is a mortal and still freaks at the thought of magic, he's realized that his children need to be in a place where they can attend schools that are specifically designed for witches. So off the family drives to Salem (much to Pru's disbelief; after all, her mom zapped their furniture to their new home, but they have to drive?), where Pru quickly realizes that her former popularity and academic excellence don't mean much at Agatha's Day School for Witches.

It's bad enough that for her sixteen years back in Beverly Hills her mother had discouraged her from using magic. Now she's changed her tune--use magic for this, practice your magic on that. But Pru is woefully lacking in the magic department. She's been put in remedial classes (remedial? the horror!), the students at Agatha's stare at her as if she's some type of mutant freak, she still hasn't manifested a Talent, and she has to actually try out for the cheerleading squad. Try out. Her, Miss Was-Going-To-Be-The-Youngest-Head-Cheerleader-In-History. Yes, Salem is turning out to be a real pain.

I loved THE SALEM WITCH TRYOUTS! A truly original twist on being the new kid in a brand new school, it's fun and interesting to watch Prudence develop her powers, interact with students who think mortals are a new type of abnormality, and learn what it means to be a cheerleader on a squad that uses magic in their routines. I really hope there are more books planned in this series--and if the pimple-inducing spell at the end of the book is any indication, there will be! ( )

Review for The Salem Witch Tryouts
Prudence is moving for the first time in her life, in the middle of high school. She must leave everything behind. Her mother is a witch and her father is normal. Pru and her brother get magical powers, which came from their mother. When they move, they must go to a school for magical kids. You don't walk or go on a bus to get there. You fly a broom or magically pop there. Now Pru must try to get her Cheer Captain title back at this school AND learn how to use her powers. Her mother told them when they were kids they were not allowed to use magic, now they are behind in magic school.

Hope this hleped! ( )

Its a nice, well-written and really enjoyable book.
Kelly McClymer has that sence of what it is to be a teenager AND shows it in a perfect form.
I loved every page - the characters (I couldn't keep myself from falling in love with Pru...not in lesbian way) and the dialogs,

Cant wait to read the next book of the series! ( )

Pru has to leave her Beverly Hills High School and the head cheerleader spot at her school because her brother hit puberty and his magic has gone awry. Yep, magic, as in witches. To prevent said brother from creating some disaster, the family decides to relocate to Salem and put both kids in Witch School so they can develop their magic. So suddenly Pru leaves a world where she had to hide the little bit of magic she knew to a place where she is, dare we say it, remedial. Forget being head cheerleader, she will be lucky if she can even make the squad where flying involves actual ...flying.

This is a fun, magical book. I mean Sabrina the Teenage Witch Magical. I found Pru to be a likable character. She is determined to become popular but she is willing to work for it. She knows how to work people, but she gives as much as she gets. It is sheer fluff, but please, who would not like to be able to de-frizz their hair with a thought. I will be reading the next in the series. ( )