Sometimes the simplest spells are the most powerful.

Sibyl is the apprentice hotel witch at the splendid Grand Mirror Hotel.

She is busy each day drawing useful spell patterns to keep the hotel guests happy: spells to shine shoes, spells to remove dust and spells to return lost belongings like hats and gloves to their owners.

But Sibyl dreams of other possibilities – wonderful possibilities like her mother returning from the Black Mountains, and like Grandma letting her draw spell patterns from the Book of Advanced and Dangerous Magic.

When Grandma gets stuck in last Tuesday, somewhere on the hotel's thirteenth floor, Sibyl is left to take charge of all the hotel magic – and to solve a mysterious and perplexing problem.

Can she find a way to open the Book of Advanced and Dangerous Magic?

And will it contain the spell she needs?

The Hotel Witch is a magical tale of courage, love and the power of imagining possibilities.

Jessica Miller is a children's writer from Brisbane, currently living in London. Her first novel, Elizabeth and Zenobia, was shortlisted for the Text Prize and the Readings Prize and was a CBCA Notable Book, as was her second book, The Republic of Birds.

'A truly spellbinding tale...from a magnificently talented author that is sure to delight any reader who loves getting lost in magical landscapes full of wonder, adventure and enchantment.' Children's Book Council of Australia on The Republic of Birds

'This atmospheric middle grade fantasy contains many of my favourite things: folk tales, sentient animals, maps, unmastered magical powers, challenging family members and a slightly surly child heroine.' Leanne Hall on The Republic of Birds