Okay, so the cover is a little hokey, but it's what's inside that counts, right? Well, Silver RavenWolf has stuffed Teen Witch with enough basic material on Wicca to give anyone a good start to understanding the craft. As the title implies, this book is geared for teens, addressing the truths and myths about witchcraft in light of the issues that teens face, from school to parents to peer pressure. Precocious readers may feel that RavenWolf is talking down to them at times, but keep in mind that this book addresses a broad age group, and Mama Silver (as she is often called) does an admirable job of presenting this information in a manner to which younger readers can relate, while still meeting the needs of the high-school senior. Teen Witch may not be the ultimate "How to be a Witch" guide, and anyone who thinks RavenWolf is trying to write one has missed her whole point. No single book could stake a valid claim to that title.

What Teen Witch offers is an easy-to-grasp introduction to the Craft that answers the basic questions about what being a witch is really all about, and RavenWolf provides a long list of follow-up material for anyone who feels that witchcraft might be the path he or she wants to follow. Writing a book for teenagers about any religion is a tricky prospect, but Mama Silver tackles the problem of discussing an ancient path that has suffered a long history of persecution and negative stereotypes in a way that doesn't step on anyone's toes and shouldn't offend the religious sensibilities of anyone with a mind open to the truth. --Brian Patterson