Author(s): John Bemelmans Marciano

Chapter Books

Benevento, a town in southern Italy, is famous for its witches, who are not broomstick-riding hags but a variety of supernatural beings. Among them are the Janara, who fly about on stormy nights performing mischief; the Clopper, an old witch who chases children through the streets of town; and the Manalonga, who hide in wells and under bridges and try to drag children down. Benevento is an ancient town; a Roman theatre is at the centre, a castle fortress overlooks the town and the river, and farmland surrounds it. The stories in the Witches of Benevento series take place in the 1820s and feature five children, two of whom are twins. In each of the four books in the series, a different child will be the main character. Five cousins - Primo, Emilio, Rosa, Maria Beppina, and Sergio - share adventures and narrow escapes, and discover astonishing secrets as they outwit the witches in each exciting story.