‘Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel’ Book Unveils New Characters

Diving once more into the world of witches, Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel is a two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film.

From the official synopsis: Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.

Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on Earth to torment Salem for all eternity.

Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison’s seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don’t quite go as planned, it’s a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches’ latest vile scheme.

The three primary new characters in the sequel part of the novel are described as follows:

POPPY DENNISON – An introspective aspiring photographer, seventeen-year-old Poppy isn’t exactly Halloween’s biggest fan. (She hasn’t worn a costume in a decade, for witch’s sake!) And she’s also a skeptic of all things supernatural, including her parents’ (in)famous story about their Halloween night twenty-five years ago, when her dad allegedly resurrected and banished a coven of evil witches (yes, those evil witches). When Poppy musters the courage to share her family’s backstory with her new friend and crush, Isabella Richards, she sets in motion Halloween plans that Salem will never forget.

TRAVIS REESE – Travis is a math and chemistry whiz, a master of bad puns, and Poppy’s loyal BFF. For a long time, he was the only one who knew about Poppy’s bizarre family history involving the Sanderson sisters. Like Poppy, he doesn’t believe in evil witches or old-timey ghosts . . . until he comes face-to-face with them. As he would say, “I didn’t ex-specter this!”

ISABELLA RICHARDS – Isabella seems to have the perfect life. She’s the most popular girl at Jacob Bailey High and has an admirable list of extracurriculars—not to mention a killer report card. It’s no wonder Poppy thinks no one holds a candle to her. (See what we did there?) After Isabella befriends Poppy and Travis at the start of the school year, Poppy shares her family’s connection to the Sanderson sisters. Isabella is itching to know more . . . but why?

Will Halloween night find Poppy, Isabella, and Travis digging for the truth? Check out this two-in-one young adult novel that includes the refresh of the original story plus the all-new sequel, in which Poppy, Travis, and Isabella learn the origin of “resting witch face” and have an epic witch-venture.

Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel will be released on July 10.