Under My Hat: Tales From the Cauldron

Under My Hat: Tales From the Cauldron (2012) — Anthology

Editor and Authors[]

Editor: Jonathan Strahan (scify-fant)

Contributors: Diana Peterfreund (U), Frances Hardinge (YA, Fantasy, Children), Garth Nix (Scify-Fant, YA), Holly Black (UF, YA), Charles de Lint (UF, Fantasy), Tanith Lee (Scify-Fant, YA, Horror), Neil Gaiman (UF, Fantasy), Ellen Klages (Scify-Fant, Fiction), Ellen Kushner (Scify-Fant), Delia Sherman (Scify-Fant, YA), Patricia A. McKillip (Scify-Fant, YA), Tim Pratt (Scify-Fant, UF), M. Rickert (Fantasy shorts), Isobelle Carmody (Scify-Fant, Fiction), Jane Yolen (YA, Children), Jim Butcher (UF), Peter S. Beagle (Scify-Fant, Fiction), Margo Lanagan (YA, Shorts)

Genre and Sub-Genres[]

Urban Fantasy

Theme[]

celebrating the might and mystery of the witch

Description[]

Broomsticks. Black Cats. Pointy Hats.

They can mean only one thing - somewhere nearby, there must be a witch. From fairy tales to fims to fiction, witches cast their spells and capture our imaginations.

Now the biggest names in fantasy and young adult literature have come together to make a little magic of their own. Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Margo Lanagan, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix are just a few of the authors who have toiled over their cauldrons and conjured up bewitching new creations inspired by and celebrating the might and mystery of the witch. Assembled by one of the most well-regarded anthologists in the science fiction/fantasy world, this rich, intelligent collection will enchant readers of all ages. ~ Goodreads | Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron by Jonathan Strahan

Supernatural Elements[]

Witches, Bigfoot, magical dog, cat lady, magical sleep, curses, crow familiar, Finnish folktale come to life

WITCH VARIETIES: Classic witches, Wiccan, wizard, evil wizard, fairy godmother (grandma witch)

List of Stories[]

Story Title	Series and Order Number	Author	Supes	Lead(s)
"Stray Magic"	none	Diana Peterfreund	magical dog
"Payment Due"	none	Frances Hardinge	witches	Caroline
"A Handful of Ashes"	none	Garth Nix	witches
"Little Gods"	none	Holly Black	Wiccan,	Ellery
"Barrio Girls"	none	Charles de Lint	witch	Abuelo
"Felidis"	none	Tanith Lee	cat lady	young man
"Witch Work"	a poem	Neil Gaiman	about time,	revenge, and hurt
"The Education of a Witch"	free	Ellen Klages	magic, witch	Lizzy, Rosemary
"The Threefold World"	The World of Riverside series #0.5	Ellen Kushner	Finnish folktale come to life	Elias
"The Witch in the Wood"	none	Delia Sherman	evil wizard, witch	prince forced into stag form
"Which Witch"	none	Patricia A. McKillip	Witches. crow familiar	Witches band
"The Carved Forest"	none	Tim Pratt	witch	Carlos
"Burning Castles"	none	M. Rickert
"The Stone Witch"	none	Isobelle Carmody	witch
"Andersen’s Witch"	none	Jane Yolen	witch
"B Is for Bigfoot"	Dresden Files series ##2.5 & Bigfoot Trilogy #3	Jim Butcher	Bigfoot, wizard	Harry, Irwin, River Shoulders
"Great-Grandmother in the Cellar"	none	Peter S. Beagle	witch, curses, magical sleep
"Crow and Caper, Caper and Crow"	Innkeeper's World series #1.5	Margo Lanagan	fairy godmother (grandma witch)	Pen

To expand the table, right-press on a row of the table or (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add row.

Synopsis by Story[]

"Stray Magic" by Diana Peterfreund's

A seemingly abandoned dog who desperately wants his master back. — a kindly animal shelter worker, and the magical dog that comes into her care.

"Payment Due" by Frances Hardinge

After an uncaring agent repossesses her grandmother's belongings, a young witch decides to take revenge into her own hands. A sense of street justice and a vein of real creepiness runs through this. — Caroline does her best to ensure the bailiff understands how his attitude affects those upon whom he preys. — When an unwelcome intruder takes the things that matter to a girl and her grandmother, something must be done – and it may be a bit… unnatural.

"A Handful of Ashes" by Garth Nix

A tale of a plot to overthrow the administration of a witches' college comes with a message about bullying and sticking up for oneself. — A school bully awakens old magic that should have remained buried, and it’s up to a few intrepid student witches to protect their lives and outwit the other side.

"Little Gods" by Holly Black

about a teenager's search for belonging and the Beltane celebration she and her new friends attend. It's an eye-opening weekend for Ellery. — The story of a young woman who's just joined a Wiccan coven. Although religion may disappoint, there's true magic to be found in friendship.

"Barrio Girls" by Charles de Lint

A couple of bad-ass young women get their revenge on the witch who did them a bad turn. Brings new meaning to the term, 'killing them with kindness.' — The kindness Abuelo requires of them to offset the bruja and gain revenge for Pepé.

"Felidis" by Tanith Lee's

A classic-feeling fairy tale of a young man, out to seek his fortune, who meets an unusual cat lady (in multiple senses) in the woods.

"Witch Work" by Neil Gaiman

A two-page poem about time, revenge, and hurt.

"Education of a Witch" by Ellen Klages

In this exploration of sibling jealousy, a young girl takes Disney's Maleficent as a role model. — It was Lizzy's obsession for Maleficient in Sleeping Beauty that prompts Lizzy along the path of magic. And it's her baby sister Rosemary's arrival and need for attention that encourages its use.

"Threefold World" by Ellen Kushner — The World of Riverside series #0.5

Set back in time in Finland when it was ruled by Sweden. The conflict of oppressor versus oppressed—an ambitious character, Elias, who believes that his own Finnish background is nothing to be proud of. He sets off at the end of the school year to earn the money needed for the next year's tuition and it's a Finnish folktale come to life that changes his mind and his life.

"Witch in the Wood" by Delia Sherman

A fairy tale in the classic style, telling the story of a lonely woman who uses her inherited magic to cure an enchanted prince. — The prince forced into stag form by day, the evil wizard, and the orphaned young witch who rescues the stag.

"Which Witch" — Patricia A. McKillip

Witches who form a band, dress artistically, in an urban setting. – Bandmates may be facing a menace blind if a crow familiar can’t communicate to and protect his chosen witch. Faceoff at show time.

"Carved Forest" by Tim Pratt, aka T.A. Pratt

In search of his rebellious teen sister, a young man discovers a witch who holds a truly creepy secret about his town. — Carlos definitely takes a chance in this one when he takes action to rescue his sister and keep her memory alive.

"Burning Castles" by M. Rickert

A teenager sabotages her free-spirited mother's new relationship. Does she have reason, or is it just jealousy?

"Stone Witch" by Isobelle Carmody

A quest of a test with thrown-in confusions in true fairytale style, albeit with a contemporary twist and a chance for a mutual rescue.

"Andersen's Witch" by Jane Yolen

Why Hans Christian Andersen wrote his fairytales and incorporates its own fairytale elements.

"B is for Bigfoot" by Jim Butcher Dresden Files series ##2.5 and Bigfoot Trilogy #3

It's Harry Dresden's first meeting with River Shoulders, Irwin's dad, and his first meeting with Irwin where he helps him defuse an escalating situation at school. — About standing up to bullies in school and sticking up for yourself.

"Great-Grandmother in the Cellar" by Peter S. Beagle — Innkeeper's World series #1.5

A tale incorporating fairytale elements with a short peek into a catastrophe that hits a small family and requires intercession from the dead. — A young woman is cast into a magical sleep by her no-good suitor, and her brother must call on his deceased but magical great-grandmother to help remedy the situation." — When a witch curses his sister and threatens to keep her sleep forever, a young man makes the fateful decision to dig up his grandmother’s bones.

"Crow and Caper, Caper and Crow" by Margo Lanagan

A tale incorporating fairytale elements with a grandmother wanting to grant a grandchild wishes. Lanagan includes the age-old "mother-in-law versus wife" conflict. — A fairy godmother (or, more accurately, witchy grandmother) comes to bestow magical gifts upon a newborn child - but finds more than she bargained for. — Even across many miles, Pen knows it’s time for her granddaughter’s birth. The journey changes her, and her granddaughter will alter her even more.

Source: Goodreads | Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron

Cover Artist[]

Artist: Michael Wagner (ISFdb)

Publishing Information[]

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Book data: Hardcover, 424 pages, Pub: Aug 28, 2012, —ISBN: 0375868305

Cover Blurb[]

(see above)

External Links[]

Book:

Goodreads: Series & Story Pages:

Author Websites:

Goodreads Author Pages:

Artist:

Michael Wagner - Summary Bibliography

Reviews: