"The Doomspell" by Cliff McNish Quiz

Answer: Ithrea

Ithrea is the land that Dragwena, the witch, was banished to by the wizard Larpskendya from her homeland Oowl. She was kept there by magic spells and she takes children from Earth to try and use their magic to escape.

Answer: jelly beans

The fact that Eric stuffs his face with jelly beans and chases after the ones that got away shows that he has no obvious magical ability; he cannot resist even though he hates jelly beans. However, Rachel resists, even when specially tempted by the witch, showing her extraordinary magical ability.

Answer: chocolate sandwiches

In the breakfast room Rachel meets Morpeth who shows her how to conjure things up. Eventually she manages chocolate sandwiches after producing ones with grey bread and ones that tasted horrible. Then she makes an orange to practise and, getting excited, she transforms the whole room.

Answer: Trimak

The Sarren Council is a group of children snatched from Earth long ago. They quietly plot to defeat the witch by building underground tunnels. They await the child-hope.

Answer: True

Rachel can immediately do things like float and change her hair colour on entering the world, but Eric does not discover his unique magical skill of destroying spells until much later.

Answer: And behold your childish glee

The song is the Sarren's hope of freedom from the witch. It tells of a child coming to their world and defeating the witch. When Rachel comes they believe she is the child-hope and with their help she overcomes Dragwena.

Answer: crows with baby faces

Prapsies were originally crows when Dragwena came to Ithrea, but because she was angry with Larpskendya, she deformed them, along with all the other animals. Prapsies are very faithful to the witch, with very good hearing, so she uses them as spies. However with their baby faces comes a childish nature. They can talk but are always bickering like small children.

Answer: a dog

The claw belongs to Dragwena; this is how she snatches all children. It has ragged green fingernails and filled the whole cellar with crimson light.

Answer: False

The sign is of a star, this is the witches' sign. It is caused when Dragwena stabs Rachel's hand and tells her this is the beginning of her transformation. Dragwena is lying - nothing can turn her into a witch, but Rachel has excess magic so when she believes she is becoming a witch, she starts to look like one.

Answer: snakes and ladders

Dragwena decides that Rachel must be tested so she calls her to her palace where the witch already has Eric in a deep sleep. She says she will harm him unless Rachel can beat her at snakes and ladders. Rachel reluctantly agrees and when they start to play she goes into the game and the snakes are real. She wins by using shapeshifting power.