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So when did Silver Ravenwolf's Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation get a new coffee-table-esque paperback edition release? In its current incarnation I might actually read it. The new cover photo looks all healthy and wholesome, reminiscent of the sort of book one's parents gives one when one turns eleven and the You're Becoming A Woman talk is just around the corner. It looks like the kind of activities parents desperately try to generate interest in, in hopes of distracting one from drugs and hormones.

In fact, that's where I saw it misshelved in Borders the other day. It was on an end cap with books entitled stuff like "My Changing Body" and "Help I'm A Teen What Do I Do Now?" Apparently what you should do now is convert to Wicca where you will find true friendship and moon magic and, like, lovely skin and glossy hair. And good information on feminine hygiene.

Remember the old cover?

Like, "Here I am with my posse coven, and if you look at me the wrong way we will cut hex you." No wonder the first place Google found the image was in the archives of Sharon Hughes' "Blogging Truth in the Midst of Changing Worldviews." Sharon blogs, among other things, about how Harry Potter and Silver Ravenwolf and Starhawk and, I dunno, Gandalf and Aslan maybe, are leading kids away from Christianity and into *gasp* WITCHCRAFT, and I swear, the original cover of Teen Witch was totally designed to scare her. I bet the direction given the artist was all "So, you know that frightened Christian lady, Ms. Hughes? With the changingworldviews.blogspot.com URL? I want you to completely futz with her head."

On the other hand, given that she seems to be still flogging the "Saddam had WMDs I swear!" talking point memo, maybe her head is permanently futzed, I dunno. Maybe it was shooting fish in a barrel.

But speaking as a Wiccan who doesn't want the Sharon Hugheses of the world to fear her religion (however futile my desires may be), I disapprove.

So, about this new cover: Well done, Llewellyn! A tasteful move on your part! Very nice. I am now about 86% less embarrassed of you.