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190th out of 294 books
—
34 voters
The Worst Witch (Worst Witch #1)
by
Jill Murphy
Mildred Hubble's first term as Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches starts badly. She can't control her broomstick, her kitten, or her spells, unlike goody-goody Ethel.
Paperback, 112 pages
Published
October 1st 1978
by Puffin Books
(first published 1974)
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Jan 31, 2013
Jo
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
all-my-feels,
children-s-books,
children-s-classics,
favorites,
featured,
light-read,
library,
booksale,
owned,
re-read
yesterday my friend and i went to booksale (she doesn't like reading but miraculously this time she initiated buying a few books) and imagine my surprise when i saw this as i was browsing through piles and piles of books. i mean, come on. childhood! and i cannot believe i forgot about this book when i'm sure this was one of the books that got me into reading. safjlksajflkadsjflawhyhowcouldiever. so when i was in sixth grade our classroom was in front of the library. *sighs. nostalgia* okay i'm d...more
Join Mildred Hubble, a struggling witch-in-training who just can't seem to do things right no matter how hard she tries, for laughs, hijinks and a little adventure at Cackle's Academy for Witches. The story is short and sharp at barely 100 pages long, but it packs a great deal into the space it occupies. The characters are archetypal for the boarding school setting, but still very loveable and surprisingly well unfolded in the short course of the story. For an introductory book to a series there...more
The worst witch enters us into a world of spells and witchcraft and an academy for young witches.
In this series we meet Mildred Hubble our main character, her friend Maud, and foe Ethel. We also meet Miss Hardbroom who is the girl’s form and deputy head mistress.
Mildred during the cat giving ceremony is given a tabby cat who is unable to fly instead of a traditional black cat as the school had run out, and Mildred resorts to putting him in her school bag, which Miss Hardbroom does not approve.
W...more
In this series we meet Mildred Hubble our main character, her friend Maud, and foe Ethel. We also meet Miss Hardbroom who is the girl’s form and deputy head mistress.
Mildred during the cat giving ceremony is given a tabby cat who is unable to fly instead of a traditional black cat as the school had run out, and Mildred resorts to putting him in her school bag, which Miss Hardbroom does not approve.
W...more
For those like myself who went to primary school in the 1990s, The Worst Witch books were probably the closest thing we ever got to Harry Potter. Not that we should feel deprived in any way, as The Worst Witch books were and still are enjoyable reads.
The Worst Witch is the first book in the series and details the troubles of Mildred Hubble, a pupil at Cackle's Academy and one who always seems to encounter misfortune, but somehow manages to save the day and in the process save herself, not just...more
The Worst Witch is the first book in the series and details the troubles of Mildred Hubble, a pupil at Cackle's Academy and one who always seems to encounter misfortune, but somehow manages to save the day and in the process save herself, not just...more
2 likes · like · see review
I bought this book because I remember my own children reading it when they were younger. My daughters would read it over and over again and so i decided to read it now with a view to reading it to my year 3 class.
This is a book which features a rather clumsy witch called Mildred. Although she tries hard, Mildred usually manages to mix up her spells and generally cause trouble. When she turns Ethel (who happens to be a very bright but rather unkind witch)into a pig her troubles really do begin....more
This is a book which features a rather clumsy witch called Mildred. Although she tries hard, Mildred usually manages to mix up her spells and generally cause trouble. When she turns Ethel (who happens to be a very bright but rather unkind witch)into a pig her troubles really do begin....more
This is Hogwarts before Hogwarts- written in 1974, a magical boarding school called Miss Cackle’s Academy with a school song, potions lessons and lots of broomsticks. Poor hapless Mildred Hubble has been called the ‘worst witch in the school’ by her form-mistress Miss Hardbroom; she is the only witch in her year to have a tabby cat and not a black one, and she frequently ruins broomstick displays. However she triumphs by the end of the book after getting into lots of amusing trouble beforehand....more
1 like · like · see review
What if you were the worst at an assignment? Would your friends stick by you? How would your enemies react? What if you were part of a group presentation for an important person? Could you handle the pressure? These are some of the dilemmas faced by Mildred Hubble in a delightful book called The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy.
Mildred is clumsy, but it's her failure at riding a broom and performing spells that land her into the most trouble at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. One day, Mildred and h...more
Mildred is clumsy, but it's her failure at riding a broom and performing spells that land her into the most trouble at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. One day, Mildred and h...more
Dec 18, 2009
Lisa Vegan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
girls 5-8 years old – for early (but not just starting) readers and for read aloud
Oh too bad. I just realized I forgot to read this with an English accent. It would have been ever so much fun.
This book would have received 5 stars from my 7 & 8 & possibly 9 year old self. I would have also really, really enjoyed it if it had been read to me when I was 5 and 6, helping to read it of course.
The story is funny and sweet. It’s about a witch in her first year of boarding school for witches. The plot is predictable but I had no problem with that. Mildred is a clumsy student...more
This book would have received 5 stars from my 7 & 8 & possibly 9 year old self. I would have also really, really enjoyed it if it had been read to me when I was 5 and 6, helping to read it of course.
The story is funny and sweet. It’s about a witch in her first year of boarding school for witches. The plot is predictable but I had no problem with that. Mildred is a clumsy student...more
9 likes · like · see review
Mildred Hubble attends Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches and is probably the worst student the school has ever seen. Mildred seems to be always getting into trouble. Whether it’s potions, spells or broomstick riding, she can’t seem to do anything right. When Mildred’s class does a display for this years Halloween celebrations, Mildred finds herself at blame when their presentations turns into a disaster. How will Mildred ever earn her Witches Higher Certificate when she is the worst witch to eve...more
3 likes · like · see review
A great premise, but more of an outline for a book than a book proper. (No wonder it translated so well into film & television.) I remember enjoying the book as a kid, but there's not enough substance to it to keep me engaged as an adult reader. Still a good one for the age group for which it was intended though.
This book is the first in the THE WORST WITCH series. It introduces us to Mildred, a young witch in the first year at Miss Cackle's Academy. As the title suggests, Mildred is not a gifted witch. Trouble seems to find her. Miss Hardbroom (who is very scary), their form tutor does not like Mildred, neither does Ethel, a fellow student who does her very best to make life difficult for Mildred. The book is illustrated with black and white pictures throughout. This book contins enough action to keep...more
This is one of my childhood favourites!
Mildred Hubble attends Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches where she is ‘The Worst Witch’, not because she’s evil or anything, but because she is lousy in the magic department. During her time at the academy, Mildred manages to turn her archival into a pig and get on the wrong side of Miss Hardbroom, a teacher and witch at the academy who is sort of the female equivalent of Snape from the Harry Potter series.
Mildred decides to away from the academy and by do...more
Mildred Hubble attends Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches where she is ‘The Worst Witch’, not because she’s evil or anything, but because she is lousy in the magic department. During her time at the academy, Mildred manages to turn her archival into a pig and get on the wrong side of Miss Hardbroom, a teacher and witch at the academy who is sort of the female equivalent of Snape from the Harry Potter series.
Mildred decides to away from the academy and by do...more
Nov 04, 2008
katie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
done-reading-2008,
five-star-favourites
I love the Worst Witch with a PASSION. I love Mildred's scrapes! Miss Hardbroom's tight bun! Mildred's tabby! Horrid Ethel! I first read this when I was about seven, on a rainy day by the sea, and if I'm honest I choose Mildred over Harry any day.
1 like · like · see review
Mildred Hubble is a kind, friendly young witch who is starting school at Miss Cackle’s Academy for witches. Although she tries hard Mildred isn’t very good at casting spells or flying a broomstick and she is also very clumsy. This quickly lands her in to trouble at school after she turns Ethel, the bossy know-it-all into a pig. Luckily she has her friend Maud and her cat Tabby to help her out. Despite being the worst witch at the school Mildred manages to single-handedly save everyone from being...more
I used to love reading The Worst Witch books when I was younger. Mildred Hubble is in a school for witches, in her first year she learns how to fly and receives her own black cat. Her black cat is different to everyone else's and calls hers Tabby. Mildred gets into trouble with the headmistress, Miss Hardbroom on various occasions. Mildred also has an enemy called Ethel who she accidentally turns her into a pig! Throughout the book Mildred has a bad time with magic and potions and faces being ex...more
A 1001 CBYMRBYGU. At Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches, there are many witches, but no one is as terrible at witchcraft than Mildred. She goofs up every spell she attempts. Poor Mildred is always in trouble.
…the girls marched up in single file to receive their kittens. Mildred was the last of all, and when she reached the table Miss Cackle pulled out of the basket not a sleek black kitten like all the others but a little tabby with white paws and the sort of fur that looked as if it had been out...more
…the girls marched up in single file to receive their kittens. Mildred was the last of all, and when she reached the table Miss Cackle pulled out of the basket not a sleek black kitten like all the others but a little tabby with white paws and the sort of fur that looked as if it had been out...more
This book is about a girl called Mildred who boards at an academy for witches and gets into all sorts of scrapes and trouble, hence the title 'The Worst Witch'. This book brings me back to my childhood and it still made me smile when I read this with a Year 3 class. They really enjoyed reading the book, especially when Mildred's spells backfired on her. This book was used during Literacy lessons. Te children took it in turns to read paragraphs out loud from a specific chapter and then had to ans...more
The Worst Witch is written by Jill Murphy she is not that famous it is my favourite Worst Witch book. A girl called Mildred can't walk from one end of the corridor to the other without getting told of. She lives in Miss Cacles Academy, she has a best friend called Maud and she can't even ride a broomstick because her cat Tabby can't stay on her broomstick. I liked the bit when Mildred turned the group of witches into snails because first she got the spell wrong and she turned them into dogs. I r...more
People have Harry Potter... I have Mildred Hubble. I found myself so ferociously loyal to Jill Murphy's fantastic series that I simply could not get into Harry Potter. It felt like cheating.
A wonderful set of tales from my childhood. Quite frankly, Malfoy (the little horrible blonde lad) hasn't got a thing on Ethel.
I probably identified with Mildred an awful lot as a kid, so hence my love of her and her countless misadventures as she trains to be a witch. Wonderful and blows Potter out of the wa...more
A wonderful set of tales from my childhood. Quite frankly, Malfoy (the little horrible blonde lad) hasn't got a thing on Ethel.
I probably identified with Mildred an awful lot as a kid, so hence my love of her and her countless misadventures as she trains to be a witch. Wonderful and blows Potter out of the wa...more
I have chosen the Worst Witch by Jill Murphy for my sixth book review. The story concerns the adventures of trainee witch Mildred Hubble who attends Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches. To the annoyance of her strict class teacher, Miss Hardbroom, Mildred is always getting everything wrong, from forgetting to tie her shoelaces and casting the wrong spells to encountering all sorts of trouble on her new broomstick. To make matters worse Mildred also has to deal with Ethel, the class sneak, who make...more
The first time I read this book was when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I enjoyed it then and I still do now. But since my literary understanding has vastly developed since then, I found it too simple and a bit embarrassing in some parts but its supposed to be a simple read.
I decided to read this after all these years because A) I found it in a charity shop, brand new, for only 20p! and B) Its coming up to Halloween and, since it's Halloween based, I decided to read it as part of my Halloween 20...more
I decided to read this after all these years because A) I found it in a charity shop, brand new, for only 20p! and B) Its coming up to Halloween and, since it's Halloween based, I decided to read it as part of my Halloween 20...more
http://happygolucky-skyla.blogspot.co...
The Worst Witch" books by Jill Murphy were the first books I ever read about witches and wizards. The first three books were part of my older sister's book collection and as I child I remember sneaking into her room and taking them from the shelf so I could read them without her knowing about it. I became hooked on the stories of Mildred Hubble and her friends and even to this day these books top my favorites list, especially since Jo Rowling admitted that...more
The Worst Witch" books by Jill Murphy were the first books I ever read about witches and wizards. The first three books were part of my older sister's book collection and as I child I remember sneaking into her room and taking them from the shelf so I could read them without her knowing about it. I became hooked on the stories of Mildred Hubble and her friends and even to this day these books top my favorites list, especially since Jo Rowling admitted that...more
Oct 11, 2010
Kathryn
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens-picture-books
This is a charming little story, perfect for children just embarking on chapter books. The chapters are all short (each can be read in about five to seven minutes) and while some of the vocabulary is a bit advanced (I wouldn't call this a beginning/easy reader), it's perfect for read-aloud (especially if you can muster a British accent, haha!)
In this first book in the "Worst Witch" series, Mildred Hubble is in her first term at Miss Cackle's Academy. It's a bit like a (simplified and all-girls)...more
In this first book in the "Worst Witch" series, Mildred Hubble is in her first term at Miss Cackle's Academy. It's a bit like a (simplified and all-girls)...more
7 likes · like · see review
The Worst Witch is an old book which follows Mildred Hubble. She is a witch who is very clumsy and often gets her spells wrong. This problem with casting spells gets her into a lot of trouble at Cackle's Academy. Although she is labelled as the worst witch, Mildred eventually saves the day when it matters. This book is very imaginative and is perfect for a lower KS2 class as a stimulus for setting description. It will inspire imaginative writing and has lots of cross curricular links.
The Worst Witch is a kid witch. She's not very good at being a witch, she keeps getting things wrong. She has two friends. My favourite part was when she turned the evil witches into snails, because it was teaching them a lesson. I didn't like it when she thought that maybe if she put some green stuff into her laughing potion it would make her laugh, but it didn't, I didn't like it because she was the only one who couldn't. I think witches would like this book, and people who like halloween.
Oct 02, 2009
Kirei
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone, but especially kids five to ten
I saw this on a shelf at a bookstore and had to get it for Halloween. It is a fun book, although the storyline is very basic. I don't think it is as popular in the U.S. as it is in the United Kingdom.
It definitely feels like a precursor to Harry Potter. Written in the mid `70's, it is about a girl who attends a school for witches. I can totally imagine a young J.K. Rowling reading it and loving it.
Anyway, read this before you read Harry Potter.....
It definitely feels like a precursor to Harry Potter. Written in the mid `70's, it is about a girl who attends a school for witches. I can totally imagine a young J.K. Rowling reading it and loving it.
Anyway, read this before you read Harry Potter.....
Actually my daughter's school reading book but I've listened to her read most of it and whizzed through the bits she did in school myself. I'm surprised I didn't read this as a kid myself, I remember it being in the library. It's an obvious girl-at-boarding-school step along from What Katy Did and Enid Blyton's series, and precursor to Harry Potter, of course. As an adult reading it now I find it twee and overly long - a product of the time, no doubt.
I think that I was about eight when I was first introduced to the original Boarding School for Witchcraft (but no Wizardry!!), and boy did Mildred Hubble and her friends make me wish my parents would send me to a Board School full of Witches!
I always wanted Mildred to be my best friend :P
Whilst I am a big Potter fan, I do think that The Worst Witch novels are much better, and much quirkier, if just less in depth and less of "wider picture" angle.
I always wanted Mildred to be my best friend :P
Whilst I am a big Potter fan, I do think that The Worst Witch novels are much better, and much quirkier, if just less in depth and less of "wider picture" angle.
Now this story I have known for a very long time, as I saw the film countless years ago, and the TV series too; both great. So now, I thought I would read the books that they were adapted from.
This is a very short book, you could read it aloud in under an hour. But the storyline is very good, if a bit quickly laid out. The main character Mildred is very likeable, a hapless disaster area of a young girl, but well meaning and kind; ideal heroine material. One of the main things I like about it is...more
This is a very short book, you could read it aloud in under an hour. But the storyline is very good, if a bit quickly laid out. The main character Mildred is very likeable, a hapless disaster area of a young girl, but well meaning and kind; ideal heroine material. One of the main things I like about it is...more
This text is great to read as a whole class. there is adventure, magic and best of all friendship and teamwork.
The text is good for topic work. The individual Mildred in the book is not the best witch around, but she can become better with a little help from her friends around her. the text encouraes children to support one another and to work hard so that they can achieve too. The text is funny and is an enjoyable read for all of the class, boys and girls.
The text can be cross-curricular:
In S...more
The text is good for topic work. The individual Mildred in the book is not the best witch around, but she can become better with a little help from her friends around her. the text encouraes children to support one another and to work hard so that they can achieve too. The text is funny and is an enjoyable read for all of the class, boys and girls.
The text can be cross-curricular:
In S...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Thrilling Term ...: The Worst Witch (January 2013) | 14 | 38 | Jan 18, 2013 11:14am |
Jill Murphy is a London-born English children's author, best known for The Worst Witch series and the Large Family picture books. She has been described as "one of the most engaging writers and illustrators for children in the land."
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of th...more
More about Jill Murphy...
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of th...more
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Feb 02, 2013 05:16am
Feb 02, 2013 05:27am