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57th out of 231 books
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175 voters
Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth
Elizabeth is an only child, new in town, and the shortest kid in her class. She's also pretty lonely, until she meets Jennifer. Jennifer is...well, "different." She's read "Macbeth." She never wears jeans or shorts. She never says "please" or "thank you." And she says she is a witch. It's not always easy being friends with a witch, but it's never boring. At first an appren...more
Paperback, 117 pages
Published
June 5th 2007
by Aladdin Paperbacks
(first published 1967)
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This one had up's and down's, and I may have been judging it rather harshly, subconsciously expecting the brilliance of Mixed Up Files, but I did like it overall.
The up's included the fun of discovering a new friend, a quite unusual and unique (albeit rather controlling) friend who arrived when the title character needed her most. I loved the insight into childhood dynamics that Konigsburg has a firm grasp on, and the cleverness with which she sets up the story line. It always comes full circle,...more
The up's included the fun of discovering a new friend, a quite unusual and unique (albeit rather controlling) friend who arrived when the title character needed her most. I loved the insight into childhood dynamics that Konigsburg has a firm grasp on, and the cleverness with which she sets up the story line. It always comes full circle,...more
I quite liked this book, which won a 1968 Newbery Honor, more so than the winner that year - which was also by the extremely talented and apparently very quick writer E.L. Konigsburg. I realize I'm probably very much in the minority, but I've never liked From the Mixed Up Files. It's been a number of years since I've read that one, so I'm not sure how they compare in being distinguished literature, but this one was, for me personally, more fun to read.
I would have realized it was from the sixti...more
I would have realized it was from the sixti...more
I really love some of E.L. Konigsburg's books, but this one was really not my favorite...starting with the title. I'm still not sure what the title has to do with the book at all. The story, although possibly intended to be endearing, is more about bullying. It is about a "new girl" who really wants a friend, but doesn't quite fit in, so she makes friends with a girl who claims to be a witch. The witch girl gives the new girl all sorts of orders about what she can and cannot do, eat and not eat,...more
I picked up this book because it had earned a Newbery Honor, and was written by the same author who wrote From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a Newbery winner. The book was written in the 1960s, so there are some elements that are outdated, but a good story is a good story, and this one has passed the test of time.
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This is a middle-grade book told from the point of view of Elizabeth, an only child who is new to her apartment, awkward, and short. She meets a girl named Jennifer...more
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This is a middle-grade book told from the point of view of Elizabeth, an only child who is new to her apartment, awkward, and short. She meets a girl named Jennifer...more
E.L. Konigsburg's (Atheneum, 1971) funny novel of two lonely girls receives an update in this narration by Carol J. Stewart. Stewart's soothing voice brings the story to life without belittling typical schoolgirl dilemmas. Elizabeth is new in town and having trouble making friends. When she meets Jennifer, things take a turn for the better. Jennifer claims to be a witch and she recruits Elizabeth as her apprentice. The girls communicate through notes and secret messages, which always appeal to t...more
I remembered reading this as a child, so I thought I'd give my childhood a quick rerun. As I was reading, I found a number of things I remembered and many I'd forgotten, including the ending, which was very satisfying.
On her way to school after lunch one day, fifth-grader Elizabeth chances upon Jennifer, a new classmate, sitting in a tree. She pushes Jennifer's falling-off shoe back onto her foot and a mysterious friendship is born. Jennifer, a self-proclaimed witch, holds a mystique for the ver...more
On her way to school after lunch one day, fifth-grader Elizabeth chances upon Jennifer, a new classmate, sitting in a tree. She pushes Jennifer's falling-off shoe back onto her foot and a mysterious friendship is born. Jennifer, a self-proclaimed witch, holds a mystique for the ver...more
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I don't know how I missed this book in childhood given that I loved others by E.L. Konigsburg (chief among them, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler). But no matter, I'm just glad to have discovered it now thanks to the recommendation of a friend (thanks Amy!). It's a marvelous book about not fitting in and friendship which I have no doubt speaks to the young readers for whom it was written, but it also has many layers for the adult reader to savor. Jennifer, the self-professed...more
"Before you can be anything, you have to be yourself. That's the hardest thing to find." E L Konigsburg
Author/Illustrator: E L Konigsburg
First Published: 1967
The first book published by Konigsburg. It went on to receive a 1968 Newberry Honor Award. (The Newberry Medal (for "for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year") was first awarded in 1970/1971. The 1968 Awards were given in retrospect).
Not an author I had previously read, but from what I understand she i...more
Author/Illustrator: E L Konigsburg
First Published: 1967
The first book published by Konigsburg. It went on to receive a 1968 Newberry Honor Award. (The Newberry Medal (for "for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year") was first awarded in 1970/1971. The 1968 Awards were given in retrospect).
Not an author I had previously read, but from what I understand she i...more
Sage and I read this and I really enjoyed it. It is a quick, short read, but it has been my experience that Konigburg always has something of value to say. My favorite points in this book were her references to Macbeth and the Witches. Is security really mortals' downfall? Perhaps she is right. Everything good that has ever come to me has been though some sort of risk. (Perhaps leap of faith is a better term...) Anyway, Sage and I are going to read Macbeth and see what we decide. Is Macbeth too...more
Oct 25, 2010
Joan Innes
added it
I enjoyed seeing Jennifer and Elizabeth's friendship mature and grow through various stages. It is definitely a tale of childhood and adolescent friendships where we would put eachother through various tests, creating secret codes, language and knowledge that would keep our childhood world in a place apart from the adult worlds. The view through this window into adolescent friendships show the challenges of establishing a sense of self amongst parents, teachers, school and all of their establish...more
Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth is a reading experience for me that would be akin to finding an old, well worn toy in the attic; I love to reread it, I think the story is wonderful (mostly because of memories), but this is not something that I would necessarily consider passing on immediately to a young reader-- mostly because of how well worn it is. The story suffers slightly from being a product of its generation. Images of children dressed as cigarette boxes for...more
About the development of the friendship between the new girl and a very smart and confident loner; both very interesting personalities. The story moves along slowly and what I perceived as aspects of theme were subtle. I wonder how widespread enjoyment of this story would be as it took a while to sink in.
This was a very different kind of story from other young childrens' books that I've read. Not as much fun as the recently read Anastasia Krupnik. The interest it held seemed more a curiosity abo...more
This was a very different kind of story from other young childrens' books that I've read. Not as much fun as the recently read Anastasia Krupnik. The interest it held seemed more a curiosity abo...more
Apr 13, 2009
Mike
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Kids in 4-6 grade
Shelves:
children-s-education,
fiction
This is a sweetly written book that I suppose, at its heart, is about social dominance. About how when children get together there is often an inequality in behavior, in withholding knowledge, in self-assurance, and how that inequality leads to a relationship in which one of the parties is dominant. But that relationship must evolve, as the less dominant person becomes more confident, more knowledgeable, more self-assured . . . and it leads to a crisis. The relationship will either evolve into s...more
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Mar 17, 2010
Sandy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
friendship,
juvenile-fiction
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Elizabeth is short, unglamourous and lonely. She meets an unlikely friend in Jennifer, a mysterious girl who is eerily familiar with Shakespeare and claims to be a witch. They hit it off and Jennifer takes on Elizabeth as her apprentice witch. For Elizabeth, this means eating one unpleasant thing after another and gathering the ingredients for an ointment of flying. Where did their flight brought them? Nahh, i won't say, or i'll spoil everything to those who'd like to read this.
Good short read!...more
Good short read!...more
I read this, of course, as a sort of mourning exercise. Konigsburg is a great loss to literary world. It is a good example of her writing - slightly off kilter, but more real and sympathetic than their potential generic counterparts. I love these, kids with depth and emotional growth who the reader can admire.
I did feel like the ending was slightly weaker than in many of her other books. It ties together, sure, but it is a little pat and quick. Not a deal breaker by any measure, but, i'd rate ma...more
I did feel like the ending was slightly weaker than in many of her other books. It ties together, sure, but it is a little pat and quick. Not a deal breaker by any measure, but, i'd rate ma...more
I have adored several of Konigsburg's books, but this is not one of them. I remembered it fondly from my youth and picked it up at a Friends of the Library sale, but I found that it hasn't held up particularly well- at least to my eye.
Jennifer is intriguing but never explained to my satisfaction. There is a paucity of any sort of description in the book- I was longing for more of a sense of place. The witchcraft training is fairly interesting, but the ending falls entirely flat and is unsatisfy...more
Jennifer is intriguing but never explained to my satisfaction. There is a paucity of any sort of description in the book- I was longing for more of a sense of place. The witchcraft training is fairly interesting, but the ending falls entirely flat and is unsatisfy...more
I really like E. L. Konigsburg. I like her writing style. I like her ability to create children characters that help you remember what it was like to be a child. I really like her books. This is the story of two “misfit” girls who find each other and eventually learn how to relate normally to one another and become friends. It’s an interesting journey getting there. Both of the main characters use anti-social defense mechanisms to cope with their harsh social world. Through their friendship, the...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Entertaining and enjoyable, but ultimately left me a bit disappointed.
The staccato writing style is harsh at first but the sentences soon get long enough and the characters amusing enough that one falls into the chapter book rhythm without much trouble. Elizabeth, a 5th grader new to town, bonds with a domineering, manipulative, clever and quirky classmate named Jennifer--who is claims she is a witch and is very tight-lipped about her home life.
A pleasant afternoon read by a solid children's lit...more
The staccato writing style is harsh at first but the sentences soon get long enough and the characters amusing enough that one falls into the chapter book rhythm without much trouble. Elizabeth, a 5th grader new to town, bonds with a domineering, manipulative, clever and quirky classmate named Jennifer--who is claims she is a witch and is very tight-lipped about her home life.
A pleasant afternoon read by a solid children's lit...more
The storyline of this short read is the ultimate of clever; one lonely girl, Elizabeth, befriends another, Jennifer, who offers to apprentice Elizabeth as a witch. Elizabeth, intrigued by this possibility, agrees to do whatever is asked of her, consenting to eat the same food each day for a week, abstaining from another favorite food over Christmas, and collecting her toenail and fingernail clippings for the final spell. A truly fun read!
I don't know, I found this to be a little odd for a Newbery Medal book. I felt like the characters in the book did not communicate well to each other and I had a hard time getting really interested in all the rituals and trials. Jennifer seemed like more trouble than she was worth to me. Ah well, I guess we've all had relationships like that at one time or another. I guess I just wasn't impressed by this plot (or maybe lack of plot).
One of the best books I remember reading as a child but then I was drawn to books about ostracized kids and anything involving fantasy. So this book about a girl in a new school, having trouble making friends and all the bits about magic and witches... it was a good match for my reading tastes. It also got me very excited to actually read Shakespeare's Macbeth, which I ended up reading early and loved it.
Reading level 4.9
I love this book! I really like how it talks about being lonely, and how having a friend really helps, even if you don't see them every day, it makes you feel better. Some people may be offended by the girls dabbling with witchcraft, but I think it's perfectly harmless (who doesn't play make believe) I love how it explores what we might do to make a friend, especially when we don't have many (or any in this case). I can totally relate to this book, so maybe that's why I liked it...more
I love this book! I really like how it talks about being lonely, and how having a friend really helps, even if you don't see them every day, it makes you feel better. Some people may be offended by the girls dabbling with witchcraft, but I think it's perfectly harmless (who doesn't play make believe) I love how it explores what we might do to make a friend, especially when we don't have many (or any in this case). I can totally relate to this book, so maybe that's why I liked it...more
A beautifully written story that very delicately tells the tale of two lonely children who find friendship. Reading it as an adult, I couldn't help but feel for the main character. The trick to any great story about a lonely outcast is making that outcast someone the reader would want to befriend. E.L. Konigsburg does a fantastic job at this. In many ways, it's a very sad story that ends hopefully.
Mar 16, 2013
Amy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
girls, upper elem/lower middle
Shelves:
kiddie-lit
I so enjoy Konigsburg's books. The story is of friendship that begins as unbalanced and one-sided but grows to a much more equal footing, and becomes more real. The two girls are both quirky characters that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is my 4th Konigburg's novel for middle school readers and I've enjoyed them all. She is a very good writer with excellent plot, character and message.
I think I would have liked it more if I was little. It made me laugh, I will say that, which, everybody needs to laugh every once in a while. Without laughter, we're not human. It does teach a good lesson about acceptance and friendship, and you solve a little mystery along the way-an added plus. If I were the parent of a young child, especially a girl, I would read this to him/her.
This seems to be a slightly abridged version of "Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth"? It's not stated that Elizabeth is new to town and I recall no mention of William McKinley.
It's a cute book and I recall it fondly from when I read it as a kid but reading it now I feel sorry for Cynthia, the girl who Elizabeth claims is so mean and so revels in all the tricks played on her: from this distance I see very little evidence of Cynthia's meanness, certainly not enough to j...more
It's a cute book and I recall it fondly from when I read it as a kid but reading it now I feel sorry for Cynthia, the girl who Elizabeth claims is so mean and so revels in all the tricks played on her: from this distance I see very little evidence of Cynthia's meanness, certainly not enough to j...more
This book was okay for me. It was a fun read and my daughters enjoyed it, and it has a good message about finding friendship for two girls who thought they were alone before they met. But it kind of bothered me the whole witchcraft undercurrent, as they learn to make potions, cast spells, eat funny things, and are intrigued by the mysticism of witchcraft.
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Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was an American author and illustrator of children's books and young adult fiction. She was the only author to win the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor in the same year (1968), with her second and first books respectively: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth. Kongisburg won a second Newbery...more
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“...just because I don't have on a silly black costume and carry a silly broom and wear a silly black hat, doesn't mean that I'm not a witch. I'm a witch all the time and not just on Halloween.”
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5 people liked it
“I made myself a glass of chocolate milk using enough syrup for three normal glasses. I also made myself four peanut butter crackers. Then I walked out the living room door to our terrace. The trees were coming! New green was all over ... green so new that it was kissing yellow.”
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2 people liked it
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