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Witches
Little witches abound in this rollicking, rhyming adventure, which features all the fun, fantasy and treats - but none of the tricks - of a Halloween night to remember!
24 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 17, 2019
Six little witches prepare for and celebrate Halloween in this sweet picture-book adventure from author Cheryl Christian and illustrator Wish Williams. With a simple, rhyming text - "Witches at their cauldron, witches at their brew. / Throwing in some spiders' webs, and a bone or two. / Any kind of smelly, slimy, sticky stuff will do" - and colorful illustrations that perfectly capture the excitement and fun of a night of trick-or-treating, Witches offers an exuberant portrait, perfect for younger children, of one of the most enchanting experiences in a child's year.
As someone with a predilection for witchy tales, one who looked forward to Halloween all year as a girl (it is still one of my favorite holidays today!), I really appreciate this book, which, with its brief text (one sentence per two-page spread) and bright illustrations, makes for the ideal seasonal read for younger children looking for gentler, non-frightening fare. I also really appreciated that the artwork, which utilizes a very appealing palette of colors, is so inclusive, depicting children of all races and abilities (one trick-or-treating child is in a wheelchair, and one of the six witches walks with the aid of leg braces and forearm crutches). The final revelation, vis-a-vis the witches' identity, came as no surprise, but that in no way detracted from its charm, or from the delights of this sweet Halloween treat!
As someone with a predilection for witchy tales, one who looked forward to Halloween all year as a girl (it is still one of my favorite holidays today!), I really appreciate this book, which, with its brief text (one sentence per two-page spread) and bright illustrations, makes for the ideal seasonal read for younger children looking for gentler, non-frightening fare. I also really appreciated that the artwork, which utilizes a very appealing palette of colors, is so inclusive, depicting children of all races and abilities (one trick-or-treating child is in a wheelchair, and one of the six witches walks with the aid of leg braces and forearm crutches). The final revelation, vis-a-vis the witches' identity, came as no surprise, but that in no way detracted from its charm, or from the delights of this sweet Halloween treat!
November 1, 2024
The illustrations are amazing
August 9, 2011
Halloween is still 2 1/2 months away but I couldn't resist reviewing this whimsical Halloween book. I'm not a huge fan of Halloween itself (candy & costumes just aren't my thing) but I love Halloween pictures books!
Witches is a short book with rhyming text making it a quick fun read. I love the illustrations. Perfect for preschool aged children.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Source: Netgalley
Witches is a short book with rhyming text making it a quick fun read. I love the illustrations. Perfect for preschool aged children.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Source: Netgalley
October 17, 2012
Not one of my personal favorite Halloween reads, but I could see where some young readers would really enjoy being "in" on who the "witches" in this book really are (and the little hints at *real* witches in the illustrations are fun). I liked the rather mysterious/magical/orange-tinted aspects to illustrations of otherwise mundane neighborhoods and such.
October 27, 2017
Truly delightful book about a little coven of witches and how they do their witchy things. THe witches are girls in costumes yet it describes on each page in rhyme each activity the witches do throughout Halooween as if they were real witches. The magic of Halloween is on every page through its strong use of color and imagery. I seriously imagined the spirit of Halloween transforming each into a Halloween character by the end.
October 31, 2017
I selected this book from the library based on the cover. The witches are adorable, so I expected a cute story to go along with it. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed by the text, although the illustrations are very well done throughout. The text is simple and does rhyme. Preschoolers could easily follow along with the story
October 28, 2021
Gorgeous colors and inclusive with diverse kid characters, two of whom have disabilities and use different tools for mobility (arm braces, wheelchair) - refreshing to see in a book that’s already 10 years old!
October 24, 2021
Very cute and satisfying rhyming Halloween book.
April 15, 2022
One of the cutest books ever...
May 31, 2011
An absolute delight!
I loved this little Halloween picture book featuring a group of “witches” gathered together to brew up a frightening dish before heading out to trick or treat. The kids look like they’re having a great time – throwing random ingredients from the refrigerator into their cauldron and then daring themselves – and each other – to taste it. The rhyming verse conveys the same sense of fun as the drawings, “Witches at their cauldron, witches at their brew. Throwing in some spider webs and a bone or two. Any kind of smelly, slimy, sticky stuff will do.” Once they’ve finished with their creation, the witches trek across a field (while, in their imaginations, they fly over it on their broomsticks) to join other kids – decked out in a wide assortment of costumes – in the time-honored tradition of ringing doorbells and gathering treats.
Author Cheryl Christian’s words are engaging and do a good job of capturing the excitement of the holiday and the gorgeous accompanying artwork by Wish Williams’ adds tremendously to those words, making the book as a whole simply wonderful. Colorful, whimsical and, to my eye, vaguely reminiscent of Josephine Wall’s fantasy work, Williams’ drawings help to make Witches quite different from the more usual dark and spooky Halloween story. IMHO, this lighter touch may make it a good choice for the under 5 crowd. My favorite drawing is the one mentioned above – with the costumed children crossing a field while, overhead, their imaginary counterparts make the journey by broomstick. I also loved the scene that had two of the children making monster-y shadow puppets on the wall with kitchen utensils while the other “witches” are busy tasting their concocted brew.
I must express my gratitude to everyone involved with Witches for including both a child and an adult with a physical disability in the story. And, even better, they’re not pointed out in any way, they’re just THERE, taking part in life. This type of the-story-isn’t-about-them inclusiveness occurs SO SELDOM in children’s books that I want to jump up and down and cheer when I come across it. So – yeah!! And thank you so much!
Publisher Star Bright Books very kindly allowed me to take a look at an electronic copy of Witches prior to publication. I appreciated their generosity, but as soon as I finished reading it, I hopped over to Amazon to pre-order a copy so that I would have a “real” book to share with my grandchildren. At this point in their lives, turning and touching the pages is part of the experience; something I feel will deepen their love of reading. My only disappointment with Witches was discovering, when I got to Amazon, that it isn’t available in hardcover. This is a little book to save and share over and over. A hardcover would hold up much better to the use I know it will get in my home and I hope Star Bright will consider making one available.
Highly recommended.
Disclosure: As mentioned above, I was provided an electronic copy of Witches by the publisher. There was no charge for this preview copy. The book was made available to me in the hope that I would review it, but I was not obligated to do so, nor did I promise a positive review.
I loved this little Halloween picture book featuring a group of “witches” gathered together to brew up a frightening dish before heading out to trick or treat. The kids look like they’re having a great time – throwing random ingredients from the refrigerator into their cauldron and then daring themselves – and each other – to taste it. The rhyming verse conveys the same sense of fun as the drawings, “Witches at their cauldron, witches at their brew. Throwing in some spider webs and a bone or two. Any kind of smelly, slimy, sticky stuff will do.” Once they’ve finished with their creation, the witches trek across a field (while, in their imaginations, they fly over it on their broomsticks) to join other kids – decked out in a wide assortment of costumes – in the time-honored tradition of ringing doorbells and gathering treats.
Author Cheryl Christian’s words are engaging and do a good job of capturing the excitement of the holiday and the gorgeous accompanying artwork by Wish Williams’ adds tremendously to those words, making the book as a whole simply wonderful. Colorful, whimsical and, to my eye, vaguely reminiscent of Josephine Wall’s fantasy work, Williams’ drawings help to make Witches quite different from the more usual dark and spooky Halloween story. IMHO, this lighter touch may make it a good choice for the under 5 crowd. My favorite drawing is the one mentioned above – with the costumed children crossing a field while, overhead, their imaginary counterparts make the journey by broomstick. I also loved the scene that had two of the children making monster-y shadow puppets on the wall with kitchen utensils while the other “witches” are busy tasting their concocted brew.
I must express my gratitude to everyone involved with Witches for including both a child and an adult with a physical disability in the story. And, even better, they’re not pointed out in any way, they’re just THERE, taking part in life. This type of the-story-isn’t-about-them inclusiveness occurs SO SELDOM in children’s books that I want to jump up and down and cheer when I come across it. So – yeah!! And thank you so much!
Publisher Star Bright Books very kindly allowed me to take a look at an electronic copy of Witches prior to publication. I appreciated their generosity, but as soon as I finished reading it, I hopped over to Amazon to pre-order a copy so that I would have a “real” book to share with my grandchildren. At this point in their lives, turning and touching the pages is part of the experience; something I feel will deepen their love of reading. My only disappointment with Witches was discovering, when I got to Amazon, that it isn’t available in hardcover. This is a little book to save and share over and over. A hardcover would hold up much better to the use I know it will get in my home and I hope Star Bright will consider making one available.
Highly recommended.
Disclosure: As mentioned above, I was provided an electronic copy of Witches by the publisher. There was no charge for this preview copy. The book was made available to me in the hope that I would review it, but I was not obligated to do so, nor did I promise a positive review.
August 6, 2011
My grandson and I read this together. What a delightful book! One of the best Halloween picture books I have seen. The illustrations were awesome and all inclusive. Having a special needs child this was a pleasant surprise. I really appreciated that the illustrator included special needs children and portrayed them accurately as "normal" children. The text was fun and had the children mixing up potions and daring each other to try them. The author and illustrator were able to capture all the magic and fun of Halloween night without the scary side you often see in Halloween books. The one down side I had is that it looks like it is only available in softcover. I would love it if Star Bright Books made this into a hardcover. The book is a keeper!
Here is what my grandson had to say: "I love it! The pictures are really fun! I like the cats. The children are like kids in my class. The children in the book are having fun just like we do. I want to have a party like the one in this book. Then we can all go trick or treating. That was my favorite part. I hope my library gets this book! Let's read it again."
Here is what my grandson had to say: "I love it! The pictures are really fun! I like the cats. The children are like kids in my class. The children in the book are having fun just like we do. I want to have a party like the one in this book. Then we can all go trick or treating. That was my favorite part. I hope my library gets this book! Let's read it again."
October 5, 2011
Featured at An Abundance of Books
Witches is a very short rhyming story about a group of kids on Halloween. At first they're making a magic potion (filled with candy and anything else they could pull out of the refrigerator). Then the "witches" get ready for Trick-or-Treating and we watch them make their way through the neighborhood picking up all kinds of goodies. In the end the witches are revealed to be kids, but I don't think anyone (including little kids) will be surprised by this.
The text itself isn't terribly original or surprising. The real attraction of Witches are the illustrations. They're wonderfully colored and filled with lots of details for kids to pour over and enjoy. The pictures, like the text, focus on the fun of Halloween.
A sweet book that will be enjoyed by the I Spy crowd and is a good one to share with younger children, especially those who scare easily. It's best to pick this one up at the library.
Read full review HERE
Witches is a very short rhyming story about a group of kids on Halloween. At first they're making a magic potion (filled with candy and anything else they could pull out of the refrigerator). Then the "witches" get ready for Trick-or-Treating and we watch them make their way through the neighborhood picking up all kinds of goodies. In the end the witches are revealed to be kids, but I don't think anyone (including little kids) will be surprised by this.
The text itself isn't terribly original or surprising. The real attraction of Witches are the illustrations. They're wonderfully colored and filled with lots of details for kids to pour over and enjoy. The pictures, like the text, focus on the fun of Halloween.
A sweet book that will be enjoyed by the I Spy crowd and is a good one to share with younger children, especially those who scare easily. It's best to pick this one up at the library.
Read full review HERE
August 16, 2011
A very cool book for little ones. You can be sure it will arrive just in time for the beginning of Halloween celebrations, with a release date of 8/15/11 (although Amazon is listing it as "available in 2-4 weeks." which is still plenty of time for Halloween celebrating!)
Vivid, bright and spooky (just the right amount of spooky for the littles) the story is short and cute. I must give the author and illustrator kudos for also including children with disabilities into their storybook. A light and airy story with photos of children making goodies and trick or treating. Children on two legs, children with crutches and children with wheelchairs. I love it! I teach my children to keep an open mind - that children with disabilities are no different than anyone else. I hope, if nothing else, that lesson sticks with them. I enjoy reinforcements on this lesson when and where ever I can get them!
Vivid, bright and spooky (just the right amount of spooky for the littles) the story is short and cute. I must give the author and illustrator kudos for also including children with disabilities into their storybook. A light and airy story with photos of children making goodies and trick or treating. Children on two legs, children with crutches and children with wheelchairs. I love it! I teach my children to keep an open mind - that children with disabilities are no different than anyone else. I hope, if nothing else, that lesson sticks with them. I enjoy reinforcements on this lesson when and where ever I can get them!
October 31, 2015
Little witches abound in this rollicking, rhyming adventure that features all of the fun, fantasy, and treats--but none of the tricks--of a Halloween night to remember! Whimsical, colorful illustrations overflow with bewitching details that will engage young readers (and little goblins, too!) and have them cackling to read the book again and again to discover all its charms!
Not all parents or teachers will want to read a story to toddlers about witches, but if you do this would be a good choice. The illustrations are friendly and the story is just short enough to keep the child's attention.
Subject:
Witches -- Juvenile fiction
Halloween -- Juvenile fiction
August 16, 2011
This is a sweet little treat that will be ready in plenty of time for Halloween. Written in a simple rhyming format and illustrated in amazing detail, this book will captivate young readers. The witches and other creatures throughout the book aren't limited to traditional Halloween colours. They are painted in a pleasing array of tones, and the witches flying through the sky seem to dance across the page. I can see this becoming a favourite Halloween poem. It's a simple little story that young readers will love, and so will the artists in the crowd.
May 10, 2011
What a fantastic Halloween book. This book is filled with beautiful illustrations and simple rhyming. It focuses on the fun of trick-or-treating and not the scariness.
This book is a must have for all those children who are afraid of Halloween and/or trick-or-treating. On each page there is so much to look at, that your child can explore everything that might surround them too, on their night out.
This book is a must have for all those children who are afraid of Halloween and/or trick-or-treating. On each page there is so much to look at, that your child can explore everything that might surround them too, on their night out.
October 6, 2011
This sweet little book is a delight. Wonderfully rhyming text paired with charming illustrations makes this a perfect Halloween read for the little ones. Just slightly spooky, but not at all scary…the book follows a group of children as they prepare for and celebrate Halloween.
Points also for the inclusion of a special needs child without drawing attention to any differences. This little gem is a keeper.
Points also for the inclusion of a special needs child without drawing attention to any differences. This little gem is a keeper.
May 13, 2011
This book is wonderful! If you are in charge of story times (or just want to be generous to your local library) order this book in time to receive for Halloween this year. The story will undoubtedly become a Halloween staple for its easy rhymes and the illustrations are just beautiful. Definitely a purchase for our library!
May 20, 2011
I’m reviewing this for NetGalley.
Witches is a great Halloween book for young children. The pictures are beautiful and would captivate young children. The book briefly touches on what witches do such as fly and brew potions. It also shows children trick or treating and emphasizes the main children dressed up as witches. This book will put young children in the trick or treating mood.
Witches is a great Halloween book for young children. The pictures are beautiful and would captivate young children. The book briefly touches on what witches do such as fly and brew potions. It also shows children trick or treating and emphasizes the main children dressed up as witches. This book will put young children in the trick or treating mood.
June 4, 2011
A great Halloween story that has wonderful poetry. The illustrations are full of colors that fills the pages that seem to make the pages move. The pictures have kids of every type and therefore will be a family favorite.
December 19, 2015
This one of those picture books that tries to hard in my opinion. Rhyming is something that only works sometimes and I wasn't crazy about it in this one. There are just so many great Halloween books out there that this one didn't wow me. It seemed drab next to the other books I've read this season.
July 26, 2011
Vivid illustrations,
Rhythmical writing,
A fun and entertaining read for children, especially around Halloween.
Rhythmical writing,
A fun and entertaining read for children, especially around Halloween.
September 5, 2011
copy from NetGalley. Beautiful illustrations. An entertaining read for the young ones.
November 1, 2012
Cute little book that all little girl's will love around Halloween time. Very pretty illustrations.
December 9, 2014
First off the pictures were great. Absolutely great!! I love love love the colors. The story is simple and cute. Great Halloween Story, great all year round story!!!
November 15, 2012
also quite unremarkable
December 18, 2024
I thought it might be a cute book based on the cover, but the kids inside wear green masks with wart details and long crooked noses. So it's probably not worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews