Witch in the House

Matter-of-Fact Magic

by Ruth Chew

Laura and Jane help out their new friend, a bumbling old witch who eats glass and can sit on the ceiling. By the author of Wrong Way Around Magic. Reissue.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Witches, Young Adult, Halloween

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Ruth Chew is the author of a number of popular books for young readers, including Secondhand Magic and The Wednesday Witch. She was born in Minneapolis and grew up in Washington, D.C. She studied art at the Corcoran School of Art and worked as a fashion artist. She was the mother of five children.

Reviews

[treva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this as a kid, and ever since then, have scrutinized the ceiling configurations for walkability in almost every building I've been in. I just read the first 20 or so pages out loud to my four year old, and he was pretty into it, despite the relatively low number of illustrations.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this book from my childhood and recently found it in a Little Free Library, so I had to read it again. Its silly and sweet; reminiscent and nostalgic. I will be placing it back in a Little Free Library for someone else to enjoy.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed with the idea that the entire premise of this book is a cautionary tale about swinging.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember loving this book along with the Wednesday Witch, which I got from my school book club in the mid 70s. I picked up this particular copy from a thrift store in the hopes my daughter would read it but she just doesn't have the reading bug yet. In an effort to get her more interested in books I have started reading to her again, even though she's perfectly capable of reading herself. This was the book we started with. She was quickly as enamoured with Ruth Chew's charmingly low key suburban witch story as I remember being at that age and we whizzed through it together. We will now have to hunt down a copy of The Wednesday Witch.

[Zev · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was great to me as a kid, but boring as an adult. The illustrations are good!

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

An upside down witch wreaks some havoc on the house!

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 2, but I also want to see more of this series...

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit different from her usual, but still a nice little story.

[Julie Grace Immink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been waiting to spin all the way around on a swing since this witch came into my life.

[Rachael Seymour · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 9 and 7 year old daughters loved this book. It was a fun, quick read. Now we keep checking ceilings for our own Sally.

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Witch In The House”, published in 1976, is another summer garage sale or thrift store discovery. I’m not among the hundreds who dwell on ‘YA’ material but really gifted authors draw attention. I believe I heard of Ruth Chew but was small when this came out. It was a fun adventure. In the challenges I host, I declare non-adult included, for titles released before 1991. There are legends not mentioned lately, worth reading; their stories so fascinating, demographics and decade are unnoticed.

‘Laura’ has wondered why her cat meows at her swing set, which she finds drooping high over the bar. Without explanation: all at once, she and her neighbour friend ‘Jane’ are able to see a witch occupying the topmost swing upside down, with the happy cat riding below her right side up. The polite but responsible girl feels she ought to address the woman about being in her backyard, despite being perplexed by the mystifying tableau that she beholds. If only more people would own their inexperience and remain open and neutral to something that is new to them. This child’s courtesy prevents her from going into a flap about meeting a witch and instead, she directly asks why she is there. What’s more, when the elderly lady explains she is floating upside down and can’t recall how to undo the mishap; the girl thinks it’s right to help her. Her cat likes the lady. She could sleep on the ceiling of her closet and shower when her parents are out.

The witch recalls the ingredients of a reversal spell. The adventure is about ‘Laura’ and ‘Jane’s’ procurement of them. Her bathmat becomes a helpful character, because it has become a request-taking vessel after the witch’s first shower. It too floats but the girls find it convenient indeed!

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

My love of reading started when i was young, and it gives me immense pleasure to provide books to Spread the Word Nevada, an organization that passes them on to children in the community. They are a terrific organization supporting an important cause. If your local I encourage you to check them out. For those living further a field, look in your own community, their may already be a similar program in place. And if not, you can always help start one.

http://spreadthewordnevada.org/

Myself, I go out on the weekends and
shop thrift store and bulk book lots to rescue books and donate them. Sometimes I'll find a book I remember reading when I was young and will read it again before passing it on.

I don't rate these books using my normal scale, instead I give most of them three stars. This isn't a Criticism of the book, simply my way of rating them as good for children.

[Joy_S · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was a child, I loved Ruth Chew's books about kids encountering magical people and situations. Her books are hard to find these days, so I collect them and snatch them up at my favorite used book store whenever I find them. Reading one of these books is like looking through photos of my childhood.

[Lera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child. I frequently checked it out from the public library. Even if I didn't check it out, I would check the shelf for it every time I visited.

I bought a used copy of this book for my daughter last year, but it sat on her bookshelf until today (no electronics day). I pulled it from the shelf and read it to my two youngest. They loved it as much as I did. It was very nostalgic to read it again.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must have been disappointed in this book. I can't remember anything about it, but I loved ruth chew's the wednesday witch, which I read again and again. so, same author, also about witches, and I remember nothing. the wednesday witch, now that I can tell you about. tiny cat in your pocket at school wanting tuna fish. riding on a vacuum cleaner over coney island. magic scissors. oblivious mother.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first scary book that I read as a child. I checked it out so often from the library at school that the librarian gave me one of the copies from the shelf to keep. I recently found this book at a used book sale and snatched it up for my kids to read. It's not quite the same reading it now, but I remember it as one of my favorites.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading this to my 8 and 6 year old girls. I thought I had read every Ruth Chew book when I was young but I missed this one. I had forgotten all about them, but now will be adding these to our bedtime reading line-up.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one of my favorites as a child. I loved how the witch sat upside down in her closet and ate egg shells, coffee grounds and burnt toast. And broken glass! The magic bathmat idea was totally exciting for me to read. Loved it all. Five stars.

[HeavyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The witch swings upside down! How cool is that!

This is another awesome book by the awesome Ruth Chew. YES!

[Kaijsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always cute, short and fun. Love the upside down carpet riding! My 5-yr old loved to fun, innocent magic of it.

[Crystal Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Chew was one of my favorite authors during my childhood. I have fond memories of reading her Witch books. They fostered my love for children's literature.

[Amber White · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my childhood favorites! I have read this book numerous times throughout my life!

[Chrystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child! I have always loved anything witch related and this book was one of the reasons. If and when I ever have children, I'll have a copy for them for sure.

[Lavanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wonderful book for kids

[Noah]

Mom