The Jolly Witch

by Robert Burch, Leigh Grant (Illustrator)

Unappreciated by her somber fellow witches, young, pretty, and jolly Cluny tries a new life with some somber human beings.

31 pages, Hardcover

First published October 10, 1975

About the author

Robert Joseph Burch (June 25, 1925 – December 25, 2007) was an American writer of 19 children's books whose readers are "usually young adolescents". Many of his stories are based on his childhood experiences in rural Georgia during the Great Depression. He was born in Fayette County, Georgia, and spent the majority of his life there.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the other witches in her coven trade her to a peddlar for a box of snakes and two iron kettles, because her pretty face and jolly nature make her unacceptable to them, Cluny finds herself taken to the farm of a dour, mean-spirited old woman. Here she soon learns to cook and clean in more conventional ways, using flying lessons to convince the cantankerous old woman to keep her. Her presence has a good effect on the handsome but sad-faced Harmon, the whining cat, and the silent canary who all live with the old woman, but will Cluny be forced to return to the other witches, once the old woman has learned to fly...?

Published in 1975 and long out-of-print, The Jolly Witch is a book I would probably never have come across, were it not for my ongoing "witchy witches" project, examining how these magical practitioners are depicted in picture-books and early readers. The Jolly Witch is a bit of both, being fairly text-heavy for a picture-book and too complex for an early reader, but not quite long enough for a chapter-book. Perhaps it is best described as an illustrated short story, in book format. However that may be, it was an interesting example of the "pretty and/or happy witch who doesn't really fit in with her community" tale type. The tale encourages the reader to think that Cluny will stay on with Harmon, leading a more human life, although there is no implication that she has stopped being a witch. She can still fly, after all.

Although I did find this one interesting, as a witchy tale, I didn't find either story or artwork appealing enough to strongly recommend it to other readers, unless they are, like me, interested in the subject of witches in children's books.

[Tabatha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book when I was a child. I was named for the show Bewitched and got unduly teased about being a witch, and when this author came to visit my school, read to us, and signed my copy, I was so happy! The book may seem simple on the surface, but truly, it's kind of radical because it's against type, not only the idea that a witch can be teased for wanting to be a good person but would also carve out a satisfying life for herself by following her heart and not going with the crowd are deceptively simple ideas. In the most gentle way, this book represents for me a metaphor about the meanness of females, or peers in general, and gives gentle encouragement to stay one's course and be true to yourself. This message is rare for kids today! The combination of the illustrations and the text still warms me, because it was written in a much simpler time when a lot of possibilities seemed to be hovering in the air. I'm looking for a signed copy again, because my mover (scumbag) availed himself of many of my favorite children's books...

[Cherese A. Vines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Predictable, but cute.