Grandpa's Witched Up Christmas

Grandpa

by James Flora

Grandpa tells about the year he almost missed Christmas because some witches had turned him into a pig.

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

That storytelling Grandpa who first appeared in author/illustrator James Flora's 1965 Grandpa's Farm , before reprising his role in the 1978 Grandpa’s Ghost Stories , returns in this spooky Christmas tale from 1982. Relating the story of his Christmas Eve adventure many years before, when he was eight years old, Grandpa tells how he encountered three terrible witches on his way home from playing at the pond, how he was transformed into a pig, and how his parents, not recognizing him, refused to let him into the house. Meeting an owl who turned out to be a magically transformed girl named Ida May, young Grandpa made the decision to seek out Peggoty, the wicked witch who had enchanted him, in order to plead for his human form to be restored. When this decision proved to be a disaster, and Grandpa was in danger of being cooked as Peggoty's Christmas dinner, a surprise savior in the form of Santa Claus saved the day...

Much as with Grandpa’s Ghost Stories , I regret that I did not discover Grandpa's Witched-Up Christmas as a girl, as I suspect that it would have become a favorite. The story itself is entertaining, full of twists and turns sure to keep young readers and listeners engaged. By turns frightening and hilarious, it is a most unlikely Christmas tale, and I must confess that I laughed aloud when I got to the scene in which Santa comes to young Grandpa's aid. I see that other online reviewers were appalled by the description (and image!) of Santa choking the evil witch Peggoty until she finally got "the Christmas spirit," but I found it unexpectedly amusing. There's an absurd element to the humor here that probably will be off-putting for some readers - in less capable hands, it might have been off-putting for me as well - but in the end, the story here just worked for me. The accompanying artwork - intricate black and white drawings with green accents - is likewise very appealing, full of deliciously creepy details. The depiction of Peggoty's house is absolutely brilliant, as the structure is almost a creature in its own right. All in all, a delightfully witchy tale, one that I would recommend primarily to picture-book readers seeking such fare. That said, as someone who tends to prefer sweeter holiday stories, I'm not sure I'd recommend it as a Christmas book.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Santa legit chokes a witch. There’s an illustration. If you’re looking for a cute and cozy Christmas read, this isn’t it.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love James Flora's books so much! This was no exception. It was a cute story, with a lot of clever twists and turns, as Grandpa tells another story of the strange things that happened to him as a child. In this one, he's turned into a pig on Christmas Eve when he gets caught by a bunch of foul witches.

It has a similar feel to a few of the other Grandpa stories, including Grandpa's Ghost Stories and Grandpa's Farm. If you liked those, you would love this one (or vice versa).

My only complaint was the ending. After telling another fantastic tall tale, the grandson asks if this story is true or not. And of course, Grandpa always has some sort of proof. In this one, he says that the little girl in the story is his wife, and that he should ask Grandma for proof of his tale. But, when asked, Grandma says the story isn't true, and that Grandpa is always telling tall tales. I think the point is that the grandson is getting older (I think this book was the last of the Grandpa stories) and that even though the story wasn't true, we still love that Grandpa spins such fun yarns. Stories don't have to be true to be fun. The grandson was fine with it, but here I am, 27, and deeply upset that this sort of undid the "truth" of the other books. Are you saying that he didn't get turned into a spider or eaten by a werewolf either??

Still, a very fun book, and much enjoyed. I would love to read this to my own kids (someday) around Christmas.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and lovely Christmas story, perfect for both adult and children.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Feral House and Edelweiss for this ARC

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, it was rather violent, concluding with Santa Claus strangling a witch. And that scene is what is actually illustrated. I would have given it more stars but for that troubling illustration.

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this "kick butt" Santa! Such a cute story how a boy finds himself with three witches on Christmas Eve! I highly recommend this book. Awesome illustrations!

[Aabha Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artwork is stunning. Absolutely gorgeous.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.