Meredith, the Witch Who Wasn't [Paperback]

C. Unzner (Author), D. Lachner (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

Meredith returns, and her magic spells are as unpredictable as ever. Meredith accidentally utters the spell for uninvited guests, and -- whoosh! -- a little sorcerer with an insatiable appetite flies in and plops himself down at her table.

"Hungry!" he screeches, and Meredith has her hands full first trying to feed him, and then trying to get rid of him. What follows is a battle of fantastically funny spells that lasts until lunchtime and teaches her to mind her words and watch out for unexpected magic.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2. Meredith the witch is a happy and contented person except for one thing?she doesn't like magic. She much prefers to make things from scratch. When the Annual Assessment of Witchly Powers in Magical Spells is announced, she knows she will be cast out of the witching society if she can't produce some workable spells. She tries desperately, but by October 31st her spells work no better. Her efforts are so lackluster that she loses her status as a witch. To her surprise, she enjoys being free of the obligation to study spells and throws herself into interesting projects of her own. When the oldest witch visits, she is so impressed by Meredith's handmade treehouse and homemade cake that she restores Meredith's witchly powers. This charming, upbeat story is perfectly complemented by full-page, full-color illustrations that are chock-full of humorous details. Although the other witches have scary faces, they are friendly and supportive of Meredith's efforts. The themes of self-reliance and finding satisfaction in independent achievement are woven into the story without being didactic. An enjoyable read all year round, although it would also be a suitable, non-scary addition to Halloween shelves.?Lisa Smith, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Meredith is a witch, but she avoids the usual witchy trappings and doesn't really like magic, so her spells suffer. When the head witch, Melusina Firebird, decertifies Meredith, the hapless witch knows she ought to be sad, but she's notshe's too busy with all of the things she can do with her time now that she doesn't have to study spells. ``The only magic she used was a kiss on her thumb when she accidentally hit it with the hammer.'' When Melusina drops in for a visit, tasting the cake Meredith made from scratch and relaxing in the handmade tree house, she is so impressed she recertifies a protesting Meredith. `` `Spells, bells,' Melusina Firebird scoffed. `Your magic is more powerful than mere enchantments.' '' It's a point delivered with a light touch, ably crafted and colored in Unzner's exuberant paintings. (Picture book. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: North-South (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735811962
• ISBN-13: 978-0735811966
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,984,719 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for any Pagan Parent!, August 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Meredith the Witch Who Wasn't OP (Hardcover)

My daughter loves it. We read it every night. You can easily get past the stereotypical witch images to the wonderful message inside.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do It Yourself Magic, February 27, 2002

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meredith, the Witch Who Wasn't (Paperback)

This is a short, sweet story about Meredith, a young witch who really isn't too good at magic spells. Her heart just isn't in it so she isn't careful with the wording of her spells and things never turn out the way she wants them to turn out when she uses magic. The truth is, she really doesn't like magic. She likes to use her imagination and then do things by hand. She enjoys using her creativity. Alas! She is commanded to attend the Annual Assessment of Witchly Powers and she knows that failure to perform will cost her her witchly certification.
She ends up learning a great truth about magic and discovers a lot about her own powers. This is a great lesson about not always doing things the "easy" way, about the joy of working things out yourself, and about the satisfaction that comes from making things with your own two hands. The illustrations are big, bright colored romps through the witchy world of spells, flying brooms and zany, eccentric witches. Each character is a quirky individual and even when Meredith botches her spells, the other witches are supportive. I loved their wild, colorful costumes and their funny, show-off hyjinx. There are so many fun-filled, light-hearted touches in both the writing and illustrations that each page was a new treat. The big Assessment takes place on October 31st so of course this is a good Halloween story, but the message of self-sufficiency is a good one any time. I loved it.