Customer Reviews

Only a Witch Can Fly

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We own many Halloween books. I bought this one for my daughter because her dream is to fly. Yet it is a story that is about more than witches and flying. It is about following your dreams. As such it can be read by many audiences and any time of the year. Children will follow the story and sympathize with the little witch and be intrigued by the visual details of her cat and little brother. Adults will grasp the subtler theme. The careful language draws and carries the reader. THe layout of the text with the images draws the eye into the picture and into flight. Just beautiful!

Kiwi Magazine Review:
Certainly, there are many books about aspiring witches, but Alison McGhee manages to tell a lovely, original tale which is accompanied by Taeeun Yoo's incredible woodcut illustrations. Cheer the next little witch on as she discovers the magical moment of flight.

I just read this book to two of my daughters, ages 6 and 3, and we were all transfixed. The lines are powerful, using the ancient sestina format beautifully (read the beginning notes to see how complicated this form is). The woodcut engravings are lovely - I love the mix of handmade and vintage included in the graphics. The girl's urge to overcome her flying disability is absolutely palpable, as is her triumph when she ultimately soars. This book is so much more than flying...it's about the need we all have to achieve.

I had to buy this book my first sight at the book store because of the BEAUTIFUL linoleum block print images! Those limited colored illustration reminds me vintage picture books and I love to see this book on my book shelve collection. Then my 5 years old daughter loves this book for bed time. She likes to hear the little girl flies to the moon at night(then the girl comes back to her family!). We never get to tired of reading this book because everytime we find new things that is hidden in the background. Very much dreamy, poetic and powerful story about following your dream. Love it!

My 4 year old daughter just loves this book so much. and I love Taeeun Yoo's beautiful creative print illustration.
Dreamy book with full of imagination.

Little 'witches' will adore this whimsical Halloween story written in verse. A young witch dreams of flight, and sneaks out of her house one Halloween night, hoping her broom will take her up into the beautiful night sky. Yet each attempt fails to yield the desired result, until one last try...and she finds herself up in the air!

The verse is lyrical and perfectly captures the young witch's desire to fly and her frustrations when she fails. It also portrays her joy when she does take flight...
"Who could have known it was such a big sky?
Bat and Owl below wave Bye, bye
and Cat calls a velvet song to the moon.
And you? You have flown...
you have flown!

The illustrations are gorgeous, capturing the beauty of a special night when one young 'witch' discovers that dreams can come true!

Alison McGhee, <strong>Only a Witch Can Fly</strong> (Feiwel and Friends, 2009)

There's a great celtic-rock band from Canada called Enter the Haggis that not nearly enough people are familiar with. On their first album, <em>Let the Wind Blow High</em>, back in 1999, there's a song called "Skyswimmer". On an album full of solid songs, it's my favorite, and I'm telling you about it because if you like this book, you definitely need to check that song out, which covers some of this same ground, though from a much bleaker perspective ("he told me in a cardboard tone how once ago he long had flown..."). McGhee, of course, is writing for the kidlit set, and keeps things light. All well and good, and the verse that drives the action is a fine reflection of our protagonist's determination--almost a chant. The "if at first you don't succeed" message at the bottom of this is well-presented, and Taeeyun Yoo's illustrations bring Maurice Sendak to mind. I liked this one. *** 1/2

I bought this for my twin sons, they love to read new books. I hate to pan a children's book, but this isn't really all that great.
The Illustrations are bland, and the prose is a bit clunky. The story itself is ok, but that's about it.
I think my kids were fine with it, but they like everything in print. Certainly it isn't one of their favorites.