Pinky And Rex And The Mean Old Witch [Paperback]

James Howe (Author), Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999 | Age Level: 5 and up | Series: Ready-To-Read:

Level 3: Reading Alone

From the earliest stages of sounding out words to the excitement of reading a whole book without help, Ready-to-Read books open up a world of possibilities to children at three different levels:

Level 1: Starting to Read
Level 2: Reading Together
Level 3: Reading Alone

Pinky and Rex's neighbor Mrs. Morgan isn't really a mean old witch. But she sure acts like one, yelling and waving her broom around every time the kids step onto her lawn. Now she's taken their ball, just because it accidentally rolled into her yard.

So Rex and Pinky and Pinky's sister, Amanda, come up with the perfect trick to play on the Mean Old Witch. But somehow, seeing Mrs. Morgan sitting all alone in her living room makes Pinky think getting even isn't such a good idea after all. He tries a different plan, with results that surprise the kids as well as their neighbor.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- A remarkably sensitive boy, Pinky; his little sister, Amanda; and Rex, a forthright girl who collects dinosaurs, learn to cope with a nasty old woman. After a particularly unpleasant encounter with "the mean old witch," Pinky and Rex plan revenge. Pinky comes to realize, however, that the elderly woman may just be lonely, and he comes up with a better way to cope with her. This is not a fairy tale, so the woman does not turn into a good elf; however, the subtle transformation from cantankerous to just grumpy is very satisfying. Although Pinky and Rex spark faint memories of Dick and Jane, they are far more intriguing. This fourth book about the two friends stands alone, but confusion about who is Pinky and who is Rex can be avoided by reading the first book that explains Pinky's love for pink. Sweet's vibrant illustrations, crisp with color, show how effective a simple line can be within the simplicity of representative cartoon art--watch the eyebrows. All this and a cookie-baking father make a delightful read aloud or a satisfying book for all young readers who encounter people who may have "forgotten how . . . to love." --Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma City
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; Reprint edition (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689828799
• ISBN-13: 978-0689828799
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,104,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful suspensful book that teaches compassion and kindness instead of revenge, October 19, 2007

By 

Helene Landry "maximi" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pinky And Rex And The Mean Old Witch (Paperback)

I read this book with my two daughters and thought it was WONDERFUL and refreshing! Not only was it entertaining and suspenseful for all of us but it discretely teaches compassion and kindness instead of revenge. My "almost" 6 years old could read this jewel of a chapter book on her own. I recommend it so much that I'm going to buy several as gifts.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is Accelerated Reader Rated!, March 7, 2011

By 

vkmays - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pinky and Rex and the Mean Old Witch (Paperback)

My childrens' school participates in the Accelerated Reader Program. This book is AR rated. James Howe is an excellent auther for early readers. The stories have great themes, and are extremely well written!

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars piky and rex and the mean old witch, April 11, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Pinky And Rex And The Mean Old Witch (Paperback)

Book review by SuzetteB1
Pinky and Rex and the Mean Old Witch

If you like to read mysteries you'll like reading this book. Pinky is a boy and Rex is a girl. Rex has a sister named Amanda and one day they were playing. The ball rolled to the property of Mrs. Moron and she got mad, so then they tried and tried to get the ball, but Mrs. Morgan was watching them. I like this book and it is a real mystery book. You will have to read it to see what happen in the end.