Room on the Broom Activity Book [Paperback]

Julia Donaldson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2008

This is a great value activity book packed with fantastic games and activities featuring characters and scenes from the bestselling "Room on the Broom". It includes puzzles, colouring-in, join the dots and more. There's even a sticker scene with over 40 reusable stickers, so you can have fun creating your own stories again and again!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's always room for one more on this affable witch's broomstick... or is there? In another mild-mannered tale from the creators of the Smarties Prize-winning picture book, The Gruffalo, a witch and her happily purring cat fly through the wind on their broomstick, without a care in the world, until the witch's black hat blows away. In the process of retrieving it, they pick up another passenger, a polite and helpful dog. All goes well until the witch's hair bow flies off. And then her wand. And then real disaster strikes--in the shape of a big red dragon, a broken broom, and some very important (but notably absent) friends. Julia Donaldson's story, though not earthshaking in plot or rhyme, is a pleasant way to pass the time leading up to the witching hour (Halloween!) especially when paired with the friendly illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Readers will especially love the final illustration, in which our heroes solve their space problems once and for all. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

In this lightweight, witty story, helpful animals find "room on the broom" of a generous witch. At first, a striped cat accompanies the cheerful sorceress: "How the cat purred/ and how the witch grinned,/ As they sat on their broomstick/ and flew through the wind." Next, a spotted dog retrieves the witch's flyaway black hat and asks to come aboard. The three riders soon welcome a green parrot (who finds the witch's lost hair ribbon) and a frog (who rescues her wand from the bottom of a pond). When threatened by a dragon, the loyal animals form a "Brementown Musicians" chimera whose "terrible voice,/ when it started to speak,/ was a yowl and a growl/ and a croak and a shriek." The witch repays them by conjuring a cushier vehicle. Donaldson and Scheffler, previously paired for The Gruffalo, emphasize the airborne animals' contentment and evoke sympathy for the broom's driver. In Scheffler's comical panels and insets, the witch has a warty nose and lace-up boots, but wears a pleasant smile; Donaldson puts a spooky/silly spin on the folktale format. The metrical rhyme and goofy suspense aren't groundbreaking, but readers will likely find it refreshing to see a witch playing against type. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 16 pages
• Publisher: Pan Childrens (October 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230708609
• ISBN-13: 978-0230708600
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #833,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book, in any of of the editions, September 4, 2011

By 

Bryce Nesbitt "bryce2" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Room on the Broom Activity Book (Paperback)

A wonderful chanting rhyming book... but if you remember a particular edition you may want to shop carefully (or shop internationally).

Original from the UK (ISBN 978-0-3333-0-337-7)

"I am a dragon as mean as can be,
And I'm planning to have WITCH
AND CHIPS for my tea"

The dragon drew nearer and,
licking his lips,
Said, "Maybe this once
I'll have witch without chips"

USA alternative #1:
"I am a dragon as mean as can be,
witch with French fries sounds delicious to me.

"The dragon drew near with a glint in his eyes, and said,
"Just this once I'll have witch without fries."

USA alternative #2:
"The dragon drew nearer and started to drool.
He said, "I won't let you go- do you think I'm a fool?"

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wouldn't even give it one star if I could, October 20, 2011

By 

Kasey A. Kruse "new mom" (vermont) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Room on the Broom Activity Book (Paperback)

The picture says activity book, and the description leads you to believe that this book is the full length story. So I thought it was a paperback edition of the full length story with some stickers. This is not the case. There is no story at all, just stickers and puzzles. I will be returning and paying extra for the hardcover book :(
I think Amazon needs to create a different description for this.

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars MISLEADING - this is not the book described here, March 1, 2011

By 

B. H. Huber "Bettina" (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Room on the Broom Activity Book (Paperback)

I noticed that the picture and title said "activity book", but the product description and reviews all talked about the "Room on the Broom" story, so I figured it was the story, plus activity book stuff. WRONG! There is no story at all, just stickers, puzzles, etc. Unfortunately, my little one started playing with it before I figured it out, so now I have to keep it. Wish I knew a way to get Amazon to fix this description.

I'm sure it would be fun to use, but since we haven't read the story yet, not so much. On another note, I absolutely love Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and so do my kids. Great rhymes, a good message, and beautiful illustrations.