The Witch Casts A Spell [Hardcover]

Suzanne Williams (Author), Barbara Olsen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

What does your typical goblin do on the most important night of the year? Go to a party, of course! At Mummy's Halloween bash, vampires bob for apples, the band plays a creepy tune, and one curious little girl watches it all from the window.

Illustrated with bright and giddy collage artwork, this holiday frolic has just the right mix of spookiness and fun. As an added treat, the text is set to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell" (and the musical arrangement is included). With its delightfully hair-raising surprise ending, this is sure to be a favorite sing-aloud for all the little ghosts and monsters each Halloween.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her promising children's debut, Olsen creates elaborately patterned yet harmonious folk-art collages for Williams's (My Dog Never Says Please) Halloween version of "The Farmer in the Dell." Incorporating fabrics, paint and cut paper, the large horizontal collage illustrations show goblins, ghosts and the rest of the usual suspects at a costume jamboree; below, a narrow panel extends the joke (e.g., pumpkin lanterns spell out "Boo to you"). When a curious girl and her cat stop by, they are welcomed inside. Finally, "the clock sends them home. The clock sends them home...." and the humans remove their masks. So does the party-crasher, who, underneath her Shirley Temple getup, is a lilac-faced crone. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reSchool-Grade 2-Set to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell," this Halloween story is a winner for sharing with one child or a group. Starting with "The witch casts a spell," the song tells of a scarecrow, a mummy, a vampire, goblins, and ghosts having a party. A small girl who watches the action from afar is spotted and invited to join the ghastly group. "Finger" food and a blood-red beverage are among the treats served to the guests. Olsen's bright acrylics and collage on handmade paper embellish the double-spread illustrations with rich details. Each page offers a second, elongated picture decorated with Halloween symbols and letters that spell out a word or a message. After the celebration, the party goers return home and remove their disguises, including the "girl," who is actually a purple-faced witch, wart and all. Children know the tune and will easily join in after hearing the first few words of each stanza and the repeated refrain. An enjoyable holiday story that encourages participation.
Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (August 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803726465
• ISBN-13: 978-0803726468
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,659,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Suzanne Williams is the award-winning author of over 30 books for children, from picture books and easy readers to chapter books and middle grade fiction series. A former elementary school librarian, she lives in Renton,Washington (near Seattle). Her picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg) won the New Mexico children's choice award in 2000 and was on several other state award lists. Her most recent series are Princess Power (ages 8 - 12), Fairy Blossoms (ages 7 - 10), and Goddess Girls (ages 9 - 12, with co-author Joan Holub.) You can visit her at her website: www.suzanne-williams.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderul Halloween Treat, October 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Witch Casts A Spell (Hardcover)

What a great book for Halloween. The story can be sung to "Farmer in the Dell" which gets all the kids involved. But the best part of the book are the wonderul pictures. Each page is full of marvelous detail about Halloween. Creating a warm and friendly image for young children. Each time we read the book we discover a treat that we missed the time before. These wonderful pictures truly bring this book alive.

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for a three-year-old!, October 23, 2009

By 

Janine L. Hollenbeck - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Witch Casts A Spell (Hardcover)

My three-year-old twins love this book! Easy to repeat verses, fantastic illustrations, a classic. They even sing the verses in the car when we aren't reading!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Halloween Book!, October 6, 2008

By 

P. Smith (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Witch Casts A Spell (Hardcover)

I discovered this one at the local library, but my three-year-old loves it so much we have to buy our own copy! The intricate folk-art drawings are lovely and as I saw one reviewer mentioned already, you notice something new almost every time you look. The fun for my son, is that the text is sung to the tune of the Farmer in the Dell. He absolutely loves it and makes me read it every night. I find him looking at the book all by himself and making up his own verses to the tune. That for me is a sure sign of a great book!