Helpful Score: 4
This is a dark-edged children's tale about a group of witches who despise children who they believe smell like "dogs droppings". These witches don't hold back their hatred for these "small piles of filth" and at their annual meeting they devise a plan to rid the earth of these vomit inducing creatures by turning them into mice and exterminating them. What they haven't planned on is the ingenuity of one brave little boy who overhears their dastardly plans and does his best to thwart them.
This book is a lot of fun and though it portrays witches in a pretty bad light it's not all anti-woman and is all in good fun. Grandmamma is a fantastic character, described as a "tough old bird", she smokes cigars and I can't help but think it's her influence alone that has made the hero of this tale such a brave, clever little guy.
This book is a lot of fun and though it portrays witches in a pretty bad light it's not all anti-woman and is all in good fun. Grandmamma is a fantastic character, described as a "tough old bird", she smokes cigars and I can't help but think it's her influence alone that has made the hero of this tale such a brave, clever little guy.
Helpful Score: 3
Earlier this year I wen on a Roald Dahl kick, and re-read many in his collection. The witches was one of my favrorites, partially because it was longer so it could have more thorough characters and a longer plot line. It's a cute story, and one that I think children would like - what's more exciting than witches, and being turned into mice?
Helpful Score: 3
impressive piece of work, I will never grow old of it
Helpful Score: 2
i've loved the movie since it was released years ago, so i thought i'd read the book and see how they compare. what a great book! the movie did a good job of following the book -- i'd say the book is only marginally better, because there are more details than there are in the movie.
i'm so glad i finally got to read this... and it's on the banned books list, so it counted for my 10 banned books this year.
i'm so glad i finally got to read this... and it's on the banned books list, so it counted for my 10 banned books this year.
Helpful Score: 1
This is not a fairy tale.
This is about REAL witches.
Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories-but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face to face with The Grand High Witch herself!
This is about REAL witches.
Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories-but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face to face with The Grand High Witch herself!
