Jacqui HawkinsRecensioni

Colin and Jacqui Hawkins present this picture-book guide to witches, pairing an amusing text with detailed, deliciously creepy illustrations. Beginning with a description of a typical witch - a woman of great age, wrinkled face, furrowed brow, scolding tongue, and so on - the book encourages the reader to question whether their own granny might be one, offering a series of questions to help in determining the truth. Witches (and grannies) need lots of love, and the rest of the book is dedicated to various witchy topics - animal familiars, the witch's home, witchy hygiene habits, witchy fashion, witch cuisine, the witch's shopping schedule, magical gardening, spell-casting, magical cures, the social dynamics of witch society, broom-flying and other modes of witchy transportation, and Halloween fun - that will help the reader to understand them better. The book closes with some helpful witchy facts...

First published in 1981, Witches is one of a number of picture-book guides from this husband-and-wife team to explore the world of different fascinating figures, including Spooks, Monsters, Vampires and Pirates. I was drawn to it because witchy picture-books and early readers are a pet project of mine, and because I enjoyed the Hawkins' subsequent Wizzie Witch (1999), which also offers a catalogue/guide to the witchy lifestyle. It's a shame I didn't encounter this as a child - it was definitely around when I was a girl - because I suspect that I would have greatly enjoyed poring over it, looking at all of the humorous illustrations, appreciating all the little jokes that are included. The text itself is quite interesting, not just for its entertaining mixture of humor and witchy "facts," but because it ties the figure of the witch and the grandmother together, and makes the argument that, for the most part, witches were/are good. As the narrator says, "on the whole, witches have usually practiced their arts to good purpose," and are "warm, sincere human beings." High praise indeed! Recommended to all the little witches and witch-lovers out there, and to fans of the Hawkins' distinctive art style.

My kids love this book and I like how kids can participate in the reading in different ways no matter what reading level they are.

In this delightful catalogue of witchy pursuits and activities, husband and wife team Jacqui and Colin Hawkins set out to document the life and world of Wizzie, a "charming old witch" who resided at Cauldron Cottage, 13 Spooky Lane, Witchwood. From Wizzie's house to her clothing, from the spells she uses to the pets she keeps, Wizzie Witch chronicles every aspect of its subject's enchanting existence, finishing up with a depiction of her witchy dreams, after a busy day giving a magic tea party to her friends, Wendy, Wanda and Wilma.

Although it is rather discursive, and doesn't offer much in the way of a sequential narrative, this is still a charming book, one that young would-be witches and wizards will enjoy perusing. The artwork is delightfully quirky, with plenty of amusing details to keep children engrossed, while the text offers an engaging look at all aspects of a witch's life. I'm surprised, really, to see that it hasn't been rated or reviewed much online! Recommended to young readers who enjoy witchy tales and artwork.

Clever idea---to have clipped pages that end with the first letter of a word aligned with the rest of the word on the last page. But the story of Mig the Pig is not very interesting and I find reading cartoon-style text difficult and the text is obviously too hard for the audience who is learning to say: pig, big, etc.

A simple rhyming flip book where beginner readers can learn a lot of -og words as they follow the story of Tog the jogging dog.

A simple early reader. The pictures are a little busy with extra words in them; but a good book to teach children simple sight words.

I found this book on a trip to visit my brother in England. It's a children's book, but I just sort of fell in love with it. I consider it to be mine, not my kids'. It's sort an "all about" witches book.