The eponymous Witch, Goblin and Ghost prove themselves good friends in the six stories contained in this collection for beginning readers. In The Rain, Witch and Ghost, aware that Goblin is afraid of thunder, arrive at his house during a storm, in order to comfort him. The Walk sees Goblin and Ghost each pretending not to be frightened, on a nighttime stroll through the forest. Goblin has his Grumpy Day in Goblin's Day, and he discovers that one needs wind to fly a kite, in The Kite. In Goblin's Birthday, Goblin learns that birthdays make you older, rather than wiser; and finally, in Goblin's Book, Witch and Ghost create a collection of stories featuring their friend...

Originally published in 1976, Witch, Goblin, and Sometimes Ghost: Six Read-Alone Stories was the first of five story collections from author Sue Alexander and illustrator Jeanette Winter to feature these three characters, followed by such titles as More Witch, Goblin, and Ghost Stories and Witch, Goblin, and Ghost in the Haunted Woods: Five I Am Reading Stories. I initially sought it out because I am interested in witchy picture-books and early readers, although I was also curious to see some of Winter's early work, having read and enjoyed many of her subsequent picture-books. It had a little less witchy content than I had hoped, given the fact that Witch's name appears first in all of the titles about these three friends - if anything, this first collection seemed much more Goblin-centric - but was still charming. The stories are very simple, with a text that is suitable for more advanced beginning readers - if this were being published today, I think it would probably be categorized by American publishers as a Level 2 or Level 3 book - and the artwork is black and white, with a sweet, rather than a spooky feeling. It definitely has a vintage feeling to it, but will still have appeal, I think, for beginning readers today who enjoy stories about friendship and/or supernatural beings. ( )