Meg and Mog

Meg and Mog

by Helen Nicoll, Jan Pieńkowski (Illustrator)

Meg and Mog is the first in the long-standing series about a witch (Meg) and her cat (Mog). Meg is a cute well-meaning witch who lives with Mog and her owl. In Meg and Mog, we are introduced to a witch wardrobe and a witch's breakfast. Later Meg flies off to meet her witch friends for some spell-making at a Halloween Party. Unfortunately the spell does not go exactly to plan...

The illustration is simple and with very bold, deep colours. Designed specifically to appeal to very young children, Meg and Mog has short simple sentences on each page, allowing the illustration to play an important part in the storytelling.

If you enjoy the first Meg and Mog, enjoy more adventures in Meg on the Moon and Mog at the Zoo. (Ages 1 to 3 years.) --Victoria MacKenzie

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Halloween, Witches, Magic, Fantasy

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Helen Nicoll was born in Natland, Westmorland, in 1937. She was educated at schools in Bristol; Dartington Hall, Devon; and Froebel Education Institute, London. Helen Nicoll married Robert Kime in 1970 and they have one daughter and one son.

Helen Nicoll was a television producer with the BBC for many years. It was here, as Producer of the children's educational series WATCH, that she first met Jan Pienkowski. After working together for four years, they decided it was time to preserve their creativity in book form for future generations of children to enjoy. The result is the immensely popular MEG AND MOG series.

In addition to the MEG AND MOG series, Helen has a long and varied association with Puffin - as editor of the Junior Puffin magazine THE EGG from 1977 - 1979, as compiler of the popular children's poetry anthology POEMS FOR SEVEN YEAR OLDS AND UNDER, illustrated by Michael Foreman, and through her partnership with Puffin, the enormously popular series of Puffin Cover to Cover story tapes of which Helen is the Producer.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just had to included this as part of our spooky Halloween reads to our daughter, it's one that I can strongly remember from my own childhood.

Young readers will enjoy seeing exactly what a witch gets upto during the course of the night.
Meg has such a distinctive look about her that instantly appeals, whilst the rest of the illustrations are really fun too.
The bright colours really help this picture book standout.

A cute timeless classic!

[Clouds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've commented before on how hard it is to review picture books like this - I mean, by the time I've got into my flow here I'll have used more words than are contained within this entire book.

This is our second Meg and Mog book. We started with Meg on the Moon because I'm a sci-fi geek. Fin (my 18-month old son) loves that one very much, so we decided to get him the original for Christmas.

How hard is it to buy gifts for a toddler? We got him this book, some soap/crayons that you can draw with in the bath that wipe off, some foam letters which stick to the wall when wet (another bath toy) a giant teddy bear and a toddler laptop (so he stops trying to steal the adult computer). Every present (bar the teddy) he was more interested in the box and/or wrapping paper. I mean, he loves them all now, but I saw the same reaction from all our family giving him presents too - they get all psyched-up about how much he's going to love their carefully chosen gifts... and then Fin sits there scrunching the paper, giggling and sticking his head inside the box.... and totally ignoring the present itself. And each time it happened they would look vaguely disappointed, try not to, and then go "Ah well, he's a toddler!" Apparently it's universally accepted that toddlers have not yet learned the social rules of gratitude - how long will this slack last?

So... Meg and Mog. Lovely artwork - simple, crisp, bright and expressive. Perfect for young minds (and their Daddy's). The story itself a bit of a let down. I was expecting more character development, more emotional angst - but there's nothing at stake here, nothing driving the tension... It's just a story about a witch, who lives with her cat and an owl. She gets ready to go out to a party, then goes to the party and the witches at the party all cast a spell, the spell goes wrong and turns the rest of the witches into mice (inexplicably sparing Meg herself), and the Meg's cat Mog chases the mice. The end. I mean.. who didn't see that twist at the end coming? But they cut out before the really juicy scene where Mog catches one of the mice, plays with it, teases it, slices it open, hooks out the purple wibbly organs with one claw, and eats the rest whole...

So - it's really just as good as Meg on the Moon... except it doesn't include any phrase as good as 'Lunar Module' which earned that book a fourth star all on its own. So Nicoll will have to settle for three here. A very solid picture book.

I have one genuine gripe: Owl. There are three 'people' living in the house, Meg, Mog and Owl. Why doesn't Owl get a name? I mean, if they were called Human, Cat and Owl I wouldn't have raised the issue. But Owl is part of the family, he shares breakfast with them, in the other book he makes a picnic for them - but he doesn't get a name? That seems mean. Unless it's saying something profound about Owl psychology? To each and every Owl, "I am Owl" is the only concept of self they can grasp? What happens if an Owl meets another Owl "Hi Owl," "Hello to you too, Owl"? What if there's a whole crowd of Owls and someone shouts "Hey Owl!" - do all the heads swivel 180 degrees and then bob up and down to triangulate the shouters location while they try to deduce who was being addressed?

If you haven't seen it, check out Ze Frank's True Facts About The Owl (it's only 4 minutes long) because "That's how an Owl do."

I want answers.

After this I read: Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in 1972, this initial entry in author Helen Nicoll and illustrator Jan Pieńkowski's Meg and Mog picture-books, about a witch named Meg, and her cat Mog, pairs a simple text with boldly graphic illustrations that will grab the young child's attention. Following Meg as she gets up, gets dressed, prepares breakfast, and sets out (with Mog) for a witches' spell party, the narrative has a repetitive quality that will aid beginning readers, while the artwork is colorful (primary and secondary colors only), and makes use of simple shapes and clean lines.

I don't know, all told, that Meg and Mog ranks that highly in my estimation, as a witchy story (witchy picture-books are a pet project of mine) per se, but as a very effective beginning reader, one that happens to make use of witchy themes, I can see why it has been so popular, and why it has remained in print, over in the UK. I have always been a great admirer of Jan Pieńkowski, since first encountering his work in some of Joan Aiken's books, and I liked what I saw here. I also like the suitably un-sweet ending to this tale. Hmm... perhaps it does have witchy potential after all! I think I will have to track down the next one in the series ( Meg's Eggs , I believe?), and see...

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Revisited a few of these books today on the sad news that Jan Pienkowski died yesterday. I remember these books from childhood, I did enjoy the bright illustrations and witch theme but always found the storyline a bit simplistic. These would make nice beginner readers.

Read on open library.

[Polly Batchelor · Rating 4 out of 5]

15/1001 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up

"Once upon a time, there was a witch called Meg."

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite witch!

[Elizabeth Jamieson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice book to read to children around Halloween. Does any of them celebrate Halloween? What do they dress up as?

Creating their own potions - they could each find an object in the class that they would like to put into the teacher’s cauldron. They are going to try and make a spell - what would they like to make a spell on?

Each of the children to make up a small spell, focussing on rhyming words and their object. Each child says their spell as they add the object into the cauldron!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute classic children’s books about a witch and her cat. One evening they go out on an adventure with a group of other witches and together they all cast a spell, but the spell doesn’t go the way they wanted.

[Jenks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent childhood classic

[Chantal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very bright and simple drawings. Found the story a little bit simple. Not my kind of thing.

[Karolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg and Mog is a picture book about Meg the witch and Mog her cat. They plan to go to a wild Halloween party with all the other witches. However, the spell they cast goes wrong and Meg turns all the witches into mice! The book is a brilliant combination of a magical story and beautiful pictures. It is a short read and the story would be ideal for circle time. It is perfect for sharing and reading alone. Children will love the vivid colours and they will be able to explore sounds and shapes. The book can be used as a part of a numeracy session in Early Years as the children can count the objects inside the book, point and name the simple shapes. Personally, I love the way the text has a’ life on its own’ and it is structured differently on each page; sometimes it walks down the stairs or it’s hidden under a rug. I think the book would be a great choice for children in Early Years and at the beginning of KS1.

[Justine Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg and mog were some of my favourite childhood reads. Through adult eyes, it's a bit wtf - but kids still love them.

[Mr G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Onomatopoeia

[Zaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and good for Halloween! The cat is cute and the adventure is easy to follow.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really brought out my childhood nostalgia though I can't remember ever reading it - the illustration style is just so of a time. My three year old liked it, especially the sequence of the witch getting dressed, which I could tell I would have loved as a kid too. Then she randomly got scared of it. I think this is a good accompaniment to the Funnybones series in that realm of harmless spookiness. Why are the UK authors so good at those books and in North America we don't really do them? But then also, WHY are there so many cats named Mog in the British Picture Book canon. Is this a name? Am I missing something? So strange.

Also the end of this book is very silly and kind of makes no sense but I liked it.

[Sarah Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have found children to absolutely love this book and so would highly recommend it for reading for pleasure. It is a simple story highlighting an exciting journey, it could be used as an introduction to writing a whole class adventure tale but I feel it would be more beneficial as a RFP book.

[Reckless Serenade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mi sobrina de 3 años se lo está leyendo. Me llamaron tanto la atención los colores que lo acabé leyendo también, y bueno que las brujas molan sea el formato que sea.

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is just such a classic and could be great to use when children have to write methods in year 2. It’s very simple to read and I know the children will love the adventures that Meg goes on.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic meg , messing up her spells again

[lexireadsfantasyx · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book I’m in the hospital waiting room for my sister and I am waiting for her
nice to keep the the time passing by

[Yuna Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite so far, I couldn’t stop smiling.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope everyone recognises this book. I had forgotten all about this series until I saw it in Dymocks back in July and was immediately transported back in time to my childhood. I LOVED these books, they were big when I was in, what, prep? Grade 1?

Originally published in 1972, this is the first book and I decided it was a good place to start - I've since added Mog's Missing, Meg's Eggs and a three-in-one volume that includes Mog at the Zoo, Meg's Veg and Meg Up the Creek. They are bold and distinctive and I'm so, so happy they're still in print! Here is the first page, or half of it as they're all double-page spreads that don't fit in my scanner:



Meg, a witch whose spells often backfire in interesting ways, lives with her cat, Mog, and Owl. They creatures of habit and routine who enjoy their breakfasts. Meg has four witch friends: Jess, Bess, Tess and Cress. She has a broomstick and a cauldron and her spells are very ... inventive.

The pages are solid blocks of colour, primary colours mostly, and the text has a distinctive lack of punctuation that you just have to go along with. Dialogue is in the form of speech bubbles, so when you're reading out loud you have to ad lib a bit. There's always a lot to point at in the illustrations and plenty of comments, conjectures and opinions to share as you read it, because the stories imply much but leave a lot of it unsaid. My son loves these books and with their big, bold and unstructured text, it makes for a good book for kids learning to read. Helen Nicoll died a number of years ago but I believe Jan Pieńkowski, who illustrated the books, is still alive. There are 16 books in the series (that I know of, anyway) and each one is similar - and familiar - in terms of style and storyline, yet also distinctively different.

Having the chance to relive the fun of these books through reading them to my three-year-old is an absolute joy. There's something wonderful about sharing a story you loved as a child, with your own child, and watching them enjoy it just as much.

[BOOK BOOKS]

I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS WITH FEMALE PROTAGONISTS TO READ TO MY DAUGHTER AND A FRIEND OF MINE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THE SERIES WITH MEG THE WITCH AND HER CAT MOG. I BOUGHT THEM AND THEY ARE HORRIBLE. THE PICTURES ARE COLORFUL, BUT SO POORLY DRAWN. THE WRITING IS TERRIBLE. NO PUNCTUATION, REALLY WEIRD PLOTS THAT GO NOWHERE. NATURALLY, MY DAUGHTER ADORES THEM AND I HAVE TO READ THEM OVER AND OVER.

[Freya · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child I LOVED cats, and I'm probably quite sure I thought I was a witch (who doesn't?!). Needless to say I really liked these Meg and Mog books.

[Kasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Youngest halfling and I love these books. There is something so endearing in the simplistic imagination of the series. The vibrant illustrations are great too.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m currently on a children’s literature kick as a part of a Writing for Children course, starting out with a focus on picture books. My partner, bless his heart, decided to surprise me with a GIANT bag of picture books to enjoy, including a copy of Meg and Mog.

Published back in the 1970s, Meg and Mog is a classic for a reason. I never did have a copy myself growing up, but certainly it was on nursery/school shelves as I fondly remember the vivid primary colour palette and poor Mog’s outcry when Meg steps on his tail!

What threw me though, is the ending. I had absolutely no memory of the finish and hitting it as an adult, I flipped over the final page looking for the rest of the story. We’re ending it there, really? Meg definitely isn’t a good friend! After a two-hour class discussing the requirements of a clear story structure, how they must be perfectly formed (the constraints/you can't hide anything, it must be 'literary vodka' to quote Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise, Meg and Mog didn’t conform to any of the ‘rules’.

Don’t expect closure. Don’t be friends with Meg. She and her cat are mysteriously safe from the ‘accident’, but you end up trapped as a mouse for a FULL YEAR before she’ll even try to fix the situation! …Assuming Mog didn’t eat you.

Still a classic, for sure, and the nostalgia keeps it warm and fuzzy - but I do wonder if Meg and Mog would popular in the same way if it came out today.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg and Mog have brought a lot of happiness to my family and me over the years. There is something so loveable about Meg’s constant spell-casting hiccups and Mog’s slightly erratic patience. This one, the first in the series, sees Meg preparing for a Halloween party. When she has gathered all her resources, she and Mog ascend through her gently curving chimney and sweep through the skies until they meet Meg's fellow witches. When Meg's catastrophic spell-casting ends up turning all her friends into mice; much to Mog the cat’s delight, she must make a choice about when to change them back...

In all honesty, I enjoyed the narrative more as I shared it with my own children. As a child, it was undoubtedly Pienkowski’s incredible artwork that hooked me in. With a limited colour palette that was as bright as it was bold, Pienkowski’s illustrations were super simplified yet almost felt iconic in form. I remember these stories as both oddly alluring and mischievously fun.

[Hana Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg and Mog is a great book, full of great illustrations and fun bright colours. The book is easy to follow and has some really captivating colours. There are lots of comic style speech bubbles.
Meg, mog and owl get up around midnight, eat breakfast and get ready for a Halloween party.
Meg gets dressed into her stockings, shoes, dress and hat and flies on her broomstick to the party.
She meets her friend Tess, Jess, Bess and Cress. Meg and her friends each brought something to put in the cauldron. They put in a frog, a beetle, a bat, a worm and a spider. BOOM! Something goes wrong and the witches turn into mice. The mice get chased by Mog and Meg says she will have to change them back next Halloween.

This book falls as part of a well loved franchise. There are many more Meg and Mog stories.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to be able to read this old classic a second time round. I vaguely remember it from my childhood although I am nearly 31 years old now and those memories are starting to blur somewhat.

The Meg and Mog books have been enjoyed by countless number of children for many years. The illustrations are wonderful if not a little retro and the words are written in a very exciting and interesting way. Little ones will be sure to be reading along with you and the story line is always creative.

These books are so whimsical and fun. I highly recommend them and I am so pleased to find that after all these years they are still in print and I could purchase a new copy from my local bookshop. I am a firm believer that the old ones are always the best.

[Oksana Osinienė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meg and Mog: In Charge is a bright, funny story with a clear message about being bossy versus working together. The illustrations are bold and engaging, and the simple text works well for younger children and early readers. That said, the story feels quite short and predictable, and the lesson is very straightforward. While it’s good for sparking a quick conversation about sharing control and listening to others, it doesn’t hold attention for very long or invite much re-reading compared to other books in the series. Overall, a pleasant and amusing read with a useful moral — nice for a one-off read, but not a standout favourite in our book collection.