The Little Broomstick

by Mary Stewart

First published 45 years ago, this is a beautiful new edition of Mary Stewart's beloved magical classic illustrated by Shirley Hughes.

Don't miss the beautifully animated film adaptation called Mary and the Witch's Flower (by the producer of The Tale of The Princess Kaguya), in cinemas now.

'The little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony.'

Mary's been exiled to her great-aunt, deep in the English countryside. Miserable and lonely, she befriends strange black cat Tib who leads her deep into the forest to an ordinary looking broomstick. Before Mary can gather her wits, the broomstick jumps into action, whisking her over the treetops, above the clouds, and to the grounds of Endor College, school of witchcraft.

But something is terribly wrong at Endor. Students are taught spells that are petty and ill-wishing, and when Mary discovers evidence of a terrible and cruel experiment in transformation, she decides to leave. But the moment her broomstick takes off, she realises that Tib the cat has been captured ...

Mary Stewart is the bestselling author of fourteen romantic thrillers, including the classic novels
This Rough Magic and The Moon-Spinners, and five historical fantasy novels of Arthurian Britain.

The animated film, Mary and the Witch's Flower, will be released in 2018 by Studio Ponoc. The producer, Yoshiaki Nishimura, also produced The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction, Witches, Magic, Classics

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.

She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.

Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Smith is a young 10 year old girl who is spending the Summer in the country with her great aunt Charlotte. Bored out of her wits, she finds a black cat. Following it , she finds a mysterious flower called a fly by night also known as the witch's flower. Will this lead her to adventure? Read on and find out for yourself

This was a pretty good read and my first ever novel by Mary Stewart. If you enjoy magical stories like this, check this book out at your local library and wherever books are sold. This book is also a anime film called Mary and the witch's flower which is a pretty good film too.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to read this before the screen version comes around.



http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/ocea...

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of the book shows a nice little girl and her kitty, and a cute title --you think you know what you're getting. But don't judge this book by its cover. Mary Stewart is great at suspense and unsettling moods, and she continues this in one of her few children's books, published in 1972. Her boarding school for young witches is nothing like J.K. Rowlings' wondrous Hogwarts school. It's more of a cross between mad scientist's laboratory and Dracula's castle. Not a place to linger. A chase scene on broomsticks across the moonlit countryside is outstanding. In this book, magic is both terrifying and fascinating, and creeps alongside our everyday lives.

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia muy sencillita que hubiera dado para más.
Me encantó la primera parte, tiene unos vibes otoñales muy potentes y eso siempre BIEN xD y crea una atmósfera chula con el tema de college de magia y el ambiente brujeril, pero se queda un poco corto. Una aventurilla que no me hubiera importado que fuera tan plana si no fuera porque realmente la autora parece tener más que contar.
Hay una adaptación "Mary y la flor de la bruja", pero que yo sepa este libro no se ha traducido al castellano.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Even her name was plain. Mary Smith. Nothing could have been more depressing, she thought; to be plain, to be ten, and to be alone, staring out of her bedroom window on a gray autumn day, and to be called Mary Smith."

So begins this magical, swift read about a young British girl, Mary Smith, bored staying with her elderly aunt in the country while her parents are away for work in the US. But soon Tib, a charming and mysterious cat, leads her to a patch of fly-by-night flowers in the woods, and when the crushed pollen of the fly-by-night on her fingers touches a little broomstick in her garden, Mary is flown into a world of magic and danger.

I very much enjoyed this story. The magic is not only in the witchery but in the way Stewart weaves her words. I especially loved the descriptions of nature. She is able to create suspense, as well, and manages a chase scene with broomsticks that gives Quidditch a run for its money. I was a bit surprised, given this is a children's book, how dark the "bad deeds" in the story are--the evil witch Miss Mumblechook and Dr. Dee trap animals and perform cruel transformation spells on them. But nothing is really graphic and there is an inevitable happy ending, so perhaps children will not be as disturbed as I was (since, of course, I know that things of this sort happen in real life, with science instead of magic). The idea of magic is approached in a thought-provoking way, too, as Mary realizes that it is not fair to thrust magic upon creatures or objects against their will. I also really loved the way Stewart wrote about Tib; she really seems to know cats :-)

All in all, a very engaging story that is well suited for Halloween. I have read some of Mary Stewart's other books before, but didn't realize she had written for children. Though this book does not seem to be as well known as many of her others, I recommend it to those looking for a quick and magical read.

[Barry Haworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was inspired to reread this book by the recent news of the movie "Mary and the Witch's Flower" coming out later this year by Studio Ponoc, an offshoot of the famous Studio Ghibli. It is many years since I read it last, but the book was just as I remembered it, a charming little children's book about a magical adventure. There are spells and enchantments, flying broomsticks and a school of magic, but this is definitely not Harry Potter, being a quite different view of magic and the people who practice it. Highly recommended.

[Abigail Bok · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I wish this wonderful little children’s book has been part of my childhood! It has everything I would have loved—the lonely British schoolchild, gruff adults, a magical cat, an enchanted broom, danger and ogrish villains and spells and ingenuity and a sense of honor and kindly animals. Loved every moment.

[Donatella Principi]

3/4 Recensione su Chibiistheway
Una favola magica che intenerisce e fa sognare, adatta a tutti ma in particolare a chi ha un amico a quattro zampe.

[Stefan Garland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filmska adaptacija ove knjige mi je bila dosadnjikava, ali je priča pokazivala potencijal, te sam hteo da vidim da li će mi roman popraviti utiske. Međutim, iako nije dosadnjikav, već zanimljiv, ni on u meni nije izazvao neko preterano oduševljenje.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A girl follows a black cat to a magic broomstick and finds herself whisked away to a school for witches.

Appropriate for ages 8-12

This was one of my favorite books when I was about 9. The story tells of Mary, a girl who is parked with two elderly aunts. In the garden, she finds a black cat who leads her to a purple flower, which the gardener tells her is a "Fly-by-Night". Mary accidentally rubs the juice from the flower onto a broom handle and is whisked away to a school for witches, run by an evil witch who is performing horrible experiments upon animals. In the course of her adventures, she meets a boy named Peter. Together they attempt to rescue the animals and try to escape the witch who is chasing them on her speedy broomstick. A possible forerunner to the Harry Potter series, this book is milder and more suited to younger tweens. Stewart's atmospheric descriptions match the magical content of the story.

A Kirkus Review (retrieved from Amazon.com) reviewer completely disagreed with my positive review of this book, except for one thing: she thought the author is experienced at conjuring "suspense out of thin air". She thought the story was lacking in imagination. It's true that the Harry Potter books contain much more in terms of imaginative detail, but this review does not diminish my childhood enjoyment of this book. Readers on Amazon gave the book much higher marks--four out of five readers gave it five stars, the fifth one gave it four. They agreed that J.K. Rowling might have read it as a child. I was unable to find additional online editorial reviews.

[Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and magical with a beautiful descriptive touch. Lacked a bit in plot though, which led to an unsatisfying ending. A remarkable example of how tastes have changed in children's fantasy - in contemporary works, the magic is rarely 'given up' at the end.

Curious to see what Studio Ponoc do with this, it reads like a Ghibli film already but could definitely be fleshed out a lot more.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved this book and even as an adult I enjoyed reading it again. I especially love that my copy has an "ad" for ordering a Helibroom from Harrods in London. I've always wanted to write them and ask if a lot of children tried to buy one when the book first came out.

[Federica ~ Excusetheink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ma che carino! Trama semplicissima ma proprio per questo sapientemente in grado di catturarti quando meno ce lo si aspetta, a partire dal ritorno al college per streghe.
Avvincente, magico e... felino ;-) perfetto per essere trasposto in un anime, mi stupisco si siano attesi oltre quarant'anni per produrre Mary e il fiore della strega, che ora cercherò di vedere al più presto!

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an adorable little middle grade book! I would never have come across it had it not been for the movie adaptation Mary and the Witch's Flower. Now I will say that I haven't actually seen the movie yet but I read this book in preparation for doing so. I imagine the movie will expand on the plot given in this little book, it is only just a bit over 100 pages after all. That being said, I was surprised how much detail, character and world building came out of it - given the length, I was expecting this to be a lot more snappy in telling it's tale, but it actually felt like an immersive read instead.

Mary doesn't like her name - not that it's relevant to the plot, but it's a favourite name of mine. Being a shy little girl, I found her quite relatable - she's sent off to spend a boring holiday with her great aunt while the rest of her family has fun elsewhere. She doesn't quite know what to do until she stumbles across a little black cat known as Tib. Any book featuring a cat has already half won me over, but this is really such a cute tale of how these two go on an adventure (or shall I call it rescue mission?) with the help of a little broomstick. Mary may or may not be a witch herself, I suppose we shan't know, but I'd say she'd definitely make a fine little witch if that's what's written in the stars for her.

I liked how the characters had distinct personalities, especially Tib and the Little Broomstick. There seems to be a whole magical world with scope to write multiple books about - as it is, we just get a glimpse of it, but I enjoyed what I read. There were times I felt a few Harry Potter vibes but they soon faded as the story progressed as I did find some of the underlying themes quite dark for a children's book and I am not entirely sure if witches and wizards in this world are of the good kind!

I would really recommend this (and likely the movie as well) to children who like fantasy and to older readers who love a bit of witchy magic and autumn atmosphere.

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Even her name was plain. Mary Smith. Nothing could have been more depressing, she thought; to be plain, to be ten, and to be alone, staring out of her bedroom window on a gray autumn day, and to be called Mary Smith."

3.5 ✨, rounded up!

I chose to read this book due to the fact that I absolutely love the movie that came from it! And, of course, "The Little Broomstick" did not disappoint!
It is such a sweet and charming story, with magic spells and enchanted brooms, magical and rare flowers and an entire school for witches! It also has quite a few action-filled moments, something that I believe helped with both pacing and engagement, throughout the narrative. I really enjoyed following Mary and Tib (and later, Peter and Gib) in her magical adventure, to see it in its original form, but I also loved how I was able to realize how well adapted the movie is!

My only complaint? It is a short book and I feel like the world building is interesting enough for it to be a much larger and detailed story, especially since Mary and her family end up moving close to the area of the mist that separates the regular from the magical (and Mary would be amazing as a protagonist of a larger novel, in my opinion!). Alas, it is also a book created for children, so in that sense, it has the perfect amount of pages, brimming with magic and excitement!

I can't wait to re-watch the movie now!

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully fun autumn adventure! I never knew that Mary Stewart wrote any middle grade books and I was so happy to find this one. The writing was typical Mary Stewart with cozy details and also brave and thrilling action.

Mary Smith is a typical middle child who is bored and sad being alone during this period of time without her parents or siblings around. While visiting her great aunt in the country (along with a cast of slightly kooky side characters), Mary discovers that this quiet little village area is not quite what it seems (at least all of the time).

It's a witchy story, but also a lesson about loneliness and how it can be fixed by making a new friend (either feline or human)! I very much enjoyed this slim children's book and I hope to read it every year during the spooky season. If you have a passion for Mary Stewart's other books, you'll absolutely love this one (especially if you also like middle grade books)!

[Kayla King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a middle grade book since I was a kid but maybe I should read more of them... this was a fun little adventure that I could enjoy in one night.

[Jenne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Janet recommended this--I read it in the middle of the night last night when I couldn't sleep, which seemed appropriate.

It definitely has that mid-century British children's fantasy thing going on, with kids being left to stay in elderly houses with elderly relatives and finding their way into fantastical situations. But the writing is really unusual, very sensual and poetic in the descriptions, and not in an annoying way.

The other thing that struck me about this, in a post-Harry Potter world, was that the witches are bad! The little girl has a chance to go to a school of witchcraft, but it is evil and creepy and they do things like blighting turnips.

[ספרן הלילה · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is it about those oldies, that drew me to them, as a child, and keeps them in my heart?
I know that this review isn't very informative, but it comes from the feels. If you grew up in the 80 and before, this book will transport you back in time to those times of sense of wonder and happy naïveté.

[Charles Edwards-Freshwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, witchy fantasy that has a lot of fun moments. I think what I like most about Mary Stewart's writing is that she so seamlessly imbues all of her fiction with such a nice sense of humour. There's a real beauty to her prose, too, and she has the unique magic of making everything she writes a memorable delight.

This book is no exception. Plain, unremarkable Mary Smith seems like an unlikely heroine, but alongside Tib the black cat she's a compelling lead in this tale of witchcraft, magic schools, animal transformations and broomstick rides.

Do I wish the book was a little longer? Yes. I also think that the film offers a slightly more compelling plot, especially as it fleshes out the themes explored here. However, it does lack a bit of the charm that the book has, so I would still probably rate the book higher.

Recommended to anyone who wants an easy children's classic to brighten up an afternoon.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: A scary story about a school for evil witches and wizards (in the style of Harry Potter, but published almost three decades earlier), whose evil spells are undone by a valiant little girl helped by her cat.

ESPAÑOL: Una historia terrorífica sobre una escuela para brujas y magos malvados (al estilo de Harry Potter, pero publicada casi tres décadas antes), cuyos hechizos malignos son deshechos por una niña valiente ayudada por su gato.

[Once upon a Dream · Rating 3 out of 5]

carino, un po' corto ma mi è piaciuto..

[Sabine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Little Broomstick (Le balai magique en vf) est l’histoire à l’origine de la superbe animation Mary et la Fleur de la Sorcière du Studio Ponoc (digne héritier de Ghibli). L’autrice, plus connu pour sa romance à suspens et son cycle arthurien, s’essaie ici à de la jeunesse (une de ses rares tentatives).

Ceux sont les vacances et Mary, 10 ans, se retrouve coincée chez sa grande-tante, paumée en plein coeur de la campagne anglaise. Sans aucun autre enfant de son âge avec qui jouer, elle s’ennuie ferme. Mais, c’est sans compter sur sa rencontre avec un petit chat noir qui l’entraîne au fond des bois. Là, pousse une fleur rarissime qui fleurit tous les 7 ans et que l’on dit magique ! Mary s’ennuyait ? Et bien, ce n’est que le début d’une belle et effrayante aventure qui la mènera jusqu’à Endor, la plus grande école de magie d’Angleterre ! Oui, rien que ça 😁.

Si vous n’avez jamais vu l’animation, The Little Broomstick est un conte pour enfant plein de fraîcheur, d’originalité et de magie. Mary est une petite héroïne courageuse et débrouillarde avec ce côté « les pieds sur terre », très anglais que j’adore. L’école magique d’Endor est certainement le passage le plus intéressant (et ne ressemble en rien à Poudlard, malgré ses zones d’ombres). j’ai beaucoup aimé la façon quasi-scientifique de gérer la magie, les professeurs, le lieux lui-même (cependant, beaucoup moins extravagant que dans l’animation). Et une vrai course poursuite à dos de balai, ça ne se refuse pas !

Pour celles/ceux qui ont vu le dessin animé, sachez que l’adaptation (tout en préservant le squelette de l’histoire) a beaucoup étoffé le matériel de base pour un rendu que je trouve bien meilleur. En comparaison, l’histoire fait très simple. Le Studio Ponoc a ajouté du contexte, un passé pour certains personnages et beaucoup de merveilleux. Toute l’histoire autour de la grande-tante, par exemple, n’existe pas et il y a beaucoup d’autres détails comme ça. Ce qui rend cette lecture, au niveau de l’intrigue pure, assez inutile, je trouve. Par contre, la plume est très agréable et vaut, si on a le temps, son petit détour. Mary Stewart sait indéniablement comment nous transporter dans son récit et nous enchanter 😊.

Donc, bien que je préfère de loin l’adaptation du Studio Ponoc, The Little Broomstick reste un conte absolument charmant que je conseille surtout si vous n’avez pas vu Mary et la Fleur de la Sorcière. Mais il est, à mon avis, dispensable pour les autres. Ce n’est pas comme un Château de Hurle qui est une entité à lui tout seul et vaut vraiment le détour. Non, à mon avis, il est vraiment à réserver aux amoureux des livres et des contes pour enfants, et bien sûr aux complétionnistes irrationnels 😁.

[Katja · Rating 5 out of 5]

There will be an anime film based on this book and the library had it, so I decided to read it. And what a charming book it is! I'm sure the anime will be too.
Anyway, it's an adventure with magic and cats and the main character, Mary, is clever and brave. I'd say it's a perfect kind of children's book. And because it was fun to read as adult too, even more so it's a good book. I really liked Mary, she's young but not bratty. Also: the book gets bonus points for cats! The text is quick to read but also has lovely descriptions. The book is short but it's paced very well so it doesn't feel rushed.
Only lacking thing is the motivation of the antagonists, it's never told why they exactly did what they did. Even if it's a children's adventure story, some kind of reason beyond "being evil" would've been nice.

[Fi's Journey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

The Little Broomstick is a classic fantasy from 1971 that I mostly read because I saw that it was the inspiration for the anime film "Mary and the Witch's Flower" by Studio Ponoc.
So, I thought I want to read this before watching the anime and see what the differences are between them.

I enjoyed the story though I thought the pace was a bit slow in the beginning and only starts to pick up between chapter 3 to 4. To me it was a bit short, it could have been better fleshed out and needed more explaining things like 'why is there a school in the clouds?' or 'what is exactly the fly-by-night'?

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you write a children's book. I read this back in the early 70's when I was a child. It is one of the most perfect books I have ever read. I believe it is out of print. For all of you aspiring writer's-try to score an old copy if possible. Take the writing to heart and learn from it. New generations of readers will thank you for it. New York Review Children's Collection-reissue! Please!

[LeahBethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Stewart is one of my favorite authors but I hadn't read The Little Broomstick (one of the few books she wrote for children). I love that each chapter started with a few lines from a nursery rhyme that tied in well to what happened in that chapter. I found myself thinking of the Harry Potter series when reading this book as the protagonist stumbles upon a school for witches and you can even buy broomsticks from Harrods! I enjoyed this delightful little read.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years before Harry Potter went to Hogwarts, Mary Smith went to Endor College ("All Examinations Coached for by A Competent Staff of Fully-Qualified Witches"). This is a delightful story of a young girl who discovers some very Dark Magic and does her best to defeat it. It's YA, so the plot is fairly simple and straightforward, but that doesn't make the story any less compelling.

[Midori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of Mary Stewart's 'suspenseful romances' in my youth but didn't know this children's book existed until I saw the beautiful Japanese film adaptation 'Mary and the witch's flower.' how did this story published in 1972 make it halfway around the world to studio ponoc? that is another mystery in itself

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the Harry Potter books, to read something similar, but simpler, made for a nice comparison. The Little Broomstick is adorable. But the comparisons between the Rowling Books and the 1971 title by Mary Stewart are good for a discussion topic.