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The Wacky Book of Witches
A compendium of witch rhymes, recipes, and spells
26 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1992
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 12, 2021
Author Anne Civardi and illustrator Graham Philopt deliver a truly wacky witching extravaganza in this rollicking romp of a picture-book. Set in Cackle Town, the main narrative follows Warty Witch as she sets out to throw a Halloween bash like no other. The rhyming text sets the scene - "In Cackle Town it's getting dark. / The sun has set o'er Broomstick Park. / The moon is full, the stars are bright, / There's witchy work to do tonight" - before describing Warty's house, the beginning of her night (she wakes at 8 o'clock), and her various errands around town. These include trips to Batty's Ugly Parlour for a wig, to Peggy's Pet Shop (run by peg-legged Peggy) for a few critters, and to Grewsome Gardens for the ingredients she needs for her spells. After some time at Charmless School, under the instruction of Miss Spelling, as well as a visit to Witch Way Flying School, Warty heads home to brew her potions and to prepare for a Halloween party the likes of which Cackle Town has never seen...
Although I consider myself something of an aficionado of witchy picture-books, which are a perennial pet project of mine, and although I have long been aware of The Wacky Book of Witches, it has taken me some time to track it down. Unfortunately out of print, it has never been available at any of my local libraries, and I finally had to request it through inter-library loan - a process that has now, happily, borne fruit. This is really a wonderful book, full of such extraordinary visual detail, so many witchy elements, and so many amusing puns, that the reader can get lost, trying to take everything in. I had to look at each two-page spread multiple times, reading all of the extra bits of text - titles of books, potion ingredients, signs around town, etc. - and then examining all of the witches, creatures and objects depicted. There were many scenes I enjoyed, but I particularly loved the cross-section view of Warty's house, which requires the reader to turn the book on its side, and look at it vertically:
In addition to all of its other engrossing qualities, there is also a search-and-find element to the book, with an elfin character to be found on each two-page spread, somewhere in the details. It seems a great shame to me that this book is out of print, and so difficult to obtain, as it is so entertaining, and provides such witchy fun. I wish someone would reprint it, but in the meantime, I will keep an eye out for a used copy of my own! Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy witchy fare on the spookier side, as well as to those who appreciate books with detailed illustrations over which they can pore.
Although I consider myself something of an aficionado of witchy picture-books, which are a perennial pet project of mine, and although I have long been aware of The Wacky Book of Witches, it has taken me some time to track it down. Unfortunately out of print, it has never been available at any of my local libraries, and I finally had to request it through inter-library loan - a process that has now, happily, borne fruit. This is really a wonderful book, full of such extraordinary visual detail, so many witchy elements, and so many amusing puns, that the reader can get lost, trying to take everything in. I had to look at each two-page spread multiple times, reading all of the extra bits of text - titles of books, potion ingredients, signs around town, etc. - and then examining all of the witches, creatures and objects depicted. There were many scenes I enjoyed, but I particularly loved the cross-section view of Warty's house, which requires the reader to turn the book on its side, and look at it vertically:
In addition to all of its other engrossing qualities, there is also a search-and-find element to the book, with an elfin character to be found on each two-page spread, somewhere in the details. It seems a great shame to me that this book is out of print, and so difficult to obtain, as it is so entertaining, and provides such witchy fun. I wish someone would reprint it, but in the meantime, I will keep an eye out for a used copy of my own! Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy witchy fare on the spookier side, as well as to those who appreciate books with detailed illustrations over which they can pore.
January 22, 2023
Mi libro preferido de la vida. Si me dijeran que solo puedo escoger un libro de mi estantería porque los demás se queman, sería este.
Gracias Mamá por haberlo traído de nuevo a mi vida!
Gracias Mamá por haberlo traído de nuevo a mi vida!
April 5, 2016
This is one of those delightful children's books where you can stare at any one page for a good 15 or 20 minutes and keep discovering new things- puns, visual jokes, hidden characters, bats, rats, cats or spiders. With a quick rhyming text this book describes a day in the life of a witch from Spelling School to Flying Practice to a Halloween Extravaganza. Very silly and very charming.
April 20, 2012
How would you like to read upside down; inside out; backward and forward; all over the places. Some in a corner, others in bubbles, others hidden in jars, and more. Fun and fun. Well, did not the title says, "WACKY". So welcome the wacky world of words and prints.
June 25, 2019
somewhere in a used bookstore is a library card in the back of this book with my name on it every week for years...there was something about this book I loved so much as a little girl, it was a big book about witches and it had the crinkliest dust jacket, the pages were tattered and falling apart but I was always so careful. I couldn't remember the name of this book for 20 years so I'm glad I found it again.
October 21, 2018
This was one of my all time favorite picture books. My mum and I would read it pretty much every night leading up to Halloween. I loved all the little details! Such a good read :)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews