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The Witch's Handbook
A humorous handbook for witches, providing instruction in areas such as spells, superstitions, recipes, gardening, and glamour.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
6 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Malcolm Bird
9 books5 followersMalcolm Bird's illustrations have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, and he has designed various greeting cards, comic strips, and books. Regular commissions have included three comic strips - MADGE AND BERYL for Jackie, LUCY'S LOT for Prima, THE WRIGHTS for Woman's Weekly magazines and, currently, IN STITCHES for Simply Knitting magazine.
He wrote and illustrated THE WITCH'S HANDBOOK, THE STICKY CHILD and THE SCHOOL IN MURKY WOOD. He also illustrated the series of books written by Alan Dart - THE CHRISTMAS HANDBOOK, THE PARTY HANDBOOK and THE MAGIC HANDBOOK.
Co-creator, with Alan Dart, of THE PIGGLES™, a trio of pigs living in Pigglemere, a village (not unlike Grasmere) in Cumbria in the English Lake District. They are Squiggle, his twin sister Wriggle and their baby brother Giggle. Their first appearance was in Woman's Weekly as toys, for which Alan supplied the instructions. Patterns for clothes and accessories have been in the magazine since. The Piggles are now trademarked, and there are plans for a series of ebooks. The first one, THE PIGGLES' WINTER TREAT, is available on the iBookstore.
He wrote and illustrated THE WITCH'S HANDBOOK, THE STICKY CHILD and THE SCHOOL IN MURKY WOOD. He also illustrated the series of books written by Alan Dart - THE CHRISTMAS HANDBOOK, THE PARTY HANDBOOK and THE MAGIC HANDBOOK.
Co-creator, with Alan Dart, of THE PIGGLES™, a trio of pigs living in Pigglemere, a village (not unlike Grasmere) in Cumbria in the English Lake District. They are Squiggle, his twin sister Wriggle and their baby brother Giggle. Their first appearance was in Woman's Weekly as toys, for which Alan supplied the instructions. Patterns for clothes and accessories have been in the magazine since. The Piggles are now trademarked, and there are plans for a series of ebooks. The first one, THE PIGGLES' WINTER TREAT, is available on the iBookstore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 5, 2019
"The appearance of a white cricket on the hearth spells doom."
"It is unlucky to sit under a hawthorn tree on May Day, Midsummer Eve, or Halloween as the fairies will carry you away. It is, however, a strong protection from lightning if a sprig of hawthorn is kept in the house."
"To make a rainbow disappear, make a cross of sticks with a stone at the end of each stick."
"Bees hate quarrels and swearing and will leave the hive if they should hear any."
"Teeth that fall out should always be sprinkled with salt and burnt rather than be thrown away as a witch might find them and use them in a spell against their owner."
"It is unlucky to sit under a hawthorn tree on May Day, Midsummer Eve, or Halloween as the fairies will carry you away. It is, however, a strong protection from lightning if a sprig of hawthorn is kept in the house."
"To make a rainbow disappear, make a cross of sticks with a stone at the end of each stick."
"Bees hate quarrels and swearing and will leave the hive if they should hear any."
"Teeth that fall out should always be sprinkled with salt and burnt rather than be thrown away as a witch might find them and use them in a spell against their owner."
December 24, 2016
LOVED this and I'm a grown up (well, age-wise). My fave book when I was young was The Witch's Catalog and this is the perfect book to go along with that. Witches were always my favorite characters. This book is so much fun and the illustrations are terrific. Great for any age!
July 15, 2020
Me encantó.
Risas garantizadas (gracias a su humor negro).
Original y divertido (trae incluso los signos del zodiaco, recetas de cocina, manualidades y mucho más...)
Totalmente recomendado para brujas/os o aprendices.
"Los cumpleaños de la bruja:
La bruja del lunes es de cara espantosa,
Tampoco la del martes resulta muy donosa;
La del miércoles tiene seis palmos de nariz,
Pies como la del jueves no te harían feliz.
La del viernes hornea venenosos pasteles,
Te mira la del sábado y sufres dos teleles,
Pero has de recordar sobre todas las cosas,
Que bruja de domingo no huele mucho a rosas. "
Malcolm Bird.
Risas garantizadas (gracias a su humor negro).
Original y divertido (trae incluso los signos del zodiaco, recetas de cocina, manualidades y mucho más...)
Totalmente recomendado para brujas/os o aprendices.
"Los cumpleaños de la bruja:
La bruja del lunes es de cara espantosa,
Tampoco la del martes resulta muy donosa;
La del miércoles tiene seis palmos de nariz,
Pies como la del jueves no te harían feliz.
La del viernes hornea venenosos pasteles,
Te mira la del sábado y sufres dos teleles,
Pero has de recordar sobre todas las cosas,
Que bruja de domingo no huele mucho a rosas. "
Malcolm Bird.
April 5, 2018
I loved this book. I found the book to be tongue and cheek. In chapter 2, The Witch's Kitchen, example for substitution are given. Instead of worms use spaghetti. Instead of dried beetles use lentils. You see where it's going. Also the illustration I liked. The author was also responsible for those too.
March 24, 2021
British author and illustrator Malcolm Bird presents a deliciously creepy, ghoulishly gross handbook for witches in this entertaining volume. The book is divided into eleven chapters, featuring such topics as: Choosing and Furnishing a Home / The Witch's Kitchen / The Witch's Garden / Fortune-Telling and the Zodiac / Casting Spells / Old Wives' Tales / Staying Beautiful / The Fashionable Witch / Hobbies and Crafts / Festivities / The Modern Witch. Many of these chapters have activities for the young reader to participate in, whether it be the recipes included in the kitchen chapter (both witch and non-witch ingredients listed!), or the craft ideas in the one devoted to hobbies. The section on fortune-telling includes an acrostic puzzle that could provide hours of entertainment. Many of the pages are formatted like a comic-book, divided into panels, whereas others feature full-page illustrations and text. Holidays such as Halloween and Christmas are covered - the former a time of celebration, the latter a time to annoy others - and the book concludes with a three-page index...
There is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor in The Witch's Handbook, which reminded me in parts of Annie Civardi and Graham Philpot's The Wacky Book of Witches . The cross-section view here of the witch's house, in particular, put me in mind of the similar (but more detailed) scene from the Civardi/Philpot title, which was a welcome association. I loved so many of the little witchy details here, from the poisonous toadstool section of the garden to the various doorstep charms that could be used to keep witches out. I was fascinated by the section on Old Wives' Tales, and wondered how many of these superstitions and folk beliefs were still around, in one form or another. The international witches section, in which witches from different countries are depicted, probably wouldn't fly today (the book was first published in 1984), but was hilarious to peruse. As someone who has always loved Monday's Child, the classic English fortune-telling song based upon the day of the week one was born, my favorite part here was the witchy version of said song:
"Monday's Witch Is Foul of Face
Tuesday's Witch Is a Disgrace
Wednesday's Witch Is Long of Nose
Thursday's Witch Has Extra Toes
Friday's Witch Bakes Poisoned Pies
Saturday's Witch Has Evil Eyes
But the Witch That Was Born
On the Sabbath Day
Tends to Smell...
So Keep Away!"
Ah! I couldn't stop laughing, when I read that! All in all, an entertaining little volume, one I would not doubt have cherished, given my fondness for witchy fare, had I first encountered it as a child. The level of detail is impressive, the illustrations have a wacky, witchy charm, and the accompanying recipe and craft ideas will make for lots of interactive fun. What's not to enjoy?
There is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor in The Witch's Handbook, which reminded me in parts of Annie Civardi and Graham Philpot's The Wacky Book of Witches . The cross-section view here of the witch's house, in particular, put me in mind of the similar (but more detailed) scene from the Civardi/Philpot title, which was a welcome association. I loved so many of the little witchy details here, from the poisonous toadstool section of the garden to the various doorstep charms that could be used to keep witches out. I was fascinated by the section on Old Wives' Tales, and wondered how many of these superstitions and folk beliefs were still around, in one form or another. The international witches section, in which witches from different countries are depicted, probably wouldn't fly today (the book was first published in 1984), but was hilarious to peruse. As someone who has always loved Monday's Child, the classic English fortune-telling song based upon the day of the week one was born, my favorite part here was the witchy version of said song:
"Monday's Witch Is Foul of Face
Tuesday's Witch Is a Disgrace
Wednesday's Witch Is Long of Nose
Thursday's Witch Has Extra Toes
Friday's Witch Bakes Poisoned Pies
Saturday's Witch Has Evil Eyes
But the Witch That Was Born
On the Sabbath Day
Tends to Smell...
So Keep Away!"
Ah! I couldn't stop laughing, when I read that! All in all, an entertaining little volume, one I would not doubt have cherished, given my fondness for witchy fare, had I first encountered it as a child. The level of detail is impressive, the illustrations have a wacky, witchy charm, and the accompanying recipe and craft ideas will make for lots of interactive fun. What's not to enjoy?
November 7, 2021
Underbar!!!
May 31, 2014
Another book I couldn't leave the library without when I was a kid. It drove my mother insane, but I was obsessed with this book and would love to buy a copy now, as an adult.
July 30, 2024
Lo lessi da bambina, preso in prestito in biblioteca, e rileggerlo oggi è bello come allora. Un manuale che tutte le aspiranti streghette dovrebbero nella loro libreria.
November 21, 2017
Fem snabba frågor till Leonie!
1. Favoritfärg? Lila
2. Familj? En hund, två katter, en sambo.
3. Ålder? 23.
4. Vad vill du bli när du blir stor? Generalsekreterare för FN.
5. Vilken bok har påverkat dig mest? HÄXKONSTER FÖR PRAKTISKT BRUK!!!
Denna bok är räddaren i nöden!
Spå i kaffesump - check
Masksoppa - check
Sticka dödskallar - check
Karriärcoachning för de tjurskalliga - check
Ansiktsmask för att få vårtor -check
Den har helt enkelt allt en häxa behöver för att göra sin tillvaro underbart hisklig och för att göra livet surt för andra! :D
1. Favoritfärg? Lila
2. Familj? En hund, två katter, en sambo.
3. Ålder? 23.
4. Vad vill du bli när du blir stor? Generalsekreterare för FN.
5. Vilken bok har påverkat dig mest? HÄXKONSTER FÖR PRAKTISKT BRUK!!!
Denna bok är räddaren i nöden!
Spå i kaffesump - check
Masksoppa - check
Sticka dödskallar - check
Karriärcoachning för de tjurskalliga - check
Ansiktsmask för att få vårtor -check
Den har helt enkelt allt en häxa behöver för att göra sin tillvaro underbart hisklig och för att göra livet surt för andra! :D
July 1, 2019
Este libro se acaba de convertir en mi Biblia. Por favor, que te enseña a hacer UNA ALFOMBRA.
June 1, 2025
Este libro lo saqué de la biblioteca de mis colegio como más de diez veces. Ha sido tan bonito encontrarme con todas las cosas que hacen falta para ser una bruja.
April 29, 2024
Lettura molto piacevole, con un pacato gusto del macabro e abbastanza humor. Le illustrazioni sono molto belle, la traduzione accurata (solo una piccola dimenticanza a pag. 9) e il mondo evocato intrigante.
February 3, 2019
I've been trying to track down this book for a very long time. I loved it as a kid but could never remember the name of it as an adult. After finally discovering the title and author, then the obstacle was finding it for lower than $40 online. But I finally have a copy and it's just fantastic as I remember. The art is really great and I like how it goes back and forth from just silly made up stuff to actual recipes and knitting patterns you can do. I can't wait to share this with my future kids!
September 28, 2016
I love this book
May 21, 2021
I absolutely LOVE this book and have since I read it the first time at around age 11-12! It's actually more funny than I remember... and the illustrations are perfect. And I must confess that I still kind of want to live like those witches - without being evil and all the too disgusting things.
Perfect for little girls (and women) who want to be more witchy ;)
Perfect for little girls (and women) who want to be more witchy ;)
May 2, 2022
Me ha encantado releer uno de mis libros favoritos de la infancia.
No sabía si lo tenía idealizado de cuando era pequeña, pero sin duda ha superado las expectativas. No sólo he revivido un bonito recuerdo si no que también he entendido muchas más cosas y me lo he pasado bomba.
Sin duda, es un libro que volveré a releer y del cual saco ideas chulas para futuros proyectos.
No sabía si lo tenía idealizado de cuando era pequeña, pero sin duda ha superado las expectativas. No sólo he revivido un bonito recuerdo si no que también he entendido muchas más cosas y me lo he pasado bomba.
Sin duda, es un libro que volveré a releer y del cual saco ideas chulas para futuros proyectos.
December 19, 2024
depois de 1 ano inteiro monopolizando esse livro na biblioteca + varios anos pensando nele + uns 7 anos tentando lembrar o nome do titulo ou do autor + 5 anos procurando pra comprar e nao achando nenhum por menos de 200 reais eu FINALMENTE fui reunida com o meu livro preferido da terceira serie. ta com cheiro de morte mas faz parte do conceito <3
May 6, 2020
Hace mucho que no leía esta libro, es una de las pequeñas joyas escondidas en mi biblioteca. Esta escrito de una manera sumamente divertida y además las ilustraciones son genial; nunca me cansó de leerlo.
May 19, 2025
This was so much fun. I can’t wait to get one for my niece. The artwork is fab and there are so many things to look at and get involved with. It’s funny and crafty and a must-have for any kid who likes Halloween. Silly spooky fun!
March 25, 2026
He vuelto a disfrutarlo después de muchísimos años. Recuerdo ir a la biblioteca y disfrutarlo muchísimas veces. Es gracioso, creativo y entretenido. Es un libro muy ligero, adecuado a la edad recomendada.
Para mí, es muy especial así que solo puedo darle un 5.
Para mí, es muy especial así que solo puedo darle un 5.
August 4, 2018
A nostalgic read.
October 22, 2018
Very cute and funny. I laughed out loud several times; but some of it was a bit cringey and some parts felt repetitive.
November 24, 2018
The absolute best guidebook to witchcraft! It does not matter if you are a seasoned witch or a beginner, this handbook have tips and tricks for all levels of previous witchy knowledge.
December 14, 2018
Awesome book, funny with cool and creepy activities too
September 16, 2019
Quando eu era criança simplesmente amava pegar esse livro emprestado da escola, muito bom! É nostálgico para mim.
November 7, 2021
Otrolig
August 27, 2022
Marcou minha adolescência. Eu pegava emprestado de uma amiga e passei muito tempo procurando por ele em uma época que não existia Amazon.
October 13, 2022
Absolutely perfect.
July 28, 2023
Un classique de mon enfance
Enfants créatifs en attente d'halloween, enfants edgy qui ne jurent que par Coraline et Time Burton... C'est pour nous.
Enfants créatifs en attente d'halloween, enfants edgy qui ne jurent que par Coraline et Time Burton... C'est pour nous.
April 2, 2024
Nostalgia incarnate
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews