Precious and the Boo Hag

by Patricia C. McKissack, Onawumi Jean Moss, Kyrsten Brooker (Illustrator)

When Precious is left home alone with a stomachache, she's got nothing but a warning from Mama -- "Don't let nothing or nobody into this house" -- to keep her company. You see, "nothing or nobody" could turn out to be something the Boo Hag! The Boo Hag's got a voice that rumbles like thunder and hair that shoots out like lightning. And she can disguise herself to look like anything. So when the Boo Hag comes calling, will Precious be clever enough to outwit even the trickiest trickster?
Here's an oh-so-funny -- and not- too -scary -- story from Newbery Honor-winning author Patricia C. McKissack and Onawumi Jean Moss that's paired with spirited, folksy illustrations by Kyrsten Brooker.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, African American, Folk Tales, Family

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Patricia C. McKissack was the Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Dark-Thirty and Porch Lies an ALA Notable Book. She collaborated with Jerry Pinkney on Goin' Someplace Special (Coretta Scott King Award winner) and Mirandy and Brother Wind (Coretta Scott King Award winner and Caldecott Honor Book).

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the quintessential "Boogeyman" story, designed by caretakers to keep their children from wandering away or to stop them from letting strangers into their home. In this story, Precious was directed by her mother not to let anyone into the house! "Enter" the Boo Hag and let the fun begin!

While teaching about the components of various genres, this was a great story to share with my Grade 3 students, being both a folktale and a trickster tale (just who is the trickster - Precious, the Boo Hag, or both?) The kids loved figuring out the clues, along with Precious, as the Boo Hag transformed into various "innocent" identities.

Recommend for young and old alike!

[Robin Yardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this on Halloween in the public library. It was spooky, spunky, and filled with luscious language. I think it's perfect for bigger kids who still love to listen to picture books while sprawled across laps like overgrown weeds

[Jessica (Spooky KidLit & We Who Walk Here, Walk Alone) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Precious and the Boo Hag is a fun, spooky, and highly entertaining picture book about a young girl outsmarting a fearsome witch. Precious is home sick with a stomachache while the rest of her family goes out to plant corn. Her mother leaves her with a list of dos and don’ts, with the most important rule being not to let anybody or anything into the house. Her brother warns her that Pruella the Boo Hag—”the biggest, meaning something” you’ve ever seen—will try to get in, using all manner of disguises to try to trick her. Sure enough, Pruella shows up and tries to get into the house, disguising herself as a kindly old lady, Precious’s friend Addie Louise, and even a shiny penny. But Precious is too smart for the Boo Hag: she minds her mother, keeps the door closed, and sings Pruella away, thwarting her at every turn.

The book has a terrific combination of humor and horror with a great message for kids. Precious’s cheerful confidence (and her obedience to her mother) win the day. The story is playful and fun, focusing more on Precious’s cleverness in outwitting the Boo Hag than on Pruella’s frightening bag of tricks, but the more you think about the story the creepier it gets. The Boo Hag can be anyone or anything, but no matter what form she takes she’s always monstrous and unsettling. We never learn why Pruella wants inside Precious’s house so badly, and that lingering uncertainty makes her all the more frightening. Still, the humor and the strong sense of love and family at the center of the story keep it from being too scary for young ones.

The striking art amplifies both the funny and the creepy parts of the story. Pruella is simultaneously goofy and menacing, sometimes appearing with big feet, a scaly tail, huge claws, and wild eyes. When the Boo Hag goes “leaping wildly over the prairie like a March hare,” the image is disconcerting but undeniably hilarious. More than once, I found myself touching the pages of the book to see if I could feel the textures of the collage-and-oil illustrations. They add a lot of charm and character to an already charming story, and kids will be fascinated by their depth and texture.

The book has a fairly high word count (over 1500), but young readers will stay engaged and entertained throughout the story. It’s a rollicking narrative with language full of music. Precious’s refrain—when she “sings her fear” and “sings her victory”—would be a great opportunity for read-aloud participation:

Pruella is a Boo Hag—
she’s right outside my window.
She’s tricky and she’s scary,
but I won’t let her in!

Fairy tales have always served as warnings to readers, and this story is no exception. It teaches kids to obey their parents, overcome fears, and rely on their instincts lest they let a Boo Hag into their own homes. It’s thrilling to watch Precious outsmart Pruella and sing with pride when she does the right thing, and kids will love singing along with her. With warm, lilting prose and expressive illustrations, Precious and the Boo Hag is a delightful picture book that combines the silly with the scary to create a story that kids will ask for again and again.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book!  This felt folkloric to me, a trickster tale, but I can't think of anything that it would be based off of!  That being said, it's a great picture book that is perfect for children.  It's about obedience, bravery, and intelligence.  When the Boo Hag turns out to be real, and not something that Precious' brother was trying to scare her with, she must think on her feet and do what she can to prevent her from entering her family's house.  Overall, it's a great book with good rhythm, illustrations, and narration.

Review cross-listed here!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Precious is warned not to let anyone in the house while everyone is at work. Her brother warns her about the Boo Hag and gives some clues as to how to see through its tricks. Can Precious remember the warnings? Sppoky and fun, this a great story for younger elementary age kids who enjoy read alouds.

[Monise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading anything by Patricia McKissack! She's an amazing storyteller and always finds a way to use African American oral traditions to engage and educate younger audiences

[Oviya · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bring me somethin' to drink---tea, juice, dirty dishwater will do"

This was the best book I have ever read in my life.

the plot- perfect!
illustrations- beautiful!
character development- it was there and done to the max!

I wish I could read this book again for the first time • ♡

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

The boo hag's tricks have kids sitting on the edge, squirming in anticipation that the boo hag might get in. Lately, I measure how to rate a picture book by how eagerly and enthusiastically the kids respond to story and the illustrations.
The kids LOVED this book.
One young girl hung back after the group was dismissed to shyly and worryingly ask, "But, is the boo hag real?"

[Katalina Townsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precious and the Boo Hag is a children's fairy tale by Patricia C. McKissack and Onawumi Jean Moss with illustrations by Kyrsten Brooker. The story revolves around Precious, a young girl, who is left home, told by her mother to not let "nothing or nobody" into the house.

[Hannah]

I know the boo hag is a traditional folk monster, like maybe the La Llorona of the black South? I didn't grow up reading or hearing about her, just read about her once in a Virginia Hamilton book. This makes me want to read more.

Also, never heard of this illustrator before, but I like her!

[Juushika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Home sick, Precious has to keep her wits to stay safe from the Boo Hag. I rarely like how people, especially children, are drawn in picture books, but this is my new least favorite. The off-kilter, caricatured art is great for horror; but it appears in every panel, undermining that effect. I like the prose much better: it makes effective use of the repetitive structure of a folktale, and has a powerful, vibrant voice. This is one of the few books in my recent picture book binge that has been willing to be scary, which only makes the humor and pluck stronger in contrast.

[K.S. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend sent me a link to the YouTube video "Imagine U Storytime", where E. Patrick Johnson read this book. I really enjoyed the story and the illustrations. The Boo Hag reminded me a bit of Baba Yaga and after doing a bit of research, I discovered that the Boo Hag is part of Gullah culture, meant to warn children about the danger of trusting strangers. In addition to stories like this one, we can find the Boo Hag in songs and poetry.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It saddens me that many of the McKissack books are out of print and/or not being replaced by libraries. I liked this story--a bit of a tall tale, with main character, a little girl names Precious, being careful not to get tricked and let the "Boo Hag" in while her family is away. Illustrations are fun and compliment silly story. Some African American southern dialect used.

[Emily Newcomer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Precious and the Boo Hag is a fun story about an obedient and clever girl whose come face to face with temptation in the form of the Boo Hag. The accurate and respectful use of AAL in this story makes it even better.

[Veronika Bitting · Rating 3 out of 5]

The little girl in the story was sick and she promised her male that she would be good when her mom was out of the house. She did a great job by listening. It is important to show kids that they have to listen to adults and respect them.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

11/4/2017 ** So...was there really a boo hag?

[Jessie Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny story, kindergarteners loved it.

[Kurt Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique story. Fun story. Great illustrations. Introduces a bit of culture without being overbearing. My kids would have loved this one!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading this 2005 gem to add back into rotation for Halloween/scary story read-alouds. McKissack is a gem of a writer.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a genuinely fun book with awesome illustrations. Precious is a sweet, clever, but still very innocent protagonist, and it was fun to see how she outwitted the dangerous Boo Hag.

[Jamice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the song and the illustrations. I think Im going to get more books by this author and illustrator.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAUbh...

[Jbondandrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good story.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precious, left home alone due to a stomachache, is told by her mother not to let anyone in the house. Precious brother warns her about Pruella the Boo Hag, who will try all kinds of trickery and lies to get inside of the house. Heeding her brother's advice, Precious is able to outwit the Boo Hag until her family returns from the corn field.

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would classify this book as a Traditional picture book.

Summary: Precious has a stomachache and as a result is unable to go with her family to work in the corn fields. She is being left home alone with the important instruction from her mother that she let absolutely no one in the ho use. Her brother lets her know just as he is leaving that she better mind their mother because Pruella the Boo Hag may try to come in the house, because she encourages disobedience, and she is mean and can change her shape as well as the fact that she tells many lies. Precious becomes tempted by Pruella many times while her family is gone. She however is able to resist the temptation and is the source of her mother’s pride upon their return home.

Critique:
(a) This book is a wonderful example of a book that teaches children about temptations to break rules, the risks involved in breaking the rules, and the rewards of following the rules. It uses colorful and animated illustrations to reinforce the story. It also uses jargon and language that is reflective of the culture of the characters in the story. Pruella uses fear and intimidation to attempt to get Precious to break her mother’s rule. She also uses temptation as well. Precious is able to withstand all of this to do the right thing.

(b) The illustrations in this book provide a wonderful enhancement to the story. They are very detailed and allow you to see what is happening, which provides much better connections, especially for a younger reader. The boo hag would be difficult to conceptualize for many, but the illustrations allow you to see how truly frightening or intimidating she can be. They help later in the book to see how she can also change her looks to something pretty, but that is still ugly underneath.

(c) The book uses wonderful descriptive words to enhance the story. On page 12, the first sentence says” “Open the door and let me in!” shouted a voice that rumbled like a rolling thunder.” This is a wonderful description that allows the reader to imagine how horrible the voice must have been. The combination of this along with the wonderful illustration provides the reader with a clear understanding of the fear that Precious must have been feeling at that moment, yet remained brave and stood her ground. Some of the text (chants which Precious sings to help ward off the hag) is separated out and written in what looks like handwritten text. This is a wonderful element as well that increases the importance of these particular words.

(d) I would use this story in the classroom to enhance reading and writing curriculum. I would do a read aloud, ask questions to ensure comprehension and then have the students draw a picture of their favorite part of the story. After drawing, each student would be instructed to write 3 sentences about the story as well. This would be a wonderful activity for a Kindergarten class.

[Jordan Smith]

Summary: This story represents the African American culture and in this story, a young girl, Precious, has a stomachache so she decides to stay home alone while the rest of her family goes out to plant corn in the corn fields. Before her mother and brother leave for the corn fields, they both tell her not to open the door and let anyone in the house. Precious’ brother warns his sister that the Boo Hag will try to get into the house, but to make sure that she does not let Boo Hag in because she tries to make children disobey their mothers. Left alone, Precious sings a song to comfort herself and as a reminder not to let Pruella the Boo Hag inside. Sure enough, Pruella shows up and wants to come inside the house. Precious refuses to let her in, but the Boo Hag tries to fool the little girl by changing into various forms such as Precious’ friend Addie Louise, a penny, etc. Each time the Boo Hag transforms, Precious realizes that it is the Boo Hag trying to trick her and refuses to let her in the house.

Activity: I would use this book in my classroom to teach my students about the importance of not talking to strangers or never letting anyone that they do not know in their home when they are there all alone by themselves. I could also use this book to teach my students that they should always listen to their parents or guardians because their ultimate goal is to keep them safe. This book would greatly help students understand the importance of these rules so that they remain safe at all times.

[Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precious is left home alone with a stomach ache and her mother tells her not to let anyone in no matter what. Her brother told her about Pruella the Boo Hag who will do absolutely anything to try and get in the house. Surely enough throughout the night and day Pruella the Boo Hag tries playing tricks on her, disguising as other people trying to get inside the house. Precious is too smart to fall for Pruella’s tricks though and successfully survives being home alone until her mother returns.
I really enjoyed reading this children’s book because it reminded me of my own childhood and being left home alone with whatever fears I might have of what could be outside the front door. I thought that this book showed the coming of age a little bit because it deals with responsibility and overcoming your fears. I also liked that the main character was a young African girl because she’s depicted in a positive way as an intelligent young lady. I liked that although this was a children’s modern fantasy book, it is still almost a realistic read in the sense that children are often faced with their imagination of things similar to the “Boo Hag” lurking out their window. There comes a point in life where children go through the phase of overcoming their fear of imaginary people and being mature enough to stand up to their fears.

[Kaytlyn Witcher]

Precious and the Boo Hag is about a little girl named Precious. Precious stays home alone with a stomachache while the family works in the fields. Mama leaves Precious with a warning "Don't let nothing and nobody in this house" and Brother slyly adds that if Precious does let someone in the house, it may well turn out to be Pruella the Boo Hag. Precious tries to reassure herself that there's no such thing as the Boo Hag, suddenly the honeysuckle wilts on the vine and the sunny day turns dark. A hideous creature appears demanding that Precious let her inside with a creepy voice. However, Precious bravely sings a chant announcing her refusal to let the hag in and the creature disappears. The Boo hag returns three more times to try to get into the house, but Precious never lets her in!

Classroom: I would use this in my classroom to talk about not talking to stranger and how listening to your guardians to stay safe is what my students should do. This book would help students understand the importance of these rules so that they remain safe. I would use this book in lower level grade to talk about these importances.

[Britt Kitko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
Precious has to stay home alone with a stomachache while the rest of her family goes out to work in the fields. Her mother warns her to not let anyone into the house while they are away and she plans to obey. Her brother tells her that a Boo Hag named Pruella is tricky, scary, and likes to try to get people to disobey their mothers. Precious is afraid of her at first, but is able to outwit her when she makes several attempts at getting into the house. In the end, Precious and her family are very proud of her ability to stay home and obey her mother.

Audience:
- Reading level- Fluent
- Genre- Fiction
- Topic-African Americans, ill, strangers

Curricular uses: Read Aloud- Use when learning about African American History and folklore

Social Issues:Obeying rules, dealing with strangers, overcoming fear

Literary elements:Third person, Foreshadowing, conflict

Interactions and counteractions of text and image: Text interacts with images. Images make the somewhat scary story seem more funny than scary.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precious was up all night with a stomach ache, but the rest of the family can't take off work, so she has to stay home all alone for the day. Clearly feeling better, Precious is enjoying her day alone although she's a little worried because her brother warned her about Pruella the Boo Hag. Sure enough Pruella comes to call, but Precious manages to outsmart her each time. Kyrsten Brooker's illustrations are done in collage and oil paints with browns and blues dominating. The two page spreads are done in two different styles. The first style has spot illustrations on the page with text and a facing full page illustration in a wooden frame. The second style has the illustration covering both facing pages with no framing. The folk-style compositions match the folk-tale like feeling although since there's no notes, I assume this is an original tale. This would work quite well as a read-aloud with Precious' recurring song.