Witch Hazel

by Molly Idle

Something magical happens when Hazel and Hilda are together. As the seasons pass, Hazel’s broom whisks the dust off many years of joyful memories, and young Hilda watches them come to life. But is it magic making memories...or are memories making magic?
 
This poignant tale and artistic tour de force from Caldecott Honoree Molly Idle gently explores the passage of time and the transcendent power of sharing our stories.

Genres: Picture Books, Death, Childrens, Fantasy, Family, Witches, Grief

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 11, 2022

About the author

Molly Idle has been drawing ever since she could wield a pencil. But while she started scribbling before she could walk, her professional career as an artist began slightly later…

It was upon her graduation from Arizona State University, with a BFA in Drawing, that Molly accepted an offer to work for DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios. After five years, a number of film credits, and an incredibly good time, she left the studio and leapt with gusto into the world of children's book illustration!

Molly now lives in Arizona with her brilliant husband, two wonderfully mischievous sons, and two snugly cats. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other- creating a plethora of profoundly whimsical picture books!

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful picture book with delicate, thoughtful illustrations by Molly Idle where the ethereal, liminal images of spirits represent the memories that sustain us, the people of our past. The Witch, Hazel, passes down images/stories to her granddaughter Hilda, who will subsequently carry them to the next generation. Muted, ghostly, but lovely, swirling, finally positive! I really like it a lot, one of the best picture books of the year! Sweet!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was not expecting that emotional punch! I have enjoyed Molly Idle's other books (humorous Tea Rex etc.) and picked this up expecting a similarly playful tone with a witch-y theme. It is really a book about growing old, and the way memory can transport us to happy days of yore, and how stories shared from one generation can make the past come alive for the next generation. And that ending! SOB! It is touching in that it shows how the memories of her grandmother's stories keep her present in the granddaughter's life, even after the grandmother passes away . It is gently and beautifully done -- the illustrations are outstanding! -- but really broke my heart because of where life is for me right now, with my dad's dementia so advanced that he can no longer share stories about his past with my children as Hazel does with her granddaughter. Still, I so appreciate that this book shows generations connecting over stories and love that transcendends death.

[Jennifer]

Some of these books should really come with a tearjerker warning so you don't accidentally read them at the public service desk at your job and then sit there stupidly staring into space trying to contain your tears and emotions.

[Cleo]

A bittersweet story about the friendship between an older woman, Hazel, and a little girl, Hilda. The illustrations are exceptional and enhance this lovely tale.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heart.

[deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While "Witch Hazel" is very nice to look at, and gives an objectively kind, soft look at the passing of times and shared memories through storytelling, I can't help but feel like this would be quite a boring or even confusing story for most young readers. A niche audience of those dealing with missing an older loved one or a recent death might find something comforting here, but even then, the whole thing is just a bit vague and too reliant on recurring wordless pages of pretty pictures to really hit home.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the course of a year, Witch Hazel shares her stories and her days with her granddaughter in this beautifully-illustrated, poignant and ultimately hopeful picture book. As Hilda helps her with her tasks in each of the seasons, Hazel shares many tales of her own girlhood and youth, tales that Hilda can then share herself, when Hazel's final season comes. Carrying on after her loss, Hilda finds that the stories are still with her, making her less alone...

I have enjoyed a number of author/illustrator Molly Idle's picture books, from her humorous Tea Rex titles to her innovative and beautiful books about Flora and her friends, so when I discovered that she had produced a witchy tale—always a pet project of mine—I lost no time in tracking it down. How glad I am that I did, as Witch Hazel has both aesthetic pizazz and storytelling magic. The artwork is lovely, done on sepia-toned pages in black and a glowing white. The figures in white are those in the stories Hazel tells, those of the past and the imagination, while those in black are of the present. The memories shared are not spelled out in text, but in wordless sequences of art alone, leaving the reader to interpret them as she wills. Beautiful, creative, with a little witchy appeal—what's not to love? Add these qualities to a thoughtful narrative about love, the sharing of memories and stories, and then loss and healing, and you have something very special. Recommended to anyone looking for heartfelt and beautiful stories about the loss of a grandparent and/or the power of stories and or memory.

[Mark Robison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see why others love this book -- it's whimsical, with lots of motion, and it's sweet yet realistic about death. But I just couldn't connect with it. I suspect the problem is on my end.

I never could follow what was happening with the people and animals conjured by the witch's broom. It was just movement and whimsy to me, but always at a distance because, again, I didn't get what the witch was conveying to the little girl. Intellectually, I suppose I do, if I think about it but I didn't get it as a reader, not at an emotional level.

I liked the author's wordless "Flora and the Flamingo" better.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even have words! I loved this beautiful story of a young girl and the magical, transformative stories her grandmother tells of her past. I was not expecting the ending but loved the message that these family stories carry power and mean those we love are never far from us. The illustrations are so magical and amazing!

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um wow! This book is so beautiful!

[Amanda Kusant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was beautifully heartbreaking. I enjoyed this immensely.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

White chalk on brown paper?? An enchanting medium to honor the joys & sorrows this story holds.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Especially loved the ghostly white illustrations “conjured” by the grandmother’s storytelling.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work at a library that sees all kinds of new books before they circulate and this came across my desk today. I was not prepared to cry at work, but here I am, as a person who sat listening to my grandmother's stories from "back in the day," as well as a person who lost her just over a year ago. This is a beautifully illustrated story that perfectly encapsulates exactly what it feels like to lose someone but keep them alive through your memories.

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

In beautiful Molly Idle fashion, young Hilda's story exchange with Hazel reflects the relationship between child and grandmother in a loving, well crafted way. We see seasons pass in the present, and memories show us Hazel as she used to be, long before Hilda was born. I, of course, cried at the end.

[Charlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisitely illustrated book about memories, stories, and the loss of family, told in a gentle way.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

i sobbed at work ok

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

When writing a blog post, I always go to the Library of Congress or the Michigan eLibrary to find the subject headings for a given title to add to my post. Sometimes, I do not agree with the selections and I will add my own. For this post, the subject headings made me smile. They spoke to truths I hold deep in my heart. Our minds' memories hold the stories of our lives, and all the stories we've heard and read. This is powerful magic.

Each memory, ours and those of others, enrich our lives. They enlarge our view of the world. They transport us to other places and other times. With each story, the magic around us and beyond the four directions gets stronger and stronger. In Witch Hazel (Little, Brown And Company, October 11, 2021), author illustrator Molly Idle presents a visual and written masterpiece. It is a tale to be savored by one generation and passed to another generation, over and over. It will be remembered.

My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the muted illustrations aren't as aesthetically pleasing to me as brighter, more colorful pictures, they worked very well with this sweet tale. Hazel tells Hulda stories of long ago, using her magic, as together they dust and sweep. When elderly Hazel becomes ill, Hulda tells Hazel stories. This is a poignant story.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a strange and beautiful book about grief. We see here the story of a witch who seems to live with someone who cares deeply for her (child? grandchild?) wants very much to hear her stories. As we explore the seasons of the year, we also explore the seasons of life, ending on the death of the old witch. What could be very sad turns very beautiful as the child preserves these memories and carries them with her.

This is an amazingly well done story, with beautiful art which conveys a lesson we all should take to heart. Stunning book with a lot of heart, and a soft lesson to be learned.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. This is BY FAR my favorite Molly Idle book yet. The story and the illustrations played off of each other beautifully. This for sure has a witchy undertone, so I'm not sure if everyone will love it, but it is simply beautiful. This book should come with a warning label for packing such a sad punch. Loved it though! Loved it!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a precious book. I had a feeling I knew how it was going to end and I was right, but the final ending made me smile. PRECIOUS. The illustrations are a gem and I highly recommend reading this book or at least looking at the art. It's beautiful.

[Y.Poston]

Sweet book about aging gracefully with family

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book (Molly Idle is a favorite) about the legacy of storytelling and how it evolves and changes. And how we carry it with us even when someone has moved on.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story with beautiful illustrations.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this intergenerational tale, a grandmother teaches her granddaughter about the magical power of stories to share memories and make new ones together. As seasons pass, the elder conjures the salad days of her life in strange, wordless vignettes that are likely to be lost on wee ones who might wonder who’s who among the ghostly girls in white. The odd choice of brown paper for the pages makes the book seem like the illustrations were sketched on a paper bag, which might explain why grandma’s face resembles that of a ground squirrel. The tale ends with a lovely moral, though: The stories passed down from our loved ones become part of us, often in magical and mystical ways.

[Alexsaray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pure magic. I didn't expect to cry as hard as I did, so I'll leave you with that. All I can say is this... truly cherish the ones you love with the time you have. <3

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet story but probably a book adults are going to like more than children will

[Heather Stigall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly Idle does it again. This story features Hazel, who not only shares her memories with her granddaughter, Hilda, but brings them to life in the way only a witch could—with magic! The book spans the seasons with a gentle story arc that celebrates family, intergenerational connection, memory, and imagination. Idle’s gorgeous illustrations, done in shades of black, gray, and white on a sepia background, are a departure from her brightly colored books, but her art is no less exquisite. The text and art are striking, but subtly hint at what the story is about, leaving room for the reader’s interpretation and imagination to fill in the rest. I can’t say enough about this sweet, heart-warming tale, which is purely magical!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was delightful and heartwarming--though ocassionally I didn't following what was happening with the whooshes of magic in the illustrations, but I didn't really mind. An adorable story of a cozy, "witchy" grandma connecting with her grandchild through stories of her life (told with the assistance of some sparkly magic). Molly Idle's illustrations are pure magic. The end when the grandma passes away choked me up. The color palette is beautiful and autumnal, too.