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The Worst Witch #5
The Worst Witch Saves The Day
Something is up at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches: Mildred Hubble's new form teacher is really weird. Or is she? Investigating isn't easy, especially when Mildred's potions go wrong, the class know-it-all insists on being 'helpful' and her beloved cat is having a nervous breakdown...
154 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
81 people are currently reading
1364 people want to read
About the author
Jill Murphy
82 books347 followersJill Murphy was a London-born English children's author, best known for The Worst Witch series and the Large Family picture books. She has been described as "one of the most engaging writers and illustrators for children in the land."
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of the material and inspiration Miss Cackle's Academy in the The Worst Witch, which she started when she was 15. She put the book on hold as she attended both Chelsea and Croydon Art Schools, but continued to write it whilst living in a village in Togo, West Africa for a year and then whilst working as a nanny back at home. The book was published when Jill turned 24 and proved an instant success. However, Jill continued working as a nanny until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again prompted her to devote herself to full-time writing. The Worst Witch stories have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 3 million copies. They were also made into a major ITV series. She was also well known for her picture books and was commended in the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last. A Quiet Night In was shortlisted for the same medal in 1994. She was perhaps best known for the very popular Mr and Mrs Large picture books, which detail the domestic chaos of an elephant family. Five Minute's Peace won the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award, as well as being shortlisted for the 1986 Children's Book Award. All in One Piece was highly commended for the 1987 Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the 1987 Children's Book Award. The Last Noo-noo won the 0-5 category of the 1995 Smarties Book Prize and in the same year was shortlisted for the English 4-11 Outstanding Children's Book of the Year, going on to win the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award. It won the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award. In the same year it was adapted as a play and performed at the Polka Theatre, London.
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of the material and inspiration Miss Cackle's Academy in the The Worst Witch, which she started when she was 15. She put the book on hold as she attended both Chelsea and Croydon Art Schools, but continued to write it whilst living in a village in Togo, West Africa for a year and then whilst working as a nanny back at home. The book was published when Jill turned 24 and proved an instant success. However, Jill continued working as a nanny until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again prompted her to devote herself to full-time writing. The Worst Witch stories have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 3 million copies. They were also made into a major ITV series. She was also well known for her picture books and was commended in the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last. A Quiet Night In was shortlisted for the same medal in 1994. She was perhaps best known for the very popular Mr and Mrs Large picture books, which detail the domestic chaos of an elephant family. Five Minute's Peace won the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award, as well as being shortlisted for the 1986 Children's Book Award. All in One Piece was highly commended for the 1987 Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the 1987 Children's Book Award. The Last Noo-noo won the 0-5 category of the 1995 Smarties Book Prize and in the same year was shortlisted for the English 4-11 Outstanding Children's Book of the Year, going on to win the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award. It won the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award. In the same year it was adapted as a play and performed at the Polka Theatre, London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
May 22, 2017
I have always loved these books and finding one you haven't read before is always a delight. Everything you could want in a series of children's books.
January 1, 2020
What a brilliant story! Mildred often finds herself in a spot of bother exactly when it’s needed!! I don’t know what the Academy would do without her.
I don’t think I can stand much more of Ethel though - someone really needs to put her into her place as she’s driving me nuts.
Miss Hardbroom seems to be softening towards the girls a little bit 😂😂
I don’t think I can stand much more of Ethel though - someone really needs to put her into her place as she’s driving me nuts.
Miss Hardbroom seems to be softening towards the girls a little bit 😂😂
December 29, 2023
The best thing to have done would have been for Mildred to change herself back once she was safely out of bedroom, but she found it difficult to focus her ant brain on the intricacies of the reversal spell, especially as she had stumbled across a large cake crumb just outside the door and immediately felt an overwhelming desire to start dragging it back underneath the door towards the airing cupboard.
After being severely displeased with the previous installment, I'm happy to announce that I enjoyed this one! Mildred, Maud and Enid are in Third Form now and have new teacher Miss Granite and from the beginning you can see that there is something fishy about her, which makes for a nice mystery element! (I was kind of reminded of the Alastor Moody plotline from HP and the Goblet of Fire, but... things are a bit different.) There is also a plotline that really reminded me of Anne of Green Gables which I obviously loved. Ethel Hallow is still described in a way that's completely ridiculous, but Miss Hardbroom seems to gain some humanity in this one and I'm so glad for it, because... as you know if you read my previous reviews, I... might be a little too invested into Miss Hardbroom?
Also! Also, in this installment Miss Hardbroom goes to play evening chess with Miss Pentangle and returns at two in the morning! As you can tell I have my own theories about this meeting...
Clearly, I had a good time with this, looking toward the next book! I'm now getting to the completely unknown territory, because I didn't read the last three books in the series before.
January 22, 2018
Another adventure for Mildred and Co., and this time people have the grace to point out that most of Mildred's accidents aren't her fault. This story starts with a hair disaster and ends with people being transformed into ants and snails, and also features a really weird new teacher.
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February 21, 2026I don’t think I have it in me to review this book, if you are someone who is reading this book then you would know this too, it’s repetitive the plot is repetitive. It’s the same thing all over again, mildred doing something that a child of her age would do and then her getting hate for it.
I don’t even know why did she got ‘the worst witch title’ I see nothing wrong with her actions, she is just a child but the adults around her failed to see that. Teachers are here to teach and guide not for fear, bullying or judgement.
The poor girl has saved these grown up women so many times and still they treat the poor girl that way, shame on these women (the characters).
I still love the 1st book, I just wish the school was cozier and comfortable.
I don’t even know why did she got ‘the worst witch title’ I see nothing wrong with her actions, she is just a child but the adults around her failed to see that. Teachers are here to teach and guide not for fear, bullying or judgement.
The poor girl has saved these grown up women so many times and still they treat the poor girl that way, shame on these women (the characters).
I still love the 1st book, I just wish the school was cozier and comfortable.
April 25, 2017
Michael, Gregory and I listened to this story as an ebook. It was our first introduction to the escapades of Mildred Hubble and her friends and it was very entertaining. Mildred is the worst witch in Miss Cackles Academy of Witchcraft and has a history of getting herself into impossible scrapes. Everything Mildred does seem to lead to complete disaster for her and her pets. Mildred's class has a new teacher and she is a very unusual witch with an extraordinarily high pitched voice and a very unorthodox way of teaching. Mildred runs into trouble with a hair curling iron and this ultimately leads to her discovering some rather interesting things about her new teacher, Miss Granite. Can Mildred, with the help of her tabby cat and her friends, manage to save the teachers of Miss Cackle's Academy from a dastardly plot?
September 3, 2017
These books have every single feeling all at once. I can laugh, I can cry, they are funny, they are scary. The worst witch gets into a bit of trouble, but she often saves the day. These books remind me that sometimes mistakes are good and accidents can lead the way to success.
August 10, 2017
It's the first day of the winter term of Mildred's junior year. Ethel is the top student at the school and really hates Mildred and will do anything she can to get her into trouble. Ethel cuts Mildred's hair and messes it up on purpose. A hair-growing lotion sort of gets out of control and once again Mildred is in trouble.
Then there's the new teacher, Miss Granite, who never really teaches anything at all. There's a dark reason for that and Mildred is the one to uncover it. Mildred somehow needs to find a way to escape a closet and stop something terrible from happening, assuming anyone will believe her in the first place.
All that is good fun but there is something that did bother me (nothing like this has happened in any of the other books, fortunately.) Miss Hardbroom makes the girls write home once a week and say how wonderful everything is (when it isn't, especially with no heat in the building). She then reads the letters the girl wrote before she mails them.
That's more the manner of a villainous dictator then an actual teacher. Miss Hardbroom can be very difficult to deal with, yes, but this writing what you're told to write and then checking it doesn't really have any place in this series. It's too over-the-top. I would have given this a 4 rating but I'm dropping it to a 2 rating because of this.
Then there's the new teacher, Miss Granite, who never really teaches anything at all. There's a dark reason for that and Mildred is the one to uncover it. Mildred somehow needs to find a way to escape a closet and stop something terrible from happening, assuming anyone will believe her in the first place.
All that is good fun but there is something that did bother me (nothing like this has happened in any of the other books, fortunately.) Miss Hardbroom makes the girls write home once a week and say how wonderful everything is (when it isn't, especially with no heat in the building). She then reads the letters the girl wrote before she mails them.
That's more the manner of a villainous dictator then an actual teacher. Miss Hardbroom can be very difficult to deal with, yes, but this writing what you're told to write and then checking it doesn't really have any place in this series. It's too over-the-top. I would have given this a 4 rating but I'm dropping it to a 2 rating because of this.
November 12, 2015
This left me so exasperated! Mildred never retaliates when Ethel is spiteful to her, which probably makes Mildred a better person than me, but the fact that Mildred also trusts Ethel after everything she's done is downright alarming. Case in point: in this book Mildred lets Ethel chop off all her hair, then she drinks a regrowth potion that Ethel oh so kindly brews for her. Mildred, you deserved everything you got with that one. I also wanted to facepalm when Mildred turns herself into an ant -- and then promptly forgets the counter spell to turn herself back. The situation with Miss Granite was ridiculous as well. I may be judging this book harshly because it came out in 2005 and so I never read it as a child, but I'd like to think that even my 7-year-old self could have seen through Miss Granite's "disguise".
August 29, 2015
Zachary loved this. I think this is one of my favourite books in the WW series.
August 18, 2024
The Worst Witch series is incredibly delightful; if you want to get a young reader into fantasy, this is the series. It’s been thought to have inspired J.K. Rowling to write Harry Potter, but also in this particular book, The Worst Witch Saves the Day which is no. 5 in the series, there are heavy Roald Dahl vibes.
The illustrations peppered throughout each book are whimsical. Ethel is the series’ Draco Malfoy; she’s quite insufferable. I am really enjoying the arc of Miss Hardbroom (who is similar to Severus Snape). Mildred is the scrappiest witch, and I adore her and her friends, Maud and Enid, with my whole heart. I’ve been reading one book on Sundays; I have three more books to go and I’ll be sad when I don’t have a Worst Witch book to read on Sundays.
The illustrations peppered throughout each book are whimsical. Ethel is the series’ Draco Malfoy; she’s quite insufferable. I am really enjoying the arc of Miss Hardbroom (who is similar to Severus Snape). Mildred is the scrappiest witch, and I adore her and her friends, Maud and Enid, with my whole heart. I’ve been reading one book on Sundays; I have three more books to go and I’ll be sad when I don’t have a Worst Witch book to read on Sundays.
August 14, 2018
Another great adventure with Mildred Hubble. As I recommended this for young readers, I just wanted to note that Ethel is just a bit meaner to Mildred in this one: “Had a brain transplant during the hols (holidays)?” Ethel is always mean, but it’s usually just her being competitive and dismissive, rather than outright nasty. Also, it mentions Miss Hardbroom possibly having sherry. Otherwise, it’s just as lighthearted and fun as the others!
July 8, 2018
Review to come :)
November 1, 2020
This has been my favorite book since the first one.
September 21, 2022
Poor Mildred getting as usual in some troubles but I love it how she always ends up the heroine of the story. It was fun and enjoyable, I love this witch.
March 12, 2026
Mildred, Maud and Enid being such delightful trio is always something that I look on to read about, on the other hand Ethal is the literal meaning of a bully and I don't feel an ounce of delight at her mention.
November 23, 2019
So wonderful to read the Worst Witch again. I now want to get all the books for a re-read!
December 9, 2020
Haha, I don't know why I find this one so funny. I guess the idea of the hair just taking over completely. Also, I am super jealous because I have been losing so much hair! Lucky Mildred!
July 5, 2020
Loving tabby more than ever but think that the whole snail thing was recycled
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2022
Ethel can't keep getting away with this.
July 10, 2017
Jill Murphy wrote the first Worst Witch story, according to Wikipedia, while age 15 and still in boarding school. Perhaps that's what makes Mildred Hubble so realistic and so identifiable emotionally. While we don't seem to run into too many witches these days, we all know Mildred - if we're not Mildred ourselves. Trying to be invisible while coming up with impractical schemes for miraculous success while failing utterly at both.
In "saves the day" - which is Book #5, Mildred returns to school for her third year. She has an idea to end her hair troubles - which doesn't end well. And although she's practiced flying, she still has difficulty with her timid cat, and taunts from the school social perfectionist Ethel Hallow (we've all encountered her, too, I'm sure) don't help. There's also a rather odd new instructor, Miss Granite, who doesn't seem to care how the students spend their time - and Miss Hardbroom won't stand that for long. But interestingly enough, it's Mildred that's the one that has the most suspicions about Miss Granite.
I think the things I like best about Mildred, aside from the fact that she's far from perfect, is that she's independent and perseveres. She wins a few, and she loses a few, but she keeps going, learning the best she can, and comes through - maybe not the best witch, but she's still going to be a witch. When you're young, and haven't had many defeats - so that each challenge seems like the end - this is a good perspective to have.
In "saves the day" - which is Book #5, Mildred returns to school for her third year. She has an idea to end her hair troubles - which doesn't end well. And although she's practiced flying, she still has difficulty with her timid cat, and taunts from the school social perfectionist Ethel Hallow (we've all encountered her, too, I'm sure) don't help. There's also a rather odd new instructor, Miss Granite, who doesn't seem to care how the students spend their time - and Miss Hardbroom won't stand that for long. But interestingly enough, it's Mildred that's the one that has the most suspicions about Miss Granite.
I think the things I like best about Mildred, aside from the fact that she's far from perfect, is that she's independent and perseveres. She wins a few, and she loses a few, but she keeps going, learning the best she can, and comes through - maybe not the best witch, but she's still going to be a witch. When you're young, and haven't had many defeats - so that each challenge seems like the end - this is a good perspective to have.
February 14, 2016
And we are at book 5, only 2 more books to go before I am completely up-to-date with this series! *cheers*
We got a new teacher, Miss Granite seems kind, but at times is also totally mean and unfriendly. And who in their right mind leaves a whole class of students alone???? But we soon find out why!
I loved the hair part. First getting it all off (poor Mildred), only to have to use a growth potion going out of hair um hand. :) Why do these girls still trust Ethel with things? They should know by this time (3 years now) that she is up to no good and won't be nice. Poor Tabby, totally traumatized by the huge and super fast growing hair.
Of course the book ends, like all the others, with Mildred saving the day/academy again.
But I have to say this one was way more fun than the previous one, so yeah for that!
Btw, I loved the cover for this book. :)
We got a new teacher, Miss Granite seems kind, but at times is also totally mean and unfriendly. And who in their right mind leaves a whole class of students alone???? But we soon find out why!
I loved the hair part. First getting it all off (poor Mildred), only to have to use a growth potion going out of hair um hand. :) Why do these girls still trust Ethel with things? They should know by this time (3 years now) that she is up to no good and won't be nice. Poor Tabby, totally traumatized by the huge and super fast growing hair.
Of course the book ends, like all the others, with Mildred saving the day/academy again.
But I have to say this one was way more fun than the previous one, so yeah for that!
Btw, I loved the cover for this book. :)
January 11, 2015
This book was a little longer and more involved than the others, with more challenging vocabulary, so I ended up giving it five stars although on my blog it would be a 4 1/2. As with the other Worst Witch stories this is perfect for a chapter a night book, read by an adult for children younger than the book's intended reading skills level. The perfect series for children too young for Harry Potter, but wanting to read about a magic school.
August 3, 2017
This book was interesting. It was about as good as the last two books in the series but there were some inconsistencies between this books and the previous books that bothered me. They weren't that noticeable but they still took away from the story when I noticed them. Overall this book was ok and I'm hoping the next book is better than this one.
February 18, 2026
3.25⭐️. It was a fun read. Very similar to the other books in the series, nothing groundbreaking. I quite liked the plot this time around, although I thought it took too long to get to it. Most of the book doesn't have a clear plot, and the real one came in too late at the end, so it felt a bit rushed.
August 30, 2012
This is the last book I've been able to find, and it resembles the others so much, I still find it adorable, and rather funny, with spells going wrong and all. Seems everything happens to Mildred every time.
January 19, 2021
.
ماجرای این جلد هم به این صورته که شخصیت بد قصه قیافهش رو عوض میکنه و خودش رو معلم جا میزنه و وارد مدرسه میشه و بعد شخصیت اصلی داستان یعنی میلدرد دستش رو رو میکنه. درست مثل طرح داستان جلد چهارم هری پاتر. یعنی در اصل اون مثل اینه.
ماجرای این جلد هم به این صورته که شخصیت بد قصه قیافهش رو عوض میکنه و خودش رو معلم جا میزنه و وارد مدرسه میشه و بعد شخصیت اصلی داستان یعنی میلدرد دستش رو رو میکنه. درست مثل طرح داستان جلد چهارم هری پاتر. یعنی در اصل اون مثل اینه.
November 30, 2019
This is one to pre-read for the Possum, mostly. She relies heavily on my suggestions, and it's kind of hard to keep ahead of her.
***
I'm unimpressed. It's all a bit thin.
Library copy
***
I'm unimpressed. It's all a bit thin.
Library copy
November 23, 2014
Oh that Agatha.
December 18, 2015
I love how Mil got herself tangled in more trouble now involving a new teacher and her improvement as a witch comes in handy for avoiding some disaster.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews