The Witch Next Door

The Witch Next Door

by Norman Bridwell

Meet the wonderful witch who lives next door. She's a great neighbor and a LOT of fun. Everything she does will surprise you!

Genres: Picture Books, Halloween, Childrens, Witches, Fiction, Holiday, Humor

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Norman Bridwell was an American author and cartoonist, best-known for the Clifford the Big Red Dog series of children's books. Bridwell attended John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana. He lived on Martha's Vineyard, MA, where he wrote an average of two books a year.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Norman Bridwell, creator of the popular Clifford the Big Red Dog series, also wrote and illustrated a number of picture-books featuring a friendly neighborhood witch, beginning with this 1969 title. With simple text, The Witch Next Door unfolds the tale of two (unnamed) children, who come to be great friends with their new witchy neighbor, who may be a little bit odd - she paints her house black! - but is also kindhearted and considerate - she bakes cookies and makes soup for sick children. When some of the neighbors decide that they don't want a witch living on their street, her response sends them away unexpectedly content...

Although I appreciated its message of tolerance, and can see how it might be a favorite, for those who first encountered it in childhood, The Witch Next Door really didn't do much for me. I rather suspected that this would be the case, but after seeing that it had been added to a list of witchy picture-books that I created, I wanted to give it a try, just in case. I have something of a thing for witchy picture-books, after all! Unfortunately, I didn't care for the cartoon-like illustrations, and the story itself didn't really impress me. Still, tastes vary, so young readers who enjoy witchy tales, and are fans of Norman Bridwell's style, might find exactly what they're looking for, with this one.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 Adorably cute, sweet and witchy! The perfect book to start off the beginning of the Halloween season. 🤩🧡🖤🎃🧙🏻‍♀️

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

An old book that has been in my family since I was three. I remember looking at the pictures before I could read. It's sort of cute, especially the art, until the odd ending.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book when I was little and I LOVE it still! A witch moves in next door, but she is actually a very sweet witch who uses her spells to enhance her life and the lives of those around her. Each page brings readers into the witch's world and all the little details of her routines.

A great read aloud for anytime, but especially so at Halloween. PreK-2.

[A.B. Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite bedtime story when my daughter was younger. One of my favorite books for children. The best part is the Harry Potter moment when the two children go into their sagging, damp, dreary looking tent to behold a camping paradise filled with food, toys, games, anything a kid could want.

[Qt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one, with its cute pictures and sweet story!

[Dennis Fischman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some friends said, "If you liked A Pig is Moving In!, you'll like this one, too." They weren't wrong. Bridwell's book is for younger readers, and the illustrations are simpler, but there's a similar focus on enjoying people the way they are. The Pig changes his neighbors with kindness, however, not with spells!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Cute !

Fun and cute book to read with my kids 🙂. The print was a bit hard for my son to read on my phone. I recommend a larger device or an actual print of the book for kids to read from.

[Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cute story to challenge assumptions and demonstrate acceptance. The art was bland. The writing was not bad, but the story telling was - the reasons the children know or could have known but missed . . . didn't fit well.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book as a child and it is a fun one with a good message. Perfect for a Halloween storytime.

[Rebecca Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

No stereotypes here

Love this book! Way ahead of it's time, and so much fun! I remember this book from my youth and have always loved it.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This not only shows that appearances can be deceiving, but it also shows that the best way to deal with someone who is mean is by being KIND to them.

[Eleanor Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's book with a gentle story and simple drawings that teaches tolerance without being preachy.

[Emma Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book was cute. It's a great Halloween themed book for children

[Maeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two children excitedly extol all the virtues of the friendly witch who lives next door.

A decidedly NOT scary book choice for Halloween.

[Sherry Scheline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awe Norman! The art is terrific! The Library has an early copy of this book and everything about it is terrific.

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a very good book for beginner readers and cute for Halloween.

[Rachel Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series I loved as a kid.

[Child960801 · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the author of the Clifford the Big Red Dog books, a witch lives in the neighbourhood and delights the children.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book written so long ago this shows compassion, understanding and friendship between a witch and the children next door. It was an interesting read but the ending can seem a little confusing but honestly it is simple. You are always better being who you are if you are kind, accepting and friendly. Being someone with no tolerance for someone unlike yourself needs to be changed and often what is seen as a blessing at first is not so later on!

[Pennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We loved seeing the pictures of the witch using her magic to do all the things that made her a little different.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as a kid, and my kids love it now. Ever wished you had magical powers? What would you do with them? Well, the message of this book is that we should all try to help each other get along, even if we have magical powers. The kids love their neighbor, because she's friendly and nice. There are a series of books about the witch and they all involve fairness, friendliness, and good humor. Even when the witch confronts prejudice and gets angry, she doesn't get mean. She solves the problem in the nicest way possible.

These books are written by the author of the Clifford books, and just like Clifford teaches us about being good neighbors and getting along, these books have the same message. And they use magic as well! Pretty cool.

[Mia Balsamo · Rating 4 out of 5]

PB27: I have a special place in my heart for water color picturebooks, I think they are so simple but so beautiful. The pictures do not have to be 3D or extremely lifelike to enjoy them. This is a great picturebook about judgement. Even though the witch never did anything bad, and was actually probably a better neighbor than most, the adults next door did not like the witch, and they wanted her to move out. Children can learn a great lesson from this story because when the witch got mad she did not hurt the adults, as I am sure she could have, but instead she was kind and showed them that having a witch next door was a great thing, by turning them into a prince and princess. The final line is amazing, "good boys and girls are more beautiful than princes and princesses".

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two children have a vey fun neighbor that just happens to be a witch. The witch is extremely kind and loves the children. She makes their days fun and shows them her traditions and culture. I used to love this book as a child, mainly because I was obsessed with witches and Halloween. As an adult, this book takes on a completely new meaning and shows young readers how to better accept different people in their community. There's a moment in the book where other neighbors appear and demand that the witch leave because they don't want "her kind" in the community. This tex would be a good way to teach kids to be welcoming of others and it should definitely be read to this day.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice 'different' Halloween book from the others we've read this season. A nice witch lives next door to a couple of children. They knew she was a witch because of the various things she did... like paint her house black, all her clothes were black. They become friends and enjoy each others company. until some adults come along and tell the witch she has to move because she doesn't fit in. She uses her spell and changes the couple to Prince and Princess and they no longer dislike the witch. The chidren ask her if they could change them into the same and she tells them that she doesn't need to because 'good boys and girls are more beautiful than prince and princesses."

[Linzi Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: picture book

Grade level: 1-3

topic-theme: This book suggest that we should all get along and help each other out.

Curricular use: read aloud

Social:Teaches us that we need to get along well with others.

Literary elements: Humor,magical powers

Text-images: The pictures work well with the text. The expression of the witch when she is mad is expresses very well. You know she is angry without reading the text.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another Scholastic Book that belongs to my permanent home holiday collection. My child is 19 now, but this was such a favorite in his early preschool years. Can we judge people on how they dress? Can we assume someone is nice if they paint their house black? In this age of cyber bullying, it is a good early resources on accepting others that look or act differently than we do. It is a great little first reader as well as a "read aloud" book.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give this book one and a half stars. What I would say makes "The Witch Next Door" as good a story as it is, is the last line of the entire book, when the boy and girl want the witch to turn themselves into a prince and princess, and the witch declines, saying that good boys and girls are much more beautiful than princes or princesses.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant book about kindness and respecting differences. Two children tell the readers about their neighbor that is a witch and how she does some things differently. Readers will be wishing they had a witch for a neighbor!