Best Witches: Poems for Halloween

by Jane Yolen, Elise Primavera (Illustrator)

The author presents her own poetry on witches, ghosts, magic, and other aspects of Halloween.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Halloween, Holiday

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 1989

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twenty-one witchy poems from author Jane Yolen are paired with colorful, humorous artwork from illustrator Elise Primavera in this Halloween picture-book. From The Magic House, which offers an examination of the Hansel and Gretel story, to Do Witches Have?, which asks whether witches have babies, the selections here deal with witches in many circumstances, from traditional to modern...

Having enjoyed many books from both Yolen and Primavera, I was excited to track down Best Witches: Poems for Halloween. On the whole, I enjoyed it, although I thought the illustrations were far stronger than the text. The artwork was immensely appealing, managing to be both magical and humorous, with so many entertaining little details. I liked the idea of many of the poems, but often found them a little awkward in execution. I can only think of one poem I thought was quite good, The Warlock's Cat, which reads:

"A shadow of a shadow
Slipping in and out of night,
With his claws and teeth like starshine
Flickering on the edge of sight.

He is blacker than a night wind,
He is darker than a coal,
For he's the outward casting
Of his fearsome master's soul."

This was probably the best of the lot, with striking imagery, a smooth execution, and a fascinating central idea (the cat as familiar). Tastes vary of course, so I'd still recommend this one to readers looking for collections of Halloween poetry for children. For my part, my stars are mostly for the ideas and images here, rather than the writing.

[Nakedfartbarfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I make an effort to brush up on this around harvest season. Reading Best Witches kicks off my observance of October in preparation for the necessary rites: becoming an optimist on spiced bourbon fizz, Carole King duets under pumpkin sunsets, losing to mattress salespersons in co-rec softball, securing my borders with scarecrows (not weapons), setting up text alerts with 17 different vendors to find a 12' skeleton, workshopping the Addams family theme on a theremin, stowing mellowcreme corn in a grandfather clock, tapping sycamores with a fireman's axe, pouring berry-forward cocktails the color of livor mortis, breastfeeding a crow, punching my corn maze ticket in a blind gallery of the Reindeer Ranch, shamefacedly trying to order a PSL at a single-origin pour-over vegan café, ringing in Halloween as lightning strikes the Willis Tower, giving a Mort Garson sound bath to uncharged crystals, triggering my malewolf menopause via annular eclipse, holding a séance for a time trial ghost (Wario), leeching the glow from local youth via carnivorous grimoire, climbing moonbeams out of Ice Age forests, warming up for a pumpkin run with Vincent Cassel capoeira, measuring to the meniscus in a poisoned apple martini, firing a tommy gun at the blue corn moon (in a twee way), bleaching all my ibex skulls with Crest white strips, cleaving the devil's foot, sacrificing my corn-buttering hand on the witches' sabbath, sitting starkers on a high altar & muttering oracles to the dead & unborn, and giving the wraparound toast with elbows entwined and thermoses full of maple toddy on a timber bridge while an 8-bit rendition of Dear Prudence fades in. 🍁🎃👻

[Ronald Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ostensibly a children's book, Jane Yolen's Best Witches: Poems for Halloween certainly can be enjoyed by adults. The 21 poems are playful in rhythm and hint at a deeper darkness in the catchy verses. The equally gruesome and funny artwork by Elise Primavara enhance the wordplay. I found myself constantly smiling at lines and pictures. This little volume is well worth an annual read at Halloween, whether for children's glee or just for its simple adult pleasure.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun poems! Beautiful illustrations! I picked this up for my grand children but think they may be too young for most of the poems to not get scared. Will check with their mother, the 9 year old may be able to handle it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars is the best I can do. The illustrations by Elise Primavera are good, and a few of the poems are good, but given Jane Yolen as author I expected much better. Many of the poems are long and dull. If I as an adult struggled to read them I doubt many children will bother.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

very cute book and I would use this to show how poems don't always rhyme, etc. also use it for showing different traditions of halloween

[Anne Wi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! The illustrations were wonderful and the poems were super cute, some a little scary, and some really funny. I highly recommend this book for all ages.

[Madame Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny stories especially Tombmates.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry Picture Book Assignment:

Best Witches by Jane Yolen, is a Halloween poetry picture book. It
includes 21 different poems about Halloween related topics. There are poems about witches, mummies, skeletons, and ghosts. This is a fun book that elementary school teachers could use to teach poetry in the month of October. This book can be used as a read aloud or 4th and 5th graders can read it independently. The illustrations are wonderful and add a great visual for the text. The pictures are very colorful and detailed. The illustrations are engaging and the poems are short! It is a very cute poetry book.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poems about witches and other Halloween things. Do witches have babies? There is a poem that will tell you. Advice for sleeping on Halloween night, there is a poem that will tell you all you need to know. Modern witches, witch game shows and more.

The poems in this book are silly and very fun. Some of them can make you giggle. I enjoyed reading through them and would probably read this again. The artwork was nice as well, colorful, fun and interesting.

[Carol Mcgloshen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good poems for upper elementary. Illustrations are done well

[LLeG84 · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some good poems in this book. The very first poem in the book is excellent for teaching inferences.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such cute poetry and illustrations. Very imaginative and fun!