Witch Poems

by Daisy Wallace (Editor), Trina Schart Hyman (Illustrator)

Eighteen poems from such witch watchers as L. Frank Baum, E. E. Cummings, and William Shakespeare provide glimpses of witches' ways, wiles, and worries

Genres: Poetry, Witches, Picture Books, Halloween, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1976

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is featured on Shabby Sunday @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/...

This book is one of our favorites to read around Halloween time. There are witch poems from multiple poets including Shakespeare, L.Frank Baum, Myra Cohn Livingston and a few anonymous.

One of our favorites is written by Myra Cohn Livingston. It’s titled “Lazy Witch."

Lazy Witch

Lazy witch
What’s wrong with you?
Get up and stir your magic brew.
Here’s candlelight to chase the gloom.
Jump up and mount your flying broom
And muster up your charms and spells
And wicked grins and piercing yells.
It’s Halloween! There’s work to do!
Lazy witch,
What’s wrong with you?

–Myra Cohn Livingston

What makes this book so atmospheric are the illustrations. They’re all black and white and remind me of Pam Smy’s illustrations in Thornhill.

It sets the mood and makes this a perfect book for Halloween. There is actually one semi-nude illustration in the beginning of the book, but the book is labeled for children ages 3 and up. We enjoy all eighteen poems.

My rating on this one is 5-stars.

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has that reckless artistic freedom from the 1970s that I love. As in, Sesame Street from the 1970s versus the 1990s. The illustrations are amazing--these are the witches you imagined in your childhood that scare you and fascinate you at the same time. The poems selected are excellent and memorable. A great book for early grade readers and, of course, for Halloween. (Not ideal for all parents or classrooms; these are wild, wondrous, politically incorrect witches!)

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken from various sources, from authors both classic and contemporary, this collection of eighteen witchy poems makes for fabulous reading, especially at Halloween time! From Shakespeare and e.e. cummings (an excerpt from Macbeth and "Hist Whist," respectively), to Jack Prelutsky and Karla Kuskin ("The Wee Woolly Witchie of Whitslewood Way" and "The Witches' Ride"), the poems here read well, and capture the charm and fright of the witch...

The selections presented in Witch Poems vary in length and form, but are almost all entertaining. I was interested to see "Wild Witches' Ball (the second Prelutsky selection), as I have also encountered it in picture-book form. Somehow, despite being underwhelmed by it in that format, I found it more speaking here. No doubt this owes something to Trina Schart Hyman's astonishingly expressive and delightfully spooky illustrations. The artwork here is simply glorious - beautiful and creepy all at once. I wish I had encountered this book as a girl, given my love for the witchy, as I would have adored it! Recommended to all young poetry lovers, as a deliciously spooky read at Halloween, as well as to fellow fans of Trina Schart Hyman.

[Malia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good witch, I love a good poem, I love a good book from the 70s with some shaggy, groovy illustrations. Very fun.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The poems and illustrations went perfect together. HOWEVER, this us not an easy read for a small child which the book seems to be geared toward. Some of the poems have complex words and themes that a child might not understand.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of eighteen mostly forgettable poems featuring witches. Trina Schart Hyman's black & white illustrations are a treat.

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a great collection of poetry about witches and some spooky fun, it can be dated with language and imagery. Not for very young children. The black and white art might be a turn off for some kids (aged at least 7 and up) but it is very lovely and represents the artist's style well.

[Kami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky and awesome--the illustrations are fabulous and the poems are perfect. I immediately bought a copy for a Halloween selection of books. Just the right amount of creepiness without being yuck.

[Dodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of poems for kids. The theme is witches.

[Haelwyn Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great halloween poems - a collection of authors some children will know, and some they will be introduced too.

[Kristin]

Always love a good hag witch.

[Annie MacPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

super creepy and good 💀🍂🕷️

[marjorie lecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful witch poems - chiefly read for the brilliant illustrations of Trina Schart Hyman

[Hannah Cone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch Poems by Daisy Wallace is a festive picture book that compiles poetry, unsurprisingly, revolving around the subject of Witches. Within the book, poets, such as William Shakespeare and E.E. Cummings, are heavily featured, as well as more contemporary poets of the time, such as Lilian Moore or Michael Patrick Hearn.

Within the book, there is no sole plot, as there is one poem per page or two. Because of this, the poems grab the attention of the reader and keep the book from becoming dull. The deliciously gloomy illustrations are what really made the book stand out for me, personally. Unlike many of the Halloween books of today, the witches were not made out to be cartoonish, chubby grandmothers, but terrifying sights to behold and to be feared. Within the vintage illustrations, children are seen to be cowering in fright and hiding, or running away from the sorceresses.

The spooky and, at times, comical poems within the pages of Witch Poems help make poetry appealing to children. Children will enjoy talking of the icky, sticky, and stinky things that go into the witches' brews, and the like. Also, who doesn't enjoy be a little frightened, sometimes?

I would recommend this work to children of all grade levels, simply because the book was enormously fun to read, and would fit flawlessly within a Halloween curriculum.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those editing this page: The book has 32 pages.
I like studying the rhyme schemes of each. Turns out the editor likes poems with a mostly ABCB structure though others are present.
Confused at "Witch Baseball" (pg 19) But it was funny.
From "Witch Goes Shopping" to "Wicked Witch's Kitchen" and "Witch's Menu" (pgs 21-23) gives lesson ideas of real world ideas. Ask why the witch in "Wicked Witch's Kitchen" couldn't find her ingredients. What can she make from ingredients in "Witch Goes Shopping."

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been in my collection since I was a child, and I will never get tired of reading it, or looking at the art. Books like these are what give life to your imagination, and take you away into a world of wonder. This book is short, but it's packed with great art and witchy goodness.

For those of you that don't know, I believe this is a series of fantasy poems. I also have a book by the same author that is called Fairy Poems, and it's just as fantastical.

[Aine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book! *cackles*

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like the illustrations, but the poems don't live up to them very much. There are a few good ones.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a gift from a friend. I love the illustrations and the poems are a delight.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even Hyman's art can't make me like crones and beauties and horribleness.

[Montana-IFC · Rating 5 out of 5]

School challenge, retained 1993