A Field Guide on Witches

picture from amazon.com

The Witches

by Roald Dahl

illustrated by Quentin Blake

published by Puffin Books, 1983

Summary: "Read this story and you'll find out all you need to know......the most gruesome, grotesque gang of witches imaginable!"

Strengths: I love pretty much all books by Roald Dahl, but The Witches was one of my favorite books as a child. As I re-read my worn-from-love copy of this great story, I remembered why I liked it so much. I like the introduction stating that the book is not a fairy tale, which really gets readers into the mindset of believing the funny and interesting young narrator, to whom young readers can relate with his curious nature. The story has a lot of humor with imaginative characters and an interesting storyline. I like the simple sketches that are placed throughout the book that complement the text, but also like that the text is descriptive enough that you can picture what is occurring.


Concerns: Some readers may be concerned with the content of witches itself if they have certain religious beliefs. In addition, the ideas presented in this book may be scary to children if they do not understand that the book is a fantasy.


Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book is great for children aged 8 and up. The book would be a great addition to a classroom library for individual reading or for a discussion on fiction. When looking for a picture of this book on amazon.com, I found that many of Dahl's books, including The Witches, have been converted into plays for children to perform. This would be a great way to work on fluency and presentation in the classroom.