Jill Murphy: The Worst Witch (2004, Puffin Books)
112 pages
Published Nov. 25, 2004 by Puffin Books.
Mildred Hubble is a trainee witch at Miss Cackle's Academy, and she's making an awful mess of it. She's always getting her spells wrong and she can't even ride a broomstick without crashing it. Will she ever make a real witch?
plot was cool pacing was odd
Once upon a time, my only experience of the Worst Witch was the movie from the 80s that has Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard. Still watch it at least every year around Halloween, because, hey, I love the thing. At some point after when I finally got on the internet in the late 90s, I discovered the movie was based on a book series, and saw how some of what was in the book was changed in the movie, etc. I finally decided to try out the first one, to see for myself.
Well, I was surprised on how very similar the storyline was to the movie's - but for once, the movie fills in a lot more than the book does. I guess that's because the book is geared towards kids, and that meant writing it more simplistically than perhaps it otherwise might have been. Or just how …
Once upon a time, my only experience of the Worst Witch was the movie from the 80s that has Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard. Still watch it at least every year around Halloween, because, hey, I love the thing. At some point after when I finally got on the internet in the late 90s, I discovered the movie was based on a book series, and saw how some of what was in the book was changed in the movie, etc. I finally decided to try out the first one, to see for myself.
Well, I was surprised on how very similar the storyline was to the movie's - but for once, the movie fills in a lot more than the book does. I guess that's because the book is geared towards kids, and that meant writing it more simplistically than perhaps it otherwise might have been. Or just how they were writing young adult books back in the 70s - have no idea. But this was short, simple, got the message and point across when you read it. And the biggest difference from the book and movie was the Grand Wizard - Tim Curry wasn't dressed as an old guy with a long beard and a purple outfit.
I just finished reading this book to my oldest grandson (age 4). He found the tale and the characters interesting. It is among his favorite chapter books (big-boy books) to-date. He (and I) can't wait to 'read' the next one.
I actually only read a chapter or two of this to Colleen (age 7), AFTER she’d already devoured it in one sitting the night before. She literally didn’t speak a word to me after I surprised her with it on the bus ride home, read it while walking from the bus to our apartment, and continued reading it while she took off her shoes and continued into her room. We’ve requested the rest of the series from the library.
Definitely an uncomplicated children’s story.
