Books

The Witches

Information   Description   Reviews   Awards   Fun Stuff   Merchandise   Teacher Resources   Cover Illustrations   Norwegian, Spanish Cover Illustrations

Information

• First editions:
  • Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1983, USA.
  • Jonathan Cape, 1983, Great Britain.
    • Illustrated by Quentin Blake
    • Value (circa 1989) in Fine condition
      • $12-$15
• Censorship:
  • Challenged in Spencer, Wisconsin because "it desensitizes children to crime related to witchcraft."
• Collected in:
  • Wizards: Stories of Magic, Mischief and Mayhem
• Movie:
  • "The Witches"
• Audio Books:
  • The Witches read by Judy Bennett
  • The Witches read by Jean Marsh
  • The Witches read by full cast

Description

The Grand High Witch has a fiendish plan for getting rid of all the children in England. First, her fellow hags will take over all the sweet shops. Next, they will sell poisoned sweets and chocolate which turn children into mice! Then, make way for the mouse traps...

This terrible plan is overheard by the young boy narrator of the story. Fortunately, his grandma knows something about witches. Unfortunately, before he has a chance to consult her, he is turned into a mouse himself.

Will the witches triumph? Are the children of England doomed? And what exactly is the secret behind grandma's missing finger? This award-winning tale has all the answers. [from roalddahl.com]

Reviews

• "The Boy Who Became a Mouse" by Erica Jong

Awards

• New York Times Outstanding Books Award (USA 1983)
• Whitbread Award (UK 1983)
• Federation of Children's Book Groups Award (UK 1983)

Fun Stuff

• The Witches Trivia Quiz
• Download Witches wallpaper!
• Illustrations from the Book
• Illustrations by Mr. Hutchinson's Fifth Grade Class

Merchandise

• Robertson's Jam Badge
• Grand High Witch Figurine
• Witches' Jelly Mice
• Witches' Eye Balls Lollipops

Teacher Resources

• The Witches
  • Reading Quiz
    • Online reading quiz with questions from the book
  • Classroom Activities
    • Includes a few activities she came up with for her class
  • Writing Across the Curriculum
    • Using information from the book, students embark on an effort to save children like themselves from the witches and the effects of Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker. Using population statistics as well as information from the text, students write a pe

Cover Illustrations

Click on any thumbnail to see the full–size version...

Farrar, Straus & Giroux 1983 [Buy this Book]

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Puffin, 1985 [Buy this Book]

Puffin, 1998 [Buy this Book]

Puffin, 1989 [Buy this Book]

Puffin, 2001 [Buy this Book]

Jonathan Cape, 2002 [Buy this Book]

Puffin, 2007 [Buy this Book]

Puffin, 2009 [Buy this Book]

Jonathan Cape, 2010 [Buy this Book]

Norwegian Cover Illustration – "Heksene"

Spanish Cover Illustration – "Las brujas"

Click on thumbnail to see the full–size version...

Santillana Pub Co, 1998
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