I Want to Be a Witch

by Ian Cunliffe, Ian Cunliffe (Illustrator)

Overview

"When I grow up, I want to be a witch," says a little girl. She would have a sparkly hat, a crystal ball, a wand to do spells, & of course, a broomstick. She definitely wouldn't cook up any smelly or turn her brother into a frog. And spiders & bats? No way! Her companion would be her cat! Ages 3-7

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589251595
Publisher:	Tiger Tales
Publication date:	09/15/2014
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

Editorial Reviews

11/01/2014
PreS-Gr 1—An unnamed protagonist proclaims her desire to be a witch when she grows up. However, she's very particular about which witchy traits she'd willingly embrace. She's all about a sparkly hat covered in stars, a cat, a magic wand, a crystal ball, and a flying broomstick. She has no interest in creepy crawly things, a warty nose, knobby knees, rotted teeth, ugly curled-up boots, green hair, horrid potions, or scary witch friends. Just as readers are starting to feel sorry for the poor, maligned stereotypical witch, the surprise ending comes (spoiler alert): "When I grow up I want to be a nice witch…Just like my mom." (Awwww.) Cunliffe's illustrations are bold with bright colors, plenty of detail, and just enough white space to keep them from being overwhelming. There is plenty of humor and light touches in this breezy story. The multifont and varied text size is woven in and around the lively illustrations, making for an energetic reading experience that's sure to be a hit with the princess crowd. Also, the book could be a great classroom discussion starter about stereotypes.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

School Library Journal

Not all witches have warts and brew yucky potions! As this young witch shows readers, there is more to the world of witches than first meets the eye. A little girl dreams of being a witch when she grows up. However, she does not want to be the kind of witch who is the villain in storybooks; she prefers little more modern version, not so distant from familiar humans. Brief text spurs the story ahead; its curly-cue font and occasional rhyming schemes giving more joy and lightheartedness to the book than a traditional font would do. The illustrations blend perfectly with the font and augment the text, showing delightfully pleasant creatures and characters. Bright colors and only a few scary images make this a great selection for young female readers, as they will likely empathize with the protagonist without the fear that could come from traditional stories of witches. The endpapers are decorated with all kinds of Halloween-esque imagery that can also be found within the pages of the book among the textual illustrations. An additional element is that the front of this paperback book is textured in glitter that is affixed very securely to the cover, increasing the enjoyment for the reader without creating a glittery mess. Originally published in Great Britain, young readers who love glitter, friends, and bright colors will be enamored with this book. Reviewer: Mary Pearl; Ages 3 to 6.

Children's Literature - Mary Pearl