A Is for Apple, W Is for Witch - Hardcover

Grade 3-5?Apple Olson, 10, becomes upset when Barnaby, a classmate, calls her mother a witch. He doesn't know that it's true. Mrs. Olson promises to teach her daughter about witchcraft when she is 16, but the impatient, curious girl eavesdrops on her mother, overhearing part of a transformation spell. Apple tries the spell herself, successfully turning a rock into a frog. And the next time Barnaby provokes her, she turns him into a slug. Unfortunately, casting spells makes the girl's life increasingly complicated, and she must turn to her parent to help her out of her tangle. In the end, Apple promises that she will wait a few years to learn to use her abilities properly. Set in a typical American town during the Halloween season, this story should appeal to middle-grade readers. The characters are likable and realistically drawn, but the plot contains some weak spots. Barnaby's comments about Mrs. Olson seem contrived, as he has never met her. Also, while the woman points out that not all witches conform to scary, evil stereotypes, she does possess a cauldron and a flying broom; Apple herself gets a familiar, a black kitten. Nevertheless, young readers who enjoy light magic stories laced with humor may appreciate this tale. A few pen-and-ink sketches illustrate the text.?Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library District, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 3^-5. Ten-year-old Apple Olson endures constant teasing from classmate Barnaby Thompson, who insists Apple's mother is a witch. Actually, the accusation is correct, but Mrs. Olson isn't evil--she's a nice, suburban, Bewitched sort of sorceress. Forbidden to learn any spells of her own until she is at least 16, Apple itches for revenge, and when she overhears her mother reciting a transformation spell, Apple tries it out on Barnaby, changing him into a frog. Things go from bad to worse when she has trouble reversing the charm and is forced to enchant others to manage the consequences of her first incantation. Finally, with a little help from Mom, all is resolved just in time for Halloween. Short chapters, large print, several black-line drawings, and a light, breezy style will make this a popular choice as a read-aloud or read-alone for middle-grade readers. Although the idea of witches not being ostracized by all the neighbors may strain adult credibility, Dexter handles her premise well, and children will enjoy this engaging fantasy. Kay Weisman