For a slightly sinister Halloween theme, Roald Dahl's "The Witches" is a giveaway. If you've never read it, you are missing out--luckily, it's never too late to start!
I will forever associate this wonderful book with my fourth grade reading teacher, Mrs. Larsen. She read this book out loud to all her classes, referred to herself as "a vitch", and kept a tiny bottle of green potion on her desk.
The story: A little boy (I don't know his name--the story is told in first person), goes to live with his loving grandmother after his parents die. She takes him in and immediately begins to tell him about witches, what they've done to children she knew, and most importantly, how to recognize them. Think you know how to recognize a witch? Here's a quiz:
Witches...
a. are bald
b. have square feet with no toes
c. have claws
d. have blue spit
e. all of the above
The answer, of course, is "e", but witches are masters of disguise. They wear wigs and gloves, and they shove their square feet into tiny pointy shoes, so the boy's grandmother gives him tips on how to recognize the disguise.
The boy likes hearing his grandmother's stories, but when they go on vacation to a grand hotel where the annual convention of English witches is being held, he will need all his grandmother's knowledge and his own bravery to defeat them.
A Warning: looking back, this book is more than slightly sinister. A lot of witches die, and bad things happen to children...even the little boy (though it does have a happy ending). It is kind of scary, and while my fourth grade class really enjoyed it (and probably third graders would too) I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone younger.
This book is a classic, and a perfect read for Halloween, and if you haven't read it, beeline it to your local library.
I know that there is a movie, but I've never seen it. I watched the trailer on Youtube, and it scared me a little, so I'm leaving it off this post, but watch it if you wish.
a. are bald
b. have square feet with no toes
c. have claws
d. have blue spit
e. all of the above
The answer, of course, is "e", but witches are masters of disguise. They wear wigs and gloves, and they shove their square feet into tiny pointy shoes, so the boy's grandmother gives him tips on how to recognize the disguise.
The boy likes hearing his grandmother's stories, but when they go on vacation to a grand hotel where the annual convention of English witches is being held, he will need all his grandmother's knowledge and his own bravery to defeat them.
A Warning: looking back, this book is more than slightly sinister. A lot of witches die, and bad things happen to children...even the little boy (though it does have a happy ending). It is kind of scary, and while my fourth grade class really enjoyed it (and probably third graders would too) I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone younger.
This book is a classic, and a perfect read for Halloween, and if you haven't read it, beeline it to your local library.
I know that there is a movie, but I've never seen it. I watched the trailer on Youtube, and it scared me a little, so I'm leaving it off this post, but watch it if you wish.
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