Well Witched


Frances Hardinge - 2007
    After all, who's really going to miss a few tarnished coins?The well witch does.And she demands payback: Now Ryan, Josh, and Chelle must serve her . . . and the wishes that lie rotting at the bottom of her well. Each takes on powers they didn't ask for and don't want. Ryan grows strange bumps--are they eyes?--between his knuckles; Chelle starts speaking the secrets of strangers, no matter how awful and bloody; and Josh can suddenly--inexplicably--grant even the darkest of wishes, the kind of wishes that should never come true.Darkly witty, wholly unexpected, and exquisitely sinister, Frances Hardinge's Well Witched is one well-cast tale that readers didn't know they were wishing for.

Trouble Dolls


Jimmy Buffett - 1991
    "A welcome blend of myth and reality, set in modern times but connected by folklore to the world of animals and magic."--Publishers Weekly

The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree


Stan Berenstain - 1978
    Three brave little bears explore the inside of a mysterious old tree and go into, up, through, over, down, and out.

The Witch in the Cherry Tree


Margaret Mahy - 1974
    David takes pity on her and gives her his cakes which are exactly the way she likes them - burnt! And there is a recipe on the last page too.

Meg and Mog


Helen Nicoll - 1972
    Meg is a cute well-meaning witch who lives with Mog and her owl. In Meg and Mog, we are introduced to a witch wardrobe and a witch's breakfast. Later Meg flies off to meet her witch friends for some spell-making at a Halloween Party. Unfortunately the spell does not go exactly to plan... The illustration is simple and with very bold, deep colours. Designed specifically to appeal to very young children, Meg and Mog has short simple sentences on each page, allowing the illustration to play an important part in the storytelling. If you enjoy the first Meg and Mog, enjoy more adventures in Meg on the Moon and Mog at the Zoo. (Ages 1 to 3 years.) --Victoria MacKenzie

A Dark, Dark Tale


Ruth Brown - 1981
    Children will delight in following the black cat's progress through the dark wood, into the dark house, and eventually to the surprise discovery at the back of the toy cupboard, in this mysterious, beautifully illustrated picture book.

Room on the Broom


Julia Donaldson - 2001
    The witch and her cat are happily flying through the sky on a broomstick when the wind picks up and blows away the witch's hat, then her bow, and then her wand!  Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items, and all they want in return is a ride on the broom.  But is there room on the broom for so many friends?  And when disaster strikes, will they be able to save the witch from a hungry dragon?

Sleeping Beauty


Mahlon F. Craft - 2002
    Now brought luminously to life by K. Y. Craft's lavish paintings, this new edition of a timeless favorite is sure to enchant readers both young and old. Fairy tale lovers have been eagerly awaiting Craft's next magical romance since the release of her Cinderella. With illustrations inspired by the magnificent style of Baroque painters, the sumptuous color and exquisite detail of this breathtaking interpretation make it a dream come true.

The Selkie Girl


Susan Cooper - 1986
    A retelling of the Celtic legend in which a crofter falls in love with a beautiful seal girl and forces her to live on land and be his bride.

The Curious Little Witch


Lieve Baeten - 1992
    Late one night she spots an old house all lit up when everyone else is asleep, and she can’t help herself. She just has to investigate. The Little Witch books have been favorites around the world for years. Now, at last, the irresistible Little Witch comes to America! NorthSouth is excited to launch this new Picture book series here in the Unied States.

The Little Mermaid


Hans Christian Andersen - 1836
    This title is part of Andersen's Fairy Tales, Volume 2.About the authorHans Christian Andersen, one of the best known figures in literature, is best know for combining traditional folk tales with his own great imagination to produce fairy tales known to most children today. The Danish writer was born in the slums of Odense. Although he was raised in poverty, he eventually attended Copenhagen University.Although Andersen wrote poems, plays and books, he is best known for his Fairy Tales and Other Stories, written between 1835 and 1872. This work includes such famous tales as The Emperor's New Clothes, Little Ugly Duckling, The Tinderbox, Little Claus and Big Claus, Princess and the Pea, The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, The Nightingale, The Story of a Mother and The Swineherd.Andersen's greatest work is still influential today, helping mold some of the works of writers ranging from Charles Dickens to Oscar Wilde and inspiring many of the works of Disney and other motion pictures.Andersen, who traveled greatly during his life, died in his home in Rolighed on August 4, 1875.(Bowker Author Biography)

Little Witch


Anna Elizabeth Bennett - 1953
    ...It may sound like fun to be the daughter of Madam Snickasnee and be forbidden to go to school, to wash behind your ears, or go to bed at night. You might even like to see certain people you know turned into potted plants and have your own flying broomstick. ...But Minx didn't like riding around in the dark or cooking up horrid pots of Black Spell Brew. Even a witch's child rebels, and one day, Minx sneaked off to school. ...The principal was certainly surprised to see his newest pupil arriving on a broomstick, and life got much more exciting for a lot of people - the school-children, Mr. Beanpot the detective and Mrs. Sputter of the Parent-Teachers' Association. ...Anyone who ever longed to cast a spell or experiment with a magic kettle will delight in the wonderful story of Minx and how her dearest wish came true. Helen Stone's gay line drawings make the little witch and her friends come alive with humor and Hallowe'en spirit.

Alice and Greta: A Tale of Two Witches


Steven J. Simmons - 1997
    And Greta... well, Greta and trouble are never far apart. Alice spends her time helping others by weaving her enchanting spells. All Greta does is wreak havoc. But when a forgotten spell comes back to haunt her, Greta's stuck learning something she should have learned long ago.

The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan


Beatrix Potter - 1905
    The aim of these editions is to be as close as possible to Beatrix Potter's intentions while benefiting from modern printing and design techniques. The colours and details of the watercolours in the volumes are reproduced more accurately than ever before, and it has now been possible to disguise damage that has affected the artwork over the years. Most notably, The Tale of Peter Rabbit restores six of Potter's original illustrations. Four were sacrificed in 1903 to make space for illustrated endpapers, and two have never been used before. Of course, Beatrix Potter created many memorable children's characters, including Benjamin Bunny, Tom Kitten, Jemima Puddle-duck and Jeremy Fisher. But whatever the tale, both children and adults alike can be delighted by the artistry in Potter's illustrations, while they also enjoy a very good read. Because they have always been completely true to a child's experience, Potter's 23 books continue to endure.

La Llorona, the Weeping Woman: An Hispanic Legend Told in Spanish and English


Joe Hayes - 1986
    It is truly the best known and most popular cuento of Hispanic America. It appears at first to be only a frightening story filled with mysterious events that cause children to sit wide-eyed, to huddle together and listen spellbound. Yet, it’s the simple, universal wisdom at the core of the story that finally works its magic in their hearts. In the original paperback duotone version, this story of the weeping woman, sold close to 100,000 copies.Joe Hayes is best known for his bilingual tellings of stories from the American Southwest. La Llorona is one of his favorite stories.