Little Witch, by Anna Elizabeth Barrett


Over 70 years ago a librarian in Brooklyn wrote a book about a little witch. It would be the only book she ever published, and it would go on to be beloved by many. It's a heartwarming tale of a little girl who doesn't want to be a witch, and that's a shame because her mother is the meanest witch in the neighborhood. All the little girl wants is to be part of the normative girls, so she sneaks off to school, and hijinks follow. In the end, though, the little girl meets her real mom (a fairy!) turns seven flowerpots back into children, and sees the old witch turned into an aardvark and sent off to the zoo. I'd say you can't make this stuff up, but Anna Elizabeth Barrett did exactly that!

Verdict: I can't see any modern readers having any desire to read this book, but it's short and sometimes Halloween needs some fillers on the shelf, so I'll keep it for now.

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