THE WITCH’S WALKING STICK

Meddaugh’s wacky, and highly pleasurable, Cinderella-like tale doesn’t need any prince for Margaret (as our Cinderella is known) to escape the demands of her lazy and cruel siblings, just a near-spent magic walking stick. The stick belongs to a witch who has used it to make a thousand miserable wishes come true. Almost out of steam, the witch is about to turn a dog into cat when the dog snatches the stick, thinking she wants to play. Meanwhile, across the forest, Margaret is having another wretched day being bossed around by her brother and sister. She runs away. A rolling series of comical incidents ensue, as Margaret learns of the stick’s powers, gives her brother and sister the what for, ameliorates her circumstances and returns the stick just as its powers disappear. Sorry, witch. Meddaugh’s droll, economical prose is matched to perfection by her wonderfully expository artwork. (Picture book. 4-8)