THE THREE WITCHES

“Three witches had already eaten a boy and girl’s mother and father, so their grandmother took them to live with her far off in the woods.” The cupboard bare, grandma leaves the children alone, and of course they fall into the clutches of the witches, marvelously depicted with red, green and purple skin; yellow, orange and blue hair; and exceedingly long teeth. The children escape to a tall tree, which the witches commence to chop down. The girl chants, “Block eye, chip!” sending wood into the witches’ eyes, while the boy calls the hounds. Through the unexpected intervention of a large snake, grandma, who has fallen asleep all tuckered out from her trip to get food, wakes just in time, freeing the hounds who devour the hungry witches. Not for the faint-hearted, this tale’s rich oral language begs to be read aloud, and will be welcomed by connoisseurs (of all ages) of the scary story. Includes adapter’s and illustrator’s notes and tributes to Hurston. (Picture book/folktale. 6-10)