The Little Green Witch
Kindergarten-Grade 2–Halloween's answer to The Little Red Hen. While her hollow-tree housemates (a ghost, a bat, and a gremlin) laze around, the little witch does all the unhousework–hanging the cobwebs, dirtying the laundry, etc. When she finds some pumpkin seeds and plants them, she discovers that her friends are stubbornly unhelpful at every stage. While the little green witch's question is always, ˜Who will help me…,' the answers are divertingly varied: ˜Can't hear you,' said the bat. ˜Water, schmater,' grouched the gremlin. As readers will expect, when the witch takes her pumpkin pie out of the oven, everyone is willing to help her eat it. Equally predictable is her refusal to share it. But she has an extra comeuppance up her ragged sleeve, one that will make readers laugh out loud. McGrath has done a fine job of meeting expectations while introducing surprises at every turn. Her gentle humor is amplified by Alexander's sweet and funny watercolor-pastel illustrations. Details like a Mickey Mouse cup on the shelf, a wood crate labeled Apples, and a cookie jar shaped like a little red hen can be discovered in successive readings. Children will enjoy this book before, during, and after Halloween.–Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.