The Old Witch and Her Magic Basket by Ida DeLage

The Old Witch and Her Magic Basket Reviews

• 
  Abigail

  The Old Witch returns in this tenth picture-book devoted to her adventures, excited once again to celebrate Halloween in her own inimitable style. Ringing the school bell, chasing the farmer's sheep, and frightening the young trick-or-treaters, she has a blast, until she discovers that one little girl named Polly is home sick with a cold. Believing that everyone is entitled to a Happy Halloween, filled with plenty of shivers and shocks, the Old Witch returns to her cave to get her magic basket, and then sets out to put on a holiday extravaganza that Polly will never forget...
  
  This is the fifth volume of Ida DeLage's series of fourteen picture-books about the Old Witch that I have read - sadly, my library system does not own the entire set, so I've missed a few - and I would say that it is the sweetest of the lot. Old Witch retains some of her cantankerous character here, but seems far more mellow and kindhearted than in the other entries in the series. In fact, it might be more accurate to call these books a "collection," rather than a series, as narrative developments from previous installments are often not carried through in subsequent titles, and each entry seems to be illustrated by a different artist. The Old Witch and Her Magic Basket was illustrated by Ellen Sloan, who depicts the witchy protagonist in a brighter way - she has a star-spangled blue gown! - that seems to match the lighter tone of the story. All in all, a pleasantly engaging Halloween tale that, although slightly dated in feel, will appeal to young readers who enjoy witchy stories.
• 
  Qt

  It gave me a nice Halloween feeling :-) I think I might have loved this one when I was littler.