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The Little Leftover Witch
Book by Florence Laughlin
107 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1960
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
November 24, 2012
Sweet little old-fashioned chapter book about a family who takes in a little lost witch. Yes, at times it slips toward the saccharine, and the story is definitely dated. But for the most part, this is just a nice story about the power of love.
Some readers seem to take issue with how Felina is changed, seeing this as a kind of brainwashing or repression of her interesting differences. Certainly a more skilled author would have spent time showing how the family changed, too. But this story is not one about a child from a different culture who is repressed into our society's modes of behavior. It isn't about culture at all--the author never shows us what the witches' society is like because it doesn't matter. It just represents Felina's inability to be part of a normal family. (I grant you, that's "normal" for 1960.) The story is part of the family of stories of children damaged and distanced by their early experiences, who are accepted, loved, and taught to be part of society again. Think of Understood Betsy, The Good Master, The Secret Garden, etc.
(BTW this story is the OPPOSITE of the trope about the repressed people who take in the orphaned stranger, and find they are changed by the child, instead of the other way around. Anne of Green Gables changes Marilla far more than Marilla "civilizes" her; Heidi opens her grandfather's heart to love and friendship again.)
Some readers seem to take issue with how Felina is changed, seeing this as a kind of brainwashing or repression of her interesting differences. Certainly a more skilled author would have spent time showing how the family changed, too. But this story is not one about a child from a different culture who is repressed into our society's modes of behavior. It isn't about culture at all--the author never shows us what the witches' society is like because it doesn't matter. It just represents Felina's inability to be part of a normal family. (I grant you, that's "normal" for 1960.) The story is part of the family of stories of children damaged and distanced by their early experiences, who are accepted, loved, and taught to be part of society again. Think of Understood Betsy, The Good Master, The Secret Garden, etc.
(BTW this story is the OPPOSITE of the trope about the repressed people who take in the orphaned stranger, and find they are changed by the child, instead of the other way around. Anne of Green Gables changes Marilla far more than Marilla "civilizes" her; Heidi opens her grandfather's heart to love and friendship again.)
November 2, 2020
When Lucinda Doon finds a little lost witch outside her window one Halloween night, she takes the bedraggled, cross little creature in, and soon Felina - who cannot get home because her broom is broken - has become a part of the Doon family. Not always friendly, and frequently uncooperative, Felina is slowly integrated into human life, becoming more and more like a little girl, as the year progresses. There are definite setbacks, but in the end love proves to be the strongest magic of all, and Felina discovers that she belongs with the Doons...
Originally published in 1960, The Little Leftover Witch was reprinted in 2013, with new cover art, making it available to young readers again. Unlike so many other witchy adventures I have read for the beginning chapter-book audience, this is less of a fantasy - although there are fantastical elements - and more of a family story. Felina is different from the Doons, but the things that set her apart could have been entirely non-magical, and it would not have made any difference to the emotional tenor of the story. This is very much a tale of fostering, and then adoption, and it is poignant, humorous and ultimately heartwarming. While the patience of the Doons, in the face of Felina's outbursts, and stubborn clinging to some of her witchy accoutrements, sometimes feels almost superhuman, it is still quite satisfying to witness. Felina's own transformation is likewise deeply satisfying, as she slowly learns to trust her new family, and to feel that she is one of them. Recommended to young readers looking for family stories and/or (somewhat) witchy tales.
Originally published in 1960, The Little Leftover Witch was reprinted in 2013, with new cover art, making it available to young readers again. Unlike so many other witchy adventures I have read for the beginning chapter-book audience, this is less of a fantasy - although there are fantastical elements - and more of a family story. Felina is different from the Doons, but the things that set her apart could have been entirely non-magical, and it would not have made any difference to the emotional tenor of the story. This is very much a tale of fostering, and then adoption, and it is poignant, humorous and ultimately heartwarming. While the patience of the Doons, in the face of Felina's outbursts, and stubborn clinging to some of her witchy accoutrements, sometimes feels almost superhuman, it is still quite satisfying to witness. Felina's own transformation is likewise deeply satisfying, as she slowly learns to trust her new family, and to feel that she is one of them. Recommended to young readers looking for family stories and/or (somewhat) witchy tales.
October 26, 2021
Such a sweet, surprising little story. It really isn't very "witchy" in terms of spells and broomsticks. It is, rather, the story of a little girl whose "witchy" nature is transformed by the love and goodwill of the happy family into which she is welcomed. I absolutely loved that about it. I thought Mr. and Mrs. Doon were remarkably tolerant and wise regarding the little witch, allowing her to wear her tatty witch's hat because it was important to her, focusing on the positives and not the negatives of her behavior, and Grandfather was such a dear I just wanted to hug him -- it was wonderful to see how the little witch's frostiness melted away with so much warmth around her. I appreciate, though, that they never condoned unkind behavior from the little witch, and that there were limits (I was not a fan of the spanking threats, however, but I imagine this was fairly standard given the era). Though a book for children, I think many a tired and frazzled parent might be refreshed if pick up this book and remember that the witchy behaviors come out when one is hurt, sad, lonely, frightened and to remember that kindness and love go a lot farther to help with this than punishments and censure. Despite not featuring much magic, the book has a delightfully atmospheric opening of a neighborhood Halloween scene, though it progresses through an entire year. The first time I read this, I was a bit disappointed that, in the end, and I imagine some children will feel the same, but as a parent, I thought it was a perfect ending.
October 2, 2022
I love a cute Halloween book, regardless of the age it was written for! I stumbled across The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin and decided to give into the whimsy of the spooky season. It was time to indulge myself!
This book was utterly cute and had the sweetest ending. It's the kind of fun and joy I want in the spooky season. Thoroughly impressed with this book and I highly recommend it for middle grade readers wanting something spooky but positive. There's no horrors, just lots of fun and Easter eggs of what you might expect a little girl witch to do and like.
It might be old fashioned, but I think it holds up over time. This should be a Fall/Halloween classic!
Four out of five stars.
This book was utterly cute and had the sweetest ending. It's the kind of fun and joy I want in the spooky season. Thoroughly impressed with this book and I highly recommend it for middle grade readers wanting something spooky but positive. There's no horrors, just lots of fun and Easter eggs of what you might expect a little girl witch to do and like.
It might be old fashioned, but I think it holds up over time. This should be a Fall/Halloween classic!
Four out of five stars.
November 5, 2011
This was a book I remember discovering in one of my 5th grade teachers rooms. I picked it up to read then and loved it immediately. I never owned my own copy but was able to find one recently. Upon reading it again after more than 30 years, it reminded why I loved it so much. It was such a beautiful and touching story about belonging with people who love you.
November 10, 2021
Very, very cute book about a young witch who is left behind on Halloween, and has to spend the year living with a normal human family. She's like a weird feral creature, she doesn't know how to read or write, has never bathed or had people food, and likes to sit up in the tree in the yard with their crotchety cat. The ending surprised us all, and we honestly weren't sure how we felt about it. But it was overall a very cute story, and reminded me of Poo-Poo and the Dragons or something Betty MacDonald would write.
December 12, 2016
Unfortunately, this new edition does not have the pictures by Sheila Greenwald. Doing a Google image search reveals some, and makes it clear that they would have added a lot to the story.
And I feel fortunate in that I'm old enough to recognize some of the dated cultural references and assumptions. They might jar a modern child. (Otoh, they might intrigue him or her.)
However, it's still a nearly perfect fable about an abandoned, forlorn child who acts out her insecurities but is loved by her new family nonetheless, and finally learns to love them back and to feel secure and be happy.
No, it is not about squelching differences - the resolution is explicit about that. And no, it is not about modern Pagan 'good' witches. It is a fable. Iow, it is a theme that is made subtle by being disguised as a fun children's story.
I wish I had known it when I was young. Absolutely delightful. Highly recommended. (And very short, so you can easily read it yourself before passing it to your child, if you're still nervous.) I will try to find others by author.
And I feel fortunate in that I'm old enough to recognize some of the dated cultural references and assumptions. They might jar a modern child. (Otoh, they might intrigue him or her.)
However, it's still a nearly perfect fable about an abandoned, forlorn child who acts out her insecurities but is loved by her new family nonetheless, and finally learns to love them back and to feel secure and be happy.
No, it is not about squelching differences - the resolution is explicit about that. And no, it is not about modern Pagan 'good' witches. It is a fable. Iow, it is a theme that is made subtle by being disguised as a fun children's story.
I wish I had known it when I was young. Absolutely delightful. Highly recommended. (And very short, so you can easily read it yourself before passing it to your child, if you're still nervous.) I will try to find others by author.
November 5, 2013
In fourth grade I had a magical teacher. Her name was Mrs. Darflinger. She had flaming red hair, much like my own, and dressed in colors I had only dreamed of. She ran a tight ship, but if we had reached all of our goals for the day, the final half hour of class was dedicated to listening as she read to us from books that still dance in my memory. October was filled with stories of chilly nights, spooky goblins and eerie adventures as we worked our way to what was hands down, the best class party every year…that of Halloween. The last book of the month was by far my favorite; The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin.
The Little Leftover Witch is the sweet tale of Felina, a young witch that somehow manages to break her broom, thus grounding herself with the humans until the next Halloween. She’s invited to stay with the Doon family and they warmly welcome her into their home and their lives. Felina is determined to retain all her witchiness and to be as miserable as possible in the face of all their kindness. It’s not long though, until she finds herself warming up to their acceptance and she begins to learn what it means to be part of a family. Mr. and Mrs. Doon allow her to continue wearing her witch’s hat (where she keeps all of her magic), but they insist she attend school with Lucinda, their daughter of about the same age. Human school is very different from witch school, with very different subjects, but Felina dives in, and with the help of the humans surrounding her, learns to read and begins to make friends.
Felina is eagerly anticipating the upcoming holiday season, but is terrified when a neighborhood bully tells her that witches don’t get visits from Santa because he only visits good little boys and girls. Convinced she’ll receive nothing, she pours all of her energy into being as mischievous as she can possibly be. When gifts arrive for her on Christmas morning, she can hardly believe her eyes. A transformation begins to take place in Felina that day and by the time the next Halloween rolls around, she has embraced a whole new magic, that of a loving family.
The story was written in the early 60’s and is a bit dated, but not at all to the point of removing the enjoyment of the tale being spun. The unrepentant moral of the story is that the love of a family is the true magic. When preparing this review, I came across a few others that felt that the book was flawed in that it presented the message that you can’t be who you really are if you want to be accepted. Felina did not remain an angry witch. She changed. But in my opinion, they couldn’t be farther off the mark. Felina didn’t change in order to be accepted; she changed because she was accepted. Love has a way of doing that.
The Little Leftover Witch is the sweet tale of Felina, a young witch that somehow manages to break her broom, thus grounding herself with the humans until the next Halloween. She’s invited to stay with the Doon family and they warmly welcome her into their home and their lives. Felina is determined to retain all her witchiness and to be as miserable as possible in the face of all their kindness. It’s not long though, until she finds herself warming up to their acceptance and she begins to learn what it means to be part of a family. Mr. and Mrs. Doon allow her to continue wearing her witch’s hat (where she keeps all of her magic), but they insist she attend school with Lucinda, their daughter of about the same age. Human school is very different from witch school, with very different subjects, but Felina dives in, and with the help of the humans surrounding her, learns to read and begins to make friends.
Felina is eagerly anticipating the upcoming holiday season, but is terrified when a neighborhood bully tells her that witches don’t get visits from Santa because he only visits good little boys and girls. Convinced she’ll receive nothing, she pours all of her energy into being as mischievous as she can possibly be. When gifts arrive for her on Christmas morning, she can hardly believe her eyes. A transformation begins to take place in Felina that day and by the time the next Halloween rolls around, she has embraced a whole new magic, that of a loving family.
The story was written in the early 60’s and is a bit dated, but not at all to the point of removing the enjoyment of the tale being spun. The unrepentant moral of the story is that the love of a family is the true magic. When preparing this review, I came across a few others that felt that the book was flawed in that it presented the message that you can’t be who you really are if you want to be accepted. Felina did not remain an angry witch. She changed. But in my opinion, they couldn’t be farther off the mark. Felina didn’t change in order to be accepted; she changed because she was accepted. Love has a way of doing that.
February 14, 2013
Not very witchy, but nice.
February 13, 2012
This was my very favorite book as a child. I checked it out repeatedly at the library and read and re-read it many times. I am looking to purchase a copy of it so I can revisit the Doon family as an adult and see if the magic is still there!!
September 19, 2017
This was one of my favorite books when I was in elementary school. I'm so glad it's back in print AND available for Kindle! I was surprised by how much I remembered, some of it word for word. It clearly made an impression on me.
October 29, 2023
3.5🌟 I really loved the illustrations and cozy details in this witchy chapter book, but parts of the story were not my cup of tea.
I know the book was written in the 60s and times were different then, but it was hard for me to read the frequent "you need a spanking" references when a child wasn't doing the "right" thing.
If it wasn't for that, I would have given this book a solid 4🌟 rating. I adored Grandfather George and sweet Lucinda in this story. These two characters and the charming black and white illustrations were my favorite parts of the book.
The ending was bittersweet, but I believe it was supposed to be a happy ending. In some ways, it was. But, if you read this book, I think you'll know what I mean.
I'm so happy to have a vintage hardcover edition with dust jacket for my spooky Halloween book collection. Maybe if I read it again, I could gloss over the elements I didn't resonate with. It's just too cute to donate.
I know the book was written in the 60s and times were different then, but it was hard for me to read the frequent "you need a spanking" references when a child wasn't doing the "right" thing.
If it wasn't for that, I would have given this book a solid 4🌟 rating. I adored Grandfather George and sweet Lucinda in this story. These two characters and the charming black and white illustrations were my favorite parts of the book.
The ending was bittersweet, but I believe it was supposed to be a happy ending. In some ways, it was. But, if you read this book, I think you'll know what I mean.
I'm so happy to have a vintage hardcover edition with dust jacket for my spooky Halloween book collection. Maybe if I read it again, I could gloss over the elements I didn't resonate with. It's just too cute to donate.
October 22, 2021
I really wasn't too sure about this book for the first few chapters. But once I realized that it is -- in a way -- a story about an orphan being adopted, learning to be loved, and the family being patient and caring with the little witch as she overcomes her "bad magic" that wreaks mild havoc when she's sad, mad, scared, or lonely.
There is spanking and orders that the children must obey. Which I do not like. But it is mostly contained to the start of the book, and overall the book is caring and warm. And a nice way to show that usually when kids are "acting out" it's only because of a great sadness or fear that they don't know how to deal with yet.
There is spanking and orders that the children must obey. Which I do not like. But it is mostly contained to the start of the book, and overall the book is caring and warm. And a nice way to show that usually when kids are "acting out" it's only because of a great sadness or fear that they don't know how to deal with yet.
November 19, 2018
Very cute story about Felina, a little witch who broke her broomstick on Halloween, and the Doon family who owned the tree she landed in. Witches can only fly on Halloween, as everyone knows, and so, Felina was Earth-bound for a whole year. The Doon family did what any family would do - they put a found witch ad in the newspaper. Over the year, Felina faced all the challenges that any seven year old would. There was reading and math to do, doctor's to visit, figuring out birthday parties, and even the rules of Christmas.
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November 14, 2021I love this for the writing and the nostalgia but I don't like the ending. Felina was perfect as a little witch and shouldn't have needed to lose her witchiness to fit in with her new family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 22, 2017
This is a sweet little book that will be perfect for Halloween read-aloud. It reminded me a little of the Paddington books in pacing and the fact that each chapter is a little story within the story. At only 75 pages, it's also a very quick read!
While it is a bit dated (in attitude more than anything), the story stands up to the test of time. The only thing it would benefit from are some nice witchy illustrations!
While it is a bit dated (in attitude more than anything), the story stands up to the test of time. The only thing it would benefit from are some nice witchy illustrations!
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March 31, 2022It's rather sweet how the family loves the little witch and cares for her, adopting her in the end. I wasn't bothered by the rather (understandably) dated bit of gender roles, but I felt a little uncomfortable about the process of learning to be part of an ordinary family left the little witch totally un-witchy at the end, just an ordinary little girl. Too much an echo of white people doing their best to "civilize" non-white people.
December 28, 2016
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
When Halloween is over, Felina, a young witch girl, finds herself stranded with a broken broom, unable to fly home to her family. She is taken in by the Doons - two parents, their daughter, Lucinda, and their cat, Itchabody - who slowly help her shed her witchy persona and become a sweet and loving human child.
This Halloween-themed story was originally published in 1960, and has just been reissued by Simon & Schuster with new cover art, giving it a new lease on life for 2013 readers. Unlike so many holiday titles, this one has a lot of substance and it explores real issues beyond just the whimsy of Halloween night. Though Felina is a witch, and does seem to have magic powers, her story really reads like an allegory of the experience a child might have in a new foster home. Her magical powers and unusual habits can be read as the misbehavior of a child acting out in an uncertain environment, and her ultimate shedding of her witchy identity seems to represent her acceptance of her new family.
What makes this story work so well is the fact that no one - not Lucinda, who narrates the book, and not any of the adults in her life - questions that Felina is a witch. The fact that everyone just accepts that notion as truth actually contributes to an overall sense of ambiguity that I really enjoyed. If Felina truly is a witch, then the story is fantasy, and the adults in the story live in a world where witches exist and their existence is readily accepted. There is a possibility, though, that Felina is not a witch, and that the adults of the story merely humor her insistence that she is in order to help her settle in to her new situation on her own terms. This sense of ambiguity is helped significantly by the fact that the story is narrated not by Felina, but by Lucinda, her foster sister. Lucinda’s childlike outlook makes it perfectly plausible that Felina is a witch, but also makes it equally possible that Felina’s magic powers have been invented to explain her strange behavior as she adjusts to her new family.
I might be reading more into this book than is intended, and I don’t think it’s necessary to adopt my reading to enjoy the story. It works very well as a fantasy tale, and I think young readers who have liked reading about Mildred Hubble in the Worst Witch series, and those who have enjoyed Lulu Goes to Witch School will be delighted to make friends with another witch and to follow the story of how she is ultimately adopted into a human family. Some kids - and I might have been one of them - will wonder why Felina is never returned to her witch family, and why she doesn’t seem to miss them. I could even see some critics possibly complaining that it’s unfair or somehow judgmental to favor the love of a human family over the love of a witch family, but that would really be taking things too far. In my opinion, this is a charming chapter book that will be enjoyed at Halloween and all year round by girls ages 6 to 9.
When Halloween is over, Felina, a young witch girl, finds herself stranded with a broken broom, unable to fly home to her family. She is taken in by the Doons - two parents, their daughter, Lucinda, and their cat, Itchabody - who slowly help her shed her witchy persona and become a sweet and loving human child.
This Halloween-themed story was originally published in 1960, and has just been reissued by Simon & Schuster with new cover art, giving it a new lease on life for 2013 readers. Unlike so many holiday titles, this one has a lot of substance and it explores real issues beyond just the whimsy of Halloween night. Though Felina is a witch, and does seem to have magic powers, her story really reads like an allegory of the experience a child might have in a new foster home. Her magical powers and unusual habits can be read as the misbehavior of a child acting out in an uncertain environment, and her ultimate shedding of her witchy identity seems to represent her acceptance of her new family.
What makes this story work so well is the fact that no one - not Lucinda, who narrates the book, and not any of the adults in her life - questions that Felina is a witch. The fact that everyone just accepts that notion as truth actually contributes to an overall sense of ambiguity that I really enjoyed. If Felina truly is a witch, then the story is fantasy, and the adults in the story live in a world where witches exist and their existence is readily accepted. There is a possibility, though, that Felina is not a witch, and that the adults of the story merely humor her insistence that she is in order to help her settle in to her new situation on her own terms. This sense of ambiguity is helped significantly by the fact that the story is narrated not by Felina, but by Lucinda, her foster sister. Lucinda’s childlike outlook makes it perfectly plausible that Felina is a witch, but also makes it equally possible that Felina’s magic powers have been invented to explain her strange behavior as she adjusts to her new family.
I might be reading more into this book than is intended, and I don’t think it’s necessary to adopt my reading to enjoy the story. It works very well as a fantasy tale, and I think young readers who have liked reading about Mildred Hubble in the Worst Witch series, and those who have enjoyed Lulu Goes to Witch School will be delighted to make friends with another witch and to follow the story of how she is ultimately adopted into a human family. Some kids - and I might have been one of them - will wonder why Felina is never returned to her witch family, and why she doesn’t seem to miss them. I could even see some critics possibly complaining that it’s unfair or somehow judgmental to favor the love of a human family over the love of a witch family, but that would really be taking things too far. In my opinion, this is a charming chapter book that will be enjoyed at Halloween and all year round by girls ages 6 to 9.
October 2, 2008
I checked out this book on the recommendation of a library patron. She described a sweet book that she had enjoyed reading to her children, and I agreed with her through the first half of the book.
The story begins on Halloween night, when a little witch gets stuck in a tree with her broken broom. When the Doon family finds her, she's snarly and rude as she explains that witches can only fly into the human world on Halloween. As midnight strikes without a functional broom (she tries several cleaning implements in the Doon's house), little leftover Felina is stuck with the humans for a whole year.
The Doon's daughter, Lucinda, becomes Felina's role model for good behavior. She's docile, well behaved, quiet, clean, and not nearly as independent as her magical counterpart. The Doon parents reinforce the example of good behavior by slowly conforming Felina to their expectations as a family. Cleanliness and polite manners are one thing, but glowing with happiness when Felina ultimately loses her streak of witchly mischief (often harmless) is another. In the end, the father decides that Felina shouldn't go back to the witches, even though they come to find her the next Halloween. Unless I skimmed over it, no one asked Felina what she would choose to do--nor was there any consideration that she might have had an important family structure with the witches.
In the end, Little Leftover Witch feels like Adventures with Dick and Jane run amuk: the adventure is discovering something new, but the resolution is to dress up the newness as something familiar until the adventure is no longer recognizable as its original self. Above all, the story teaches teaches that people are better off erasing and ignoring differences instead of understanding them.
The story begins on Halloween night, when a little witch gets stuck in a tree with her broken broom. When the Doon family finds her, she's snarly and rude as she explains that witches can only fly into the human world on Halloween. As midnight strikes without a functional broom (she tries several cleaning implements in the Doon's house), little leftover Felina is stuck with the humans for a whole year.
The Doon's daughter, Lucinda, becomes Felina's role model for good behavior. She's docile, well behaved, quiet, clean, and not nearly as independent as her magical counterpart. The Doon parents reinforce the example of good behavior by slowly conforming Felina to their expectations as a family. Cleanliness and polite manners are one thing, but glowing with happiness when Felina ultimately loses her streak of witchly mischief (often harmless) is another. In the end, the father decides that Felina shouldn't go back to the witches, even though they come to find her the next Halloween. Unless I skimmed over it, no one asked Felina what she would choose to do--nor was there any consideration that she might have had an important family structure with the witches.
In the end, Little Leftover Witch feels like Adventures with Dick and Jane run amuk: the adventure is discovering something new, but the resolution is to dress up the newness as something familiar until the adventure is no longer recognizable as its original self. Above all, the story teaches teaches that people are better off erasing and ignoring differences instead of understanding them.
December 18, 2013
Felina is a little witch whose broom breaks on Halloween. She lands in the tree outside the Doons' house and they take her in. It will be a year until she can fly again, and the Doons agree to let her live with them until then.
I adored this book when I was a kid, so I bought a copy to read aloud to my kids, even though I had not read it in thirty years. They loved it. They got very tense whenever Felina was worried or misbehaved, and were relieved when things worked out. But I don't think The Little Leftover Witch will be popular again. There are too many elements that the prim would disapprove of: the parents smoke, the parents spank, the presence of witchcraft - but the love the Doons feel for Felina is so sure and real that it becomes transforming. Their confident, patient affection does not crowd or force its way in. They wait for her to accept it, and finally she does. I think this book, long ago, helped me decide what parenting was supposed to be.
I adored this book when I was a kid, so I bought a copy to read aloud to my kids, even though I had not read it in thirty years. They loved it. They got very tense whenever Felina was worried or misbehaved, and were relieved when things worked out. But I don't think The Little Leftover Witch will be popular again. There are too many elements that the prim would disapprove of: the parents smoke, the parents spank, the presence of witchcraft - but the love the Doons feel for Felina is so sure and real that it becomes transforming. Their confident, patient affection does not crowd or force its way in. They wait for her to accept it, and finally she does. I think this book, long ago, helped me decide what parenting was supposed to be.
November 4, 2016
A fun little chapter book that took me just over an hour to read in its entirety. This tale, originally published in 1960, is about Felina who is a witch. On Halloween Night, her broom breaks and she is stuck in our world for an entire year until she can go home next Halloween. This story follows her for one year and how she adapts to "normal little girl life" while living with the Doon family. Sweet little after Halloween story and the ending was perfect.
February 6, 2012
It was a favorite when I was a child and I read it with my children every October. It tells the story a little witch whose broom breaks and is left on Halloween night. She spends a year with a family waiting for Halloween so she can get a ride on a witch's broom.
April 8, 2012
I have been looking for this book for ages!! I loved it as a kid but couldn't remember the title or author. It just happened to come up on my Goodreads recommendation list!! Yea, Goodreads!! I'm so thrilled!!! I'm getting a copy right now!! :D
November 9, 2020
At first when he saw Felina, he was very jolly. But he soon got over it.
This book was the reason I bought a bundle of three children’s witch books. I read it as a kid, and the story has stuck with me for decades. Rereading it now, it is exactly what I remembered and slightly more.
A malnourished girl, about eight years old, is abandoned in the Doon’s yard on Halloween night. She doesn’t believe anyone can ever want to be nice to her, and insists on sleeping huddled up in the closet.
There are of course other ways of reading the story, just as there would be in real life, which makes many parts of it very sad, or bittersweet.
It is sad when Ichabod the cat cries when it loses its witch hat; and is again, next Halloween, when the person who abandoned her returns. I picked up on this even as a kid, that there are some real changes going on here, and that there are some real unanswerable questions about the relationship between children and adults.
She didn’t tell a soul what her wish was, of course, because that would be have spoiled the spell. But on the very last page of this book it may come true.
October 30, 2017
On Halloween night, Lucinda Doon has an unexpected visitor. She is woken in the middle of the night by the sound of someone crying and looking out the window she sees a little witch stuck in the mulberry tree...
For the full review: https://twobookwormsblog.wordpress.co...
For the full review: https://twobookwormsblog.wordpress.co...
October 7, 2019
Copyright 1960. My copy is from 1973. This is a cute story about a small witch who breaks her broom at Halloween & ends up adopted into a normal family. She goes through the trials & tribulations of learning to fit in.
Good read for young elementary school age.
Good read for young elementary school age.
October 25, 2019
Would have liked to have given this one two and a half stars, so I rounded up. :( There were some funny moments and some sweet moments that our family enjoyed, but overall the book wasn't really our thing and it left a lot of questions in our heads...
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December 20, 2020I checked out this book for 3 weeks straight from my school library until my teacher explained I should give my friends a chance to borrow and read it too! Fun times!!
I was suddenly reminded of this book by reading the name 'Felina' somewhere.
I was suddenly reminded of this book by reading the name 'Felina' somewhere.
October 13, 2018
A favorite of my childhood! Now I read it every year with my children.
December 19, 2019
A favorite book from my childhood. A young witch, leftover from Halloween, gets adopted by a kind family. It’s definitely from a different era, but sweet nonetheless.
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