Plot: Dahl's nameless protagonist learns about witches from his former witchophile grandmother in Norway shortly after he becomes orphaned in a car accident. Thanks to his grandmother's warnings, he avoids the plot of a witch roaming his street during the school year. He is not as lucky, however, at avoiding danger in his next encounter. He finds himself at an annual meeting of witches and overhears their plot to turn all of England's children into mice. Before he can warn anyone about the plan, he is caught and turned into a mouse. With his grandmother's knowledge and his newfound agility, the witches' plot must be stopped!
Genre: Fiction, Horror
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Similar Titles: James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox
Personal Thoughts: Wow, this book received varied responses. ALA reports it as a frequently banned book due to its reference to the occult, sexism (it states all witches are women), and wicca. Reportedly, Dahl responded to such critics by stating they had no sense of humor. It is unknown how the critics reacted to the accusation. By contrast, the books enjoyed a prominent spot in the Weekly Reader 150 bestselling children's booklist. Some schools use it as required reading. In addition, the book provided the basis for a movie that won several awards in 1990. I saw the movie when I was a kid, though, and to be honest, I was not impressed. The acting was weird, the special effects were campy, the music was unremarkable, and all the actors were creepy. Not just the villains. The protagonists looked like they were going to eat someone before the movie was over, too. To each their own, I guess.
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