2024 EDIT: A nice little witch book to read in under an hour. A classic children's treat.
Read the review below for more.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Awww this brings me back to my childhood.
'The Worst Witch' is definitely a pre-'Harry Potter' book, only lighter (in tone, since every colour in the witch school castle here is black and grey) and much less detailed. The worldbuilding is vague and nearly nonexistent, but it is a short children's book that focuses more on action and character emotion, leaving the reader to fill in the blanks left in this dreary, routine world of witches and spells. There is nothing said about any of the pupils' homelife or families, for example. The characters, few that are mentioned, are memorable and distinct - we don't need the illustrations to let us know what they look like.
Tall, thin, dark-haired Mildred Hubble may be clumsiest witch ever, always somehow getting into trouble, but she is still a child (no age or grade of school mentioned) and a student. She is very friendly, knows what's right and gets her priorities straight. She is no pushover, either, despite her extreme awkwardness around discouraging authority figures, who are manipulative, somewhat nasty witches in their own way. She reminded me a lot of myself at school, as well as other girls I knew.
Mildred will learn to rely on herself, and not be so hard on herself, especially when things go wrong which aren't her fault. Her best friend Maud, and her new kitten, Tabby, bring a softness and support to her harsh life and surroundings that're full of rules.
Frogs, cats, bats, brooms, cauldrons, and a pig, at 100 pages 'The Worst Witch' is a fun little read to absorb yourself in for one afternoon. Or night, at the Witching Hour.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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