Ask A Little Witch

Ask A Little Witch Rating: 4,5/5 5527 votes

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In elementary school (second & third & fourth grades) I read this over & over & over & over. Story of a little girl witch who wants to be nice and have friends, but who has an evil witch mother who does everything she can to squelch her good side. I felt a lot of affection for the little witch and loved being on her side.

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Preview — Little Witch by Anna Elizabeth Bennett

Minikin Snickasnee - called Minx for short - was nine years old and wished with all her heart that she was not a witch's child. ..
It may sound like fun to be the daughter of Madam Snickasnee and be forbidden to go to school, to wash behind your ears, or go to bed at night. You might even like to see certain people you know turned into potted plants and have your own flyin..more

Published 1990 by Trumpet Club (first published 1953)

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Rating details

Oct 31, 2018Jane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1kindle, ya-kids, z2018, middle-grade, not-at-all-what-i-thought-it-was, ahahahaha-ohh, old-timey-wtf

Oh my heck! I'm not even sure what I just read!
I know I had this book as a child and, as such, I'm sure I read it many times, but not one word of this book rang a bell for me. I'm sure that even when I read this in the 80s it must have seemed dated. Reading it now is plain astonishing to see how different it is from more modern beginning reader/middle grade offerings.
4 stars for this one, mostly for nostalgia (even though I don't actually remember it), but also for making laugh out loud several..more

Jul 01, 2019Carol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, read-2019, witches, 100, classics

What Fun! Another children's classic Ask A Little Witch

I'd never read, but really enjoyed..as an old person.

Named #7 in the School Library Journal poll of top 100 children's novels, this 1953 classic also topped annual lists of most in demand out-of-print books. This is the cute little 60th anniversary reprint after thirty years.

'Boil and bubble, Boil and brew! Now I cast a spell on you!

Ispring quiz print pdf template. Minx is a sweet little 9 year old witch who so wants to go to school and make friends, but her nasty witch of a mother, M

..more

This was my favorite book as a child. Last night when I added it to my shelf here on Goodreads, I read many peoples' comments about how much they loved it and lamented it was no longer in print. Upon learning that it was out of print, I was glad to have my copy. But when I looked for it, I couldn't find it! Instead of my purple Little Witch, I had some other purple witch book that I do not recall at all. I must have unintentionally given away the wrong book. I went to the thrift store today, lik..more

Sep 07, 2014Ivonne Rovira rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I chalk it up to growing up in the 1960s and the influence of Bewitched on TV. Before Twilight “niced up” vampires, Elizabeth Montgomery’s portrayal of good witch Samantha Stevens polished up the image of witches. Since then I’ve befriended a number of Wiccans, who can be characterized as good witches. So when I read Little Witch, I was gobsmacked to discover poor Minikin living in dread fear of her mother, Madam Snickasnee, a most evil witch, one who delights in turning innocent children — well..more

Feb 12, 2017Bren rated it really liked it

Shelves: childhood-or-young-adult-years, read-and-reviewed, fantasy, family-drama

This is a gem of a book and one I remember fondly from childhood.
SPOILERS:
Sometimes I catch myself thinking that I got more out of some of the children's and YA books I read as a kid then some of the books I read now. Of coarse there are great books from ANY time period. Yet I wonder if children who go to school these days are exposed to the same great literature that we were.
So this book.it shines, it twinkles, it makes you fall in love with Fairies and Minx and Moonfire. I never forgot that n..more

Nov 25, 2007Lisa Vegan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, childrens, readbooks-female-author-or-illust, zz-5star, fiction, novel, z1960

Mar 29, 2012Krista rated it it was amazing

This is the first book I ever read. I was slow and introverted. I would go to the school library and check out a lot of books, so that others would think that I read them overnight. I opened the book when I got home and started looking at the pictures the way I did all books, but then I realized that for the first time, I wanted to know what the pictures meant. I began to read it. It enveloped me in a world that paralleled my own. How often I had wanted to find out that I had been kidnapped, so..more

This was my absolute favorite children's book when I was a young child. I signed it out of the school library so many times that I filled up the library card a few times. A few years ago, I was working in the library in an elementary school (different town), and they had a stack of books that they were discarding, and lo and behold..there was the book! I asked if I could keep it and they said yes. I hope some day that my daughter may like to read it.

Jul 25, 2012Carla Peele rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read this gem over and again as a child, but have looked fruitlessly for it again for nearly 20 years, and my husband finally found it again for me, and I re-read it, pleased to see that the magic has not worn off. It was a childhood favorite of my mother's as well, and she passed this memory down to me. Minikin 'Minx' Snickasee was a witch's child, or so she thought..
Never had bathed, was often neglected and abused, underfed, and lived in fear of her mother. But, she had dreams.. dreams th..more

Mar 22, 2019Abigail rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Readers Looking for Vintage Witchy Fiction

Shelves: childrens-fiction, childrens-fantasy, witchy-witches

Nine-year-old Minikin, also known as Minx, was deeply unhappy with her life as a witch's child. She hated living in her dirty unkempt home, and feared her mother, the terrible Madam Snickasnee, who was known to turn young children into potted plants. Most of all, Minx longed to go to school, and to make friends her own age. When she sneaks out of the house one day, her decision to enroll herself in school involves her in a number of adventures, leading to friendship, and eventually, to her freed..more

Oct 19, 2018Camie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Old classic - this is a reprint for the 60th Anniversary. The Amazon blurb says it's for those who like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter, but I don't think most will find them to be comparable. So, a fun re-read for those who remember this as a childhood favorite especially for Halloween. I may try it for a read aloud with the older GK's ages 8 and 11 - there are some difficult words and many old fashioned references -still a cute story. 4 stars

Oct 31, 2015Suzanne rated it it was amazing

This was one of my very favorite books as a child - I checked it out from the library multiple times a year. I was glad to have the chance to read it as an adult. Of course, it's not the same now - but I can see how it captured my imagination. I had many day-dreams about mixing different colors of potions :)

Feb 19, 2009Katy St. Clair rated it it was amazing

I drove my grade-school librarian nuts, because all I wanted were books about children who were witches. Actually, i just wanted about 40 more books like this one. I believe her name was Dory, which is still one of my favorite names ever since.

The tale of independent Minikin, or 'Minx,' enchanted me as a first-grader when I dearly loved the hardcover edition in the Snail Lake Elementary library. Returning to it, I suppose it's as liberated as a 1940s cute-little-lady kid's novel can be. The fourth-grader Minx bravely steps away from the cruel world of witchery, longing for a conventional life; but she learns to embrace the upside of black magic. Her kind nature sways her community to support her flavor of witchcraft. By the end, the s..more

I've read this short paperback book multiple times in my life (most of them during elementary school) and found it magical and delightful every time. The story of Minx (Minikin Snikasnee--the name itself shows you why it's a delightful little book!) as the reluctant witch's daughter who just wants to be a normal little girl and have normal friends probably resonates with the outcast inside all of us. As you see Minx use her ingenuity to live her most hopeful wish, you'll be charmed too. The pen..more

Like many other posters, I read and re-read this story many times as a child and have searched both brick and mortar and online book sellers in vain for this story. I was so pleased to read Melissa McCann's post about it being digitized and available at ePub. I downloaded it on my iPhone as soon as I read that post and imported it into Stanza. Reading it again last night, after so many years was like a reunion with a long lost friend. Thanks, Melissa! If you missed her post and are searching for..more

May 14, 2010Dawne rated it really liked it

The kids and I just finished this book last night. They really enjoyed it. We read a couple chapters each night, and they couldn't wait to get back to it. I recently found it at my library, and I remember this is the first chapter book I read 'all by myself' when I was probably in about second grade. I didn't recall a thing about it, but the title has always stuck in my mind, so I really must have liked it then too!

I loved this book and haven't been able to find a copy in years (I always checked it out from the library). I just found an epub copy online! No illustrations--which were part of what I loved about the original book--but the story is just as I remembered it!
http://www.epubbud.com/book.php?g=Q4A..

Mar 03, 2009Roxana rated it it was amazing

This is one of those books I remember with such clarity and fondness from my childhood. I can remember, some years ago (still years after I had actually read it), finding it again and reading it.. And discovering that it's just as charming and agreeable a little book as it was when I was four or five. I think 'darling' might be the only word to describe it.

Dec 02, 2010Dna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classic, scholastic-book-sales, my-favourite

I don't know if this is really a classic, but it was to me. I read this when I was 8 or 9 and it fueled my imagination! It has everything: kindred spirits, the mystery of unknown parentage, witches, potions, and a vulnerable little girl who dreams of a happy family. I still have the tattered old hardcover and guard it like gold.

This was the book that got me hooked on reading. I loved it and read over and over. I remember having to do a book report on this book.

Oct 31, 2018Katie Fitzgerald rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fantasy, level-middle-grade, blogged, 2018, format-ebooks

Minikin ('Minx') is the daughter of the much-feared witch Madam Snickasnee, who turns innocent children into flower pots, stirs up dangerous brews in her cauldron and refuses to allow her only child to attend school. Minx shares none of her mother's terrible qualities, however, and she is determined to do things her own way. When she begins going to school against her mother's wishes, Minx makes some new friends, and together they all try to use Madam Snickasnee's potions to conjure up a fairy w..more

Oct 05, 2015Jackie B. - Death by Tsundoku rated it liked it

This is one of those books my mother, my teachers, and their friends all encouraged me to read as a child. It's a coming-of-age story about a little witch named Minx. She lives with a horrible witch who wants Minx to embrace everything evil about witchcraft, but Minx finds that she longs for school and socialization.
This book was everything I expected. It was cute and adorable. The chapters were episodic. The foreshadowing was clear from the beginning. It is a perfect 1950's children's book-- th..more

Jun 04, 2014Jennifer Heise rated it it was amazing

Poor Minx (Minikin) does not want to be a witch, let alone the child of the nasty Mistress Snickasee. But when she escapes during the daytime and meets Frances and other regular children, she at last finds a way out (though some people get turned into Busy Lizzie plants temporarily) and finds out that things are not as they seem.
I adored this as a child especially for the vivid scenes of Minx mixing potions.

Sep 23, 2015Krys rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: short-length-book, third-person-narrative, witches-wizards-magic-themed, read-in-2015, stand-alone, intermediate-middle-grade, library-borrowed

It was okay, a bit dated. The 'good' women were beautiful goddesses who were nurturing, enjoyed cooking and cleaning, and were socially impeccable. The 'bad' women were a bit gruff, uncaring, and did not enjoy cooking, cleaning, or house-keeping. But, if you can get past that it was cute.

Aug 17, 2012Lori rated it it was amazing

I had a great librarian in Elementary School. Because I was obsessed with the show Bewitched, she thought I would like this book. I was in second grade, and I not only loved it, I read it over and over. This little book about magic opened the magic of reading for me.

This was the first book I ever checked out from the book mobile as a child of 7. I have loved this book for more than 45 years and remember how motivated I was to forge a long term relationship with the public library system and this book was one reason.

My mom loved this book from when she was young. She found it and gave it to me and I LOVED IT!! It's an amazing book that is fun and timeless and lets any little girl day dream about broom rides and tall black hats.

Aug 23, 2012Melanti rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book when I was a kid and have been wondering what the name of it was. Someone just posted a note about it in a forum I frequent and I recognized the cover immediately. I used to wish that MY mother was an evil witch so that I wouldn't have to do the dishes either.

Jun 17, 2011Tamsyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s-fantasy, favorites-from-childhood

This was a long-lost title in my brain until someone else on goodreads posted it! Thanks! It was fun to revisit this elementary school favorite.

topics	posts	views	last activity
first book I ever read more than once	5	16	Apr 06, 2013 03:25PM

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Anna Elizabeth Bennett worked at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the Brooklyn Public Library in the 1940s and 50s.
Later she was a children’s librarian in Massachusetts. Her best-selling children’s book Little Witch remained in print for more than forty years and inspired hundreds of children to write to the author, telling her how much they enjoyed the story.
She died in 2002 at the age of 87.

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