Nicholas Heller

A young pig named Elwood happens upon a (seemingly) abandoned broom in the forest, and thinking it the perfect thing for sweeping his front step, grabs hold of it, only to discover himself lifted aloft, on a wild ride through the night sky. Unable to control the broom, our porcine hero finds his troubles compounded when he comes under attack from its owner, a witch believing that he has intentionally stolen her property. Will Elwood manage to evade the witch's spells long enough to explain his mistake? Will he ever get back to the ground in one piece? Fortunately, the moon also becomes involved, and lends a hand...

Although I wouldn't describe it as the most appealing of the slew of 'witchy' picture-books I've been reading of late, Elwood and the Witch is still an engaging tale, with an appealing hero, and lovely illustrations. Jos A. Smith's gouache, watercolor and colored pencil artwork makes excellent use of light - the first scene, in which Elwood walks through the starlit trees, is particularly lovely - and captures it hero's expressions, from dismayed to content, beautifully. Recommended to young readers who enjoy fairy-tale style stories, or tales involving witches and magic.… (mais)