Rose Impey

Titchy Witch and the Bully Boggarts (original British edition)

Titchy-witch confronts Gobby-goblin and his bully brother in this early reader from British author/illustrator team Rose Impey and Katharine McEwen, the second in a series of twelve devoted to her witchy adventures. Using her spells in retaliation for the goblin brothers' actions, and again when their seven boggart cousins show up after school, she is uncowed, and while she accepts her feline companion Cat-a-bogus' reprimand for show more not waiting for him by the school gates, she is already planning her next salvo in her war with her schoolyard enemies...

A number of years ago I read the Americanized edition of this book, Wanda Witch and the Bullies, and found it an engaging little witchy confection, perfect for beginning readers with a taste for such fare. That being said, I never went on to read the rest of the books in the series, either the three others published in the USA, or the rest, only ever published in the UK. Having recently begun reading the entire series, in the UK editions, I am able to compare this original, Titchy Witch and the Bully Boggarts, to the American edition. Reading them side-by-side, I can pick out some minor differences in language and vocabulary—Titchy-witch turning one of the goblin brother's noses into a sausage here, but a hot-dog in the American edition, for example. The major difference seems to be the change in the heroine's name, from Titchy-Witch to Wanda Witch, and the transformation of boggarts into goblins. I find the former unnecessary and the latter unfortunate. Boggarts are creatures of English folklore, and while they might not be as well-known in the states as goblins, I don't see why they couldn't be included. One more chance lost, for children here to learn something new, something they might appreciate knowing later on in their reading lives, when they encounter boggarts in works like the Harry Potter books, or in traditional folktales. There were a few other places where the changes made struck me as arising from a culturally specific didactic impulse—when the boggart cousins appear here, they are described as traveling in a gang because "they're so stupid they'd get lost on their own," a sentence left out of the American edition altogether—but on the whole, the two most obtrusive changes were to the heroine's name, and to the type of creature she confronts.

In any case, leaving that all aside, I found this an entertainingly witchy tale, and a worthy follow-up to Titchy Witch and the Birthday Broomstick. Recommended to fans of the character, and to beginning readers who enjoy stories about witches. show less

Titchy-Witch and the Frog Fiasco (original British edition)

Dismayed and angry that her teacher Miss Foulbreath only ever saw her infractions, and not those of the other students in her class, Titchy Witch decided she was done with school. The family feline, Cat-a-bogus, informed her that she needed to be able to read to cast spells, but Titchy Witch wasn't so sure. Taking down her mother's spell book, once home, she tried to turn her pet vulture, Victor, into a frog, with some pretty show more disastrous results. Fortunately Cat-a-bogus was there to lend a paw, and our witchy heroine learned her lesson after all...

The fourth entry in author Rose Impey and illustrator Katharine McEwen's twelve-volume Titchy-Witch series, Titchy-Witch and the Frog Fiasco once again takes a common childhood experience—namely, the feelings of resentment at receiving punishment at school, and the feeling that it is unfair—and gives it a magical setting. The central action here, of using magic when one is not yet ready, is not uncommon in stories of this sort, but it is handled with humor and heart in the simple text and amusing illustrations. As with previous entries in the series, I loved Cat-a-bogus, and appreciated many of the little visual details. This title was published in the US as Wanda Witch and Too Many Frogs —one of four Titchy-Witch books brought over to the states—and I will read that volume next, to compare and contrast. Recommended to beginning readers who enjoy witchy fare, as well as to fans of this witchy character. show less

Titchy-Witch and the Wobbly Fang (original British edition)

Titchy-witch grows impatient when her wobbly fang won't fall out in this witchy early reader, and then her mother tells her that the Fang Fairy will give her a surprise once it does. Deciding she simply must take action, and reasoning that multiple surprises are better than one, our witchy little heroine uses a spell to make all of her fangs fall out, leading to trouble with family guardian Cat-a-Bogus. Will that irate feline put an show more end to Titchy-witch's mischief...?

The seventh installment of British author/illustrator team Rose Impey and Katharine McEwen's twelve-volume early reader series chronicling the misadventures of the eponymous little witch, Titchy-Witch and the Wobbly Fang pairs an engaging tale of magic and mischief with fun illustrations that capture the humor of the story. As I have mentioned in my reviews of previous entries in the series, although I am reading these books for the witchy content—witchy picture books and early readers being a pet project of mine—and although I enjoy the witch characters in Titchy-witch's family, the much-put-upon Cat-a-Bogus is my favorite character by far. Recommended to fans of this series, and to beginning readers who enjoy stories about witches. show less

Titchy-witch wasn't sure she liked it when her baby sister Weeny Witch was born. With all of the attention, praise and play being lavished on this noisy, smelly newcomer, she began to feel a little bit twitchy, and when given the opportunity, a spell just popped out! When Weeny-witch's head disappears as a result, it falls to Cat-a-Bogus to set things right, with his own magic, leading Titchy-witch to realize that little sisters aren't so bad after all...

The third of twelve beginning readers show more from British author/illustrator team Rose Impey and Katharine McEwen to chronicle the adventures of the eponymous little magic-maker, Titchy-Witch and the Disappearing Baby takes a common childhood experience—the feelings of jealousy and resentment that are sometimes attendant upon the arrival of a new baby sibling—and gives them a fantastic patina. Like its two predecessors, the story is simple but engaging, and the artwork expressive and full of fun. I was reminded, while reading, of Jane O'Connor's 1986 I Can Read Book, Lulu and the Witch Baby, which covers similar ground. Recommended to beginning readers who enjoy witchy fare, as well as to fans of this witchy character. show less