Alex Gutteridge

Witch Wendy and her feline friend Snowflake—all black, of course!—return in this second beginning chapter-book devoted to their magical adventures, following upon Cats and Hats. Dismayed that Wendy's broom is broken, and won't be repaired until after the upcoming Witches' Annual Broomstick Race, to be held on Midsummer Eve, Wendy and Snowflake begin to brainstorm, trying to find a replacement means of flying. But every idea they land on, from a feather duster to a flying carpet, lands show more them in trouble, until finally Snowflake has a stroke of genius, suggesting they ride the race on a fire extinguisher. But will this unusual steed lead them to triumph or tragedy...?

Like its predecessor, Broom Broom! is a fun, entertaining read for younger children who enjoy witchy tales, and are just getting going with chapter books. Wendy is in as much of a muddle here as she was in her debut, and it falls to the wiser, more level-headed Snowflake, as well as to some good fortune, to save the day. I chuckled a bit at Snowflake's mooning over that sleek girl-kitty Sable (who is also mentioned in the first book), and I found the conclusion of the tale, in which Wendy and Snowflake lose the race but save the ungrateful Rosemary by extinguishing her when her frenetic speed is about to get her and her broom on fire, to be satisfactory. Recommended to young chapter book readers who enjoy fantastical and humorous tales about witches and magic, particularly if they have read the first book about these characters. show less

Witch Wendy and her feline familiar Snowflake are the misfits of their local coven in this beginning chapter book from British author Alex Gutteridge, ridiculed and slighted by Witch Rosemary and her followers. Not a terribly good spell caster, and a very poor broom-rider, Wendy is nevertheless eager to fit in, and when she comes across what appears to be a collection stylish witch hats on the road one day, she jumps at the chance to improve her image, given that her own hat is badly show more damaged. At first this proves a master stroke, as the other witches clamor to obtain similar hats. But will Wendy's luck hold when it is revealed that the hats are nothing more than traffic cones, temporarily disguised by mud...?

With a cat like Snowflake on her side, there's little doubt as to the happy outcome here, but Cats and Hats is still a fun, engaging read for young would-be witches who are just getting going with chapter books. Although brief (a mere 58 pages), the book presents an entertaining and magical tale, and children will no doubt identify with Wendy's somewhat muddled, out-of-step efforts to find a place in her social circle. The accompanying black and white illustrations from Annabel Hudson are cute, and add to the fun. Although not destined to become a personal favorite, when it comes to easy chapter-books about witches—such an honor would go to titles like Madeleine Edmondson's Anna Witch, or Florence Laughlin's The Little Leftover Witch—this is still one I would recommend to younger readers who enjoy fantastical and humorous tales about such characters. show less

Witch Wendy and her cat Snowflake return in this third and final beginning chapter book devoted to their adventures, following upon Cats and Hats and Broom Broom! When the pair learn that nasty Witch Rosemary has lost her cackle and cannot speak, they are at first pleased, thinking they will be spared her vitriol. But when Rosemary must spend a few nights in the Cackle Clinic, leaving her even nastier cat Coalface in Wendy and Snowflake's care, they are less pleased. When the obnoxious show more Coalface is transformed into a bluebottle fly, can Snowflake reverse the change before Rosemary comes to claim him...?

Cats and Hats is an entertaining conclusion to Alex Gutteridge's Witch Wendy trilogy, and is sure to please young readers who enjoyed the previous two entries in the series. That said, I think it can also be read on its own, and would please any child who enjoys witchy fare, and is just getting going with chapter books. The tale is brief but humorous, with the usual hi-jinks and hilarious missteps to be expected from these characters. Spells gone wrong are not uncommon in such tales, and make for amusing reading. The accompanying black and white artwork of. Annabel Hudson, who illustrated the entire series, is very cute and well-suited to the story. show less