Mary Norton's low fantasy about witchcraft and time travel features the usual terribly proper children off having smashing adventures in between tea times (in other words, it's British) thanks to a witchy neighbour and a magical bed knob. The action trundles along, helped in part by a slew of playful ink drawings (can you spot the black cat?!), and the "happily ever after" ending arrives with a rather poignant twist. Great bedtime reading for the tykes but not quite engaging enough for adults wishing to reconnect with children's literature. ( )

One of my all-time favorite books as a child. Actually I loved anything Mary Norton wrote. ( )

I don't remember reading this when I was young, which is surprising because I loved the Borrower books. Never saw the movie either, which is probably fine. It's my favorite kind of fantasy book, magic happening to ordinary people, especially if it's in England and written in a droll, charming way.
There's a trip to a South Seas island that turns out to have cannibals, which will make this problematic for some people. ( )

I got this book from the library since I really like the Disney film adaptation "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." The two are quite different, but equally enjoyable! I recommend this for both children and adults alike - for me, it was a fun, quick read. ( )

Two books in one, these are Mary Norton (of Borrower fame)'s childrens fantasy adventures. In the first book, "The magic bedknob" three youngsters, staying in the country (like the Pevensies), discover, not a magic wardrobe, but that their unassuming spinster neighbour is studying to be a witch. To keep them quiet she enchants a bedknob from the yougest boy's bed, which enables the bed to take them anywhere. As with "Five children and it", the requests never quite turn out as planned. The second adventure reads a little uncomfortably for modern sensibilities. In the second book, "Bonfires and broomsticks" the children return to the village several years later and pesuade the reluctant witch to allow them another adventure, this time time travelling, with a most unlikely love story. Reminded me a little also of Mary Stewart's "The little broomstick". Enjoyable and simply, but well, written. Not to be confused with the Disney version which it inspired. ( )