That friendly witch next door returns in this fourth picture-book devoted to her adventures, this time narrating the story of her own girlhood to her two young human friends. The daughter of two witches, she was raised in a loving home with plenty of toys, games and other activities. Sometimes mischievous, always clever, she knew how to deal with bullies, and, when sent to school, made an excellent pupil. In the end though, it was her family life that was most formative...

Debuting in 1965 in author/illustrator Norman Bridwell's The Witch Next Door, this pleasant magic maker would go on to star in three additional picture-books, all published during the 1970s, as well as an early reader (The Witch Goes to School) published much later, in 1992. The four picture-books were originally oblong paperbacks, and had illustrations with a more limited color palette—mostly black and white, with one or two color washes. They were republished in the 1980s as sturdier, square paperback picture-books, with the artwork now full-color. It is these later editions that I have read, as part of my "witchy witches" project.

All that being said, I think that this, The Witch Grows Up (first published in 1979, and in this edition in 1987), is my favorite of the four picture-books I have read about this character. I was mostly indifferent to the first, enjoyed the second (set at Christmas), and greatly disliked the third (The Witch's Vacation). But this one is the best of them all. It is more engaging than its predecessors, perhaps because we get to see the Witch as a little girl, in her family and school circles, leading to a tale that feels more magical, both in its settings and accoutrements, and in its narrative development. It has the added appeal of being clever, in terms of the relationship between text and image. I really enjoyed how the text described things that seemed quite ordinary—the Witch's father tossing her into the air, her jungle gym—only for the artwork to reveal them as extraordinary—the Witch flies off, after being tossed, her jungle gym is made of live gorillas, and so on. The disconnect between text and visual adds to the entertainment here, I think.

Recommended to those who have enjoyed other stories about this character, as well as to picture-book readers with a taste for witchy fare. ( )

The kindhearted witch enthralls her friends with the story of her own very unusual childhood.