Agatha was a nasty old witch who lived alone in an abandoned eagle's nest on the top of Lost Mountain. Every night she would leave the nest to do her work in the town below, frightening all of the people with her antics. Then one day a cuckoo's egg was left in her nest, and the cantankerous witch decided she would hatch it, in defiance of the mother birds who offered to take it off her hand. Slowly, through raising Witchbird, Agatha learned to enjoyed the company of another being, and for the first time she was happy. Then in the fall Witchbird left for the south, and Agatha went back to her solitary life. Was it the end of their friendship, or would Witchbird return...?

Originally published in 1974, The Witch's Egg is the first of two witchy tales from author Madeleine Edmondson - the second is Anna Witch, published in 1982 - and includes the delightful black and white artwork of Kay Chorao. It is somewhat text-heavy for a picture-book, and the story itself - grouchy, non-maternal character learns to love another, after adopting a bird, but must be parted from her adopted avian child for a time - contains no particular surprises. The story recalled a number of other books I have read with this theme, and although sweet, didn't particularly stand out to me. Far more impressive were the illustrations, whether of Agatha in all her long-nosed, beady-eyed glory, or of the town, often depicted in silhouette. I appreciated how Chorao managed to capture Agatha's changing emotional state in her artwork, without ever making her witchy subject less sharp and wicked-looking. Recommended to picture-book readers in the market for witchy fare. ( )

Agatha is a mean old witch who enjoys scaring all living things. A cuckoo bird leaves an egg in the witch's shawl, changing Agatha's outlook. Black and white illustrations throughout the text. ( )