Parents' Guide to

The Witches

By Barbara Schultz, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Boy and his grandma fight scary witches in classic tale.

Book Roald Dahl Fantasy 1983
The Witches Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 8+

Based on 1 parent review

age 8+
Like Dahl's other books this is goofy and fun-appealing to young kids of both sexes. This book is scarier than some of his other works--with the children eating witches who are hunting the main protagonist.

This title has:

Too much violence

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

This entertaining novel is full of surprises for young readers, though some are pretty scary. As in so many of his books, Dahl creates a fantastical world in which an innocent child sees right and wrong, and solves problems, more effectively than many adults. Dahl also has a knack for inventing original, compelling characteristics, so that his witches aren't just mean and scary, they're uniquely weird. Fortunately, the witches' creepiness is counterbalanced by the warm, charming relationship between the young boy and his cigar-smoking Grandmamma; they make a great team. Kids who have enjoyed other Dahl novels will certainly enjoy The Witches, especially if they like the thrill of getting a little scared.

Book Details

  • Author: Roald Dahl
  • Illustrator: Quentin Blake
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Puffin Books
  • Publication date: January 1, 1983
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
  • Number of pages: 224
  • Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: March 27, 2020

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