The witch in room 6 - Hardcover

Battles, Edith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060204125 ISBN 13: 9780060204129

Publisher: Harper & Row, 1987

Synopsis

When apprentice witch Cheryl Suzanne Endor joins Sean's fifth-grade class, amazing things begin to happen and Sean learns to accept as a friend and appreciate as an individual someone who is very different from himself.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-6 The supernatural and school struggles are two of the most popular themes in middle-grade ficton, so their combination should create a doubly appealing novel. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened here. Fifth-grade Sean has plenty of problems dealing with arch-competitor Mike, who always comes in first and doesn't let Sean forget it. When Cheryl Suzanne, a strange new girl, enters their class, she uses a few tricks to help Sean beat Mikeshe is an apprentice witch. Cheryl's aunts are preparing her for her future role, which includes minimal contact with mortals. But Cheryl longs for a normal life with friends her own age. Cheryl and Sean form an adventurous alliance based on helping each other find their own identities. The novel's strength lies in its believable portrayal of recognizable everyday situationsclassroom rivalries, sports competition, parent-teacher conferences, and so on. Given this solid realistic background, the witch fantasy isn't credible. No one finds it odd that Cheryl's plain gray dresses change color during recess or that her ice cream cone is never finished or that the field trip bus to the museum ends up at Disneyland. Sean's sister accepts Cheryl's special powers without doubt, even offering Cheryl advice on how to get along with her aunts. The conclusion is too rapid and too pat. Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, Wis.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Sean's school year is considerably enlivened once Cheryl Suzanne, a would-be witch, joins his fifth-grade class. She "helps" him with his baseball, detours a class outing through Disneyland, and, when Sean's enemy Mike is giving a speech, messes up his notes. But from Cheryl Suzanne, Sean learns that his own hard work (on spelling and baseball) pays off more than her sorcery. As she makes other friends at school, Cheryl learns to stand up to her quite traditional aunts, and to take a sabbatical from witching so she can be "normal." Battles' book reveals many of the real concerns of this age group, and Sean's ordinariness makes him an unusual hero. His efforts to make small gains and improvements ring true, while his successes make this story worth reading. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper & Row
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 0060204125
• ISBN 13: 9780060204129
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 151