Alice and Greta: A Tale of Two Witches - Hardcover

Simmons, Steven J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0881069744 ISBN 13: 9780881069747

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 1997

Synopsis

Alice is a good witch. And Greta... well, Greta and trouble are never far apart. Alice spends her time helping others by weaving her enchanting spells. All Greta does is wreak havoc. But when a forgotten spell comes back to haunt her, Greta's stuck learning something she should have learned long ago.

About this title

About the Author

Steven J. Simmons is the author of the best-selling children's book, ALICE AND GRETA: A TALE OF TWO WITCHES. He was inspired to write the story while playing with his children on a hill behind his home. In an interview on "The Today Show," Steven said that he felt a "spontaneous combustion" as the story took shape in his mind. He visits schools and reads his stories to many classrooms full of eager listeners.

Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 2?Alice and Greta are two young witches attending Miss Mildew's School of Magic. Alice uses her magic for positive results, while Greta, in contrast, plays tricks that land her in trouble. That habit causes Greta to miss an important lesson?the "Brewmerang Principle"?"Whatever you chant,/Whatever you brew,/Sooner or later/Comes back to you!" After graduation, Alice uses her powers to rescue stranded sailboats and find lost puppies, while Greta uses them to spread confusion. Her piece de resistance involves covering some children with melted marshmallows. At first delighted, the youngsters become scared when they realize they're stuck. Alice's attempt to rescue them lands her in the goo as well. However, she paid attention to the Brewmerang Principle, and is able to reverse the spell, leaving Greta to suffer the results of her misdeeds. As with the melted marshmallows, a little bit of moralism would have gone a long way in this book. Instead readers are nearly suffocated with sweet stuff, which prevents true characterization or plot development. Overly generous use of pink (Alice) and green (Greta) in the illustrations goes hand-in-heavy-hand with the pedantic tone of the text.?Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The effects of artistic license become clear in this picture book from Simmons, who shows what happens to two witches who attend the same school, and are taught the same lessons, but find widely different uses for their craft. Alice's bucolic perch on a mountain has a sign that says ``Welcome!'' while Greta's sign warns, ``Keep Away!'' Butterflies and bluebirds attend one child-witch, buzzards and bats the other. When school's out, the stage is set: Alice conjures a wave for a family whose boat is stranded on a sandbar, while Greta conjures a similar wave to wash away a child's sandcastle. More examples of their opposing worldviews follow, but most readers will get the point, and it may be the simple predictability of the plot they will enjoy most. By the time Greta gets her comeuppance--she was not in school the day the most important of witchy lessons was taught, a take on the old what-goes-around- comes-around chestnut--readers will be anticipating the punishment, but not Alice's reward. As a result of all her good deeds, her view from the hill is getting ``better and better,'' with levitating children bearing thank-you notes, cookies, and flowers. Moore has a style like Lynn Munsinger's, with charmingly detailed watercolors that endlessly tinker with the symmetry of the tale--e.g., the bats have come to Alice's side in the last scene. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Charlesbridge
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0881069744
• ISBN 13: 9780881069747
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 32