The Witches
📘 About This Book
As far as children are concerned, a REAL WITCH is easily the most dangerous of all the living creatures on Earth. This beautiful edition of The Witches, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new. So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . .
📖 Summary
Roald Dahl’s The Witches is a dark, imaginative tale that follows an unnamed young boy who goes to live with his eccentric grandmother in Norway after his parents die in a tragic car accident. His grandmother is an expert on witches, creatures that look like ordinary women but despise children and spend their lives plotting to exterminate them. She warns the boy to be perpetually vigilant, describing their telltale signs: wearing gloves to hide claws, sporting wigs to cover bald heads, and possessing square feet without toes. While on vacation at a luxury hotel in England, the boy accidentally stumbles into a meeting of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which is actually a front for the Grand High Witch’s annual convention. He discovers their horrific plan to turn all children in England into mice using a magical concoction called Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker. Before he can escape, the Grand High Witch catches him and tests the formula on him, instantly transforming him into a mouse. Despite his new physical form, the boy remains mentally human and retains his ability to speak. He escapes the convention room and reunites with his grandmother. Together, they decide to fight back, formulating a dangerous plan to sneak the formula into the witches’ soup at dinner. With courage and ingenuity, the mouse-boy successfully poisons their food, causing the entire coven—including the Grand High Witch—to transform into mice, who are then promptly dealt with by the hotel staff. Though the boy remains a mouse for the rest of his life, he and his grandmother decide that this is acceptable, as he is unlikely to live past nine years, and they resolve to spend the rest of their time traveling the world to hunt down the remaining witches. The story is a masterful blend of macabre humor, suspense, and heartwarming intergenerational love, emphasizing that bravery is not defined by one's size or appearance, but by the actions taken in the face of evil.
🎯 Key Lessons
💬 Notable Quotes
"It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you."
"Witches never mess about. They don't just kill you, they make you disappear."
"A real witch is certain to be wearing gloves whenever you meet her... She has to wear gloves because her fingernails are actually curved talons like a cat's."
"I may be a mouse, but I have the heart of a boy and the soul of a hero."
"You are going to be a mouse for the rest of your life. But you will be a very happy mouse."
"A witch is not a woman. She is a creature of the devil, disguised as a woman, and her only purpose is to destroy children."
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Brilliant, macabre humor that engages young readers.
Strong, empowering relationship between the boy and his grandmother.
Unconventional, thought-provoking ending that challenges standard tropes.
⚠️ Cons
The dark, sometimes frightening nature of the witches may be too intense for younger children.
The ending is unconventional and may feel unsettling to readers seeking a traditional resolution.
✍️ About the Author
Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was a British author renowned for his darkly whimsical children's books, including 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', 'Matilda', and 'James and the Giant Peach'.
View all books →❓ FAQ
Is this book worth reading? +
Yes, it is a classic of children's literature that masterfully balances suspense, humor, and heart.
How long does it take to read? +
With approximately 200 pages, the average reader can finish it in two to four hours.
What is the main message? +
The story emphasizes that while evil exists in the world, it can be defeated through courage, wit, and familial support.
