The over the Hill Witch

Ten-year-old Gary moves to a small Ozark community and becomes embroiled in rumors about old Mama Spoonaker, who is accused of practicing witchcraft and casting spells of revenge

From School Library Journal

Calif includes many topics in this short novel--mother/son relationships, intergenerational friendship, the destructiveness of prejudice , and the death of a parent. Ten-year-old Gary Benson and his mother move from their Ozark farm to a nearby town after Gary's father is killed in a tractor accident. While trying to make new friends, Gary becomes involved in a prank to frighten an old woman who is known as the town witch. When the prank backfires and he is caught, he must pay for damages by working for the woman. Suddenly, when most of the boys involved in the escapade become ill, adult prejudice comes to a head but reason finally prevails. Readers will identify with Gary's dilemmas of facing a new school, making new friends, and dealing with the death of his father. As he begins to develop a friendship with the elderly woman, he faces peer pressure and makes some brave choices. All of the characters are well drawn. The plot is logical, and the book flows nicely from beginning to end. There are several episodes that could be read aloud or used in a booktalk. A well-written book that is done with warmth, compassion, and humor. --Molly Kinney, North Dade Regional Lib . , Miami, FLCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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