The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg

The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg

I read this aloud with Amber (9) on Halloween night, but it really is perfect for any day in October. It’s truly a magical book.

A witch’s brooms loses its power of flight suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving the witch to fall to the ground. A kindly widow takes her in. Once the witch heals, she flies off with another witch, leaving her old broom behind. The widow discovers there is still some magic left in the broom.

She peeked in and saw something that made her heart jump. There was the broom, sweeping the floor all by itself.

Unfortunately her neighbors are afraid of the broom and determined to destroy it. The widow and the broom out wit them in the end, though.

The sepia-toned illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and the story is captivating, from the witch falling to the broom’s abilities. And the bigoted neighbors are the real villains, not the witch. It makes the point that some people are afraid of what they don’t understand, especially when they don’t take the time to really look at it. The neighbors should have realized how much of a help to the widow the boom was, that it was not evil.

Of course it has a happy ending, though, one that Amber and I loved. This is the kind of charming, beautiful book I expect from Van Allsburg.

Our copy was borrowed from the library and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon Associate.