Taken from various sources, from authors both classic and contemporary, this collection of eighteen witchy poems makes for fabulous reading, especially at Halloween time! From Shakespeare and e.e. cummings (an excerpt from MacBeth and "Hist Whist," respectively), to Jack Prelutsky and Karla Kuskin ("The Wee Woolly Witchie of Whitslewood Way" and "The Witches' Ride"), the poems here read well, and capture the charm and fright of the witch...

The selections presented in Witch Poems vary in length and form, but are almost all entertaining. I was interested to see "Wild Witches' Ball (the second Prelutsky selection), as I have also encountered it in picture-book form. Somehow, despite being underwhelmed by it in that format, I found it more speaking here. No doubt this owes something to Trina Schart Hyman's astonishingly expressive and delightfully spooky illustrations. The artwork here is simply glorious - beautiful and creepy all at once. I wish I had encountered this book as a girl, given my love for the witchy, as I would have adored it! Recommended to all young poetry lovers, as a deliciously spooky read at Halloween, as well as to fellow fans of Trina Schart Hyman. ( )

This book is featured on Shabby Sunday @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/10/15/shabby-sunday-witch-poems-by-daisy-wa...

This book is one of our favorites to read around Halloween time. There are witch poems from multiple poets including Shakespeare, L.Frank Baum, Myra Cohn Livingston and a few anonymous.

One of our favorites is written by Myra Cohn Livingston. It’s titled “Lazy Witch."

Lazy Witch

Lazy witch
What’s wrong with you?
Get up and stir your magic brew.
Here’s candlelight to chase the gloom.
Jump up and mount your flying broom
And muster up your charms and spells
And wicked grins and piercing yells.
It’s Halloween! There’s work to do!
Lazy witch,
What’s wrong with you?

–Myra Cohn Livingston

What makes this book so atmospheric are the illustrations. They’re all black and white and remind me of Pam Smy’s illustrations in [b:Thornhill|28107168|Thornhill|Pam Smy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498912030s/28107168.jpg|48113811].

It sets the mood and makes this a perfect book for Halloween. There is actually one semi-nude illustration in the beginning of the book, but the book is labeled for children ages 3 and up. We enjoy all eighteen poems.

My rating on this one is 5-stars. ( )

This book has been in my collection since I was a child, and I will never get tired of reading it, or looking at the art. Books like these are what give life to your imagination, and take you away into a world of wonder. This book is short, but it's packed with great art and witchy goodness.

For those of you that don't know, I believe this is a series of fantasy poems. I also have a book by the same author that is called Fairy Poems, and it's just as fantastical. ( )

Perfect for fans (of all ages, not just children) of the subject, but does not transcend for universal appeal. My rating is my personal opinion, based on some of the pictures. Hyman is an amazing artist and one of my favorites, but even she can't make me 'enjoy' something I'v not a lot of interest in.

I will say, though, if it's at your library, you must get it. There are a couple of gems that make it worth the few minutes to find. ( )

Poems are nothing special, but the value lies in Trina Schart Hyman's illustrations. ( )