BOOK REVIEW - "The Witches"
By Roald Dahl
What is it about?
Luke is a boy who had to live with his grandmother in Norway since his parents pass away in a car accident.
He tells us that he had two encounters with witches before he was eight years old but due to his grandmama's descriptions about witches he could spot them and try to scape before they get rid of him.
* How to recognise a witch when you see one:
- They used to wear gloves.
- They are bald and her wigs produce them sores in their head.
- Their nose-holes are larger than ordinary people (and that's why they can detect a child although there is no light).
- Their eyes pupil aren't black... they had a changing colour.
- They have no toes. Their feet are very wide and square at the ends.
- Their spit is blue as ink and they even use ir to write with.
I strongly recommend this book because it's surprising if you haven't seen the film before. I watched the film when I was eight years old more or less (I remember that I was almost the same age as the main character) and I loved it, specially the part where the grandmother is telling him how to spot a witch and the stories os the vanished child.
Although I liked it, I think that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is my favourite Roald Dahl book of all time but I will keep reading more because his style is so lovely that i think I would never get tired of reading it.
He tells us that he had two encounters with witches before he was eight years old but due to his grandmama's descriptions about witches he could spot them and try to scape before they get rid of him.
* How to recognise a witch when you see one:
- They used to wear gloves.
- They are bald and her wigs produce them sores in their head.
- Their nose-holes are larger than ordinary people (and that's why they can detect a child although there is no light).
- Their eyes pupil aren't black... they had a changing colour.
- They have no toes. Their feet are very wide and square at the ends.
- Their spit is blue as ink and they even use ir to write with.
I strongly recommend this book because it's surprising if you haven't seen the film before. I watched the film when I was eight years old more or less (I remember that I was almost the same age as the main character) and I loved it, specially the part where the grandmother is telling him how to spot a witch and the stories os the vanished child.
Although I liked it, I think that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is my favourite Roald Dahl book of all time but I will keep reading more because his style is so lovely that i think I would never get tired of reading it.
Who is Roald Dahl?
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer, poet and screenwriter and became one of the world's best-selling authors. He has been referred to as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century".
Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he lived with his mother in Cardiff after his father and sister had dead because his father had wished to have their children educated in British schools, which he considered the world's best.
From 1929, he attended Repton School, where Cadbury, the chocolate company, would occasionally send boxes of new chocolates to the school to be tested by the pupils. Dahl apparently used to dream of inventing a new chocolate bar that would win the praise of Mr. Cadbury himself; and this proved the inspiration for him to write his third book for children, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), and to include references to chocolate in other books for children.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of Royal Air Force folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943.
Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, The BFG, George's Marvellous Medicine and Fantastic Mr Fox.
Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he lived with his mother in Cardiff after his father and sister had dead because his father had wished to have their children educated in British schools, which he considered the world's best.
From 1929, he attended Repton School, where Cadbury, the chocolate company, would occasionally send boxes of new chocolates to the school to be tested by the pupils. Dahl apparently used to dream of inventing a new chocolate bar that would win the praise of Mr. Cadbury himself; and this proved the inspiration for him to write his third book for children, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), and to include references to chocolate in other books for children.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of Royal Air Force folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943.
Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, The BFG, George's Marvellous Medicine and Fantastic Mr Fox.
Some films based on Roald Dahl books
Witches, The (1990) - Trailer
Second child vanished by Marxuky
INTERESTING VOCABULARY
Churning - agitated.
Whizzing - whirring sound (like a bee flying).
Squelching - walk noisily in mud.
Motto - slogan, saying... what you want to achieve in your life.
Swoops - attacks.
Enthralled - captivated, fascinated.
Tar - substance black.
Dressing-gown - housecoat.
Odd - unusual.
Twinkle - To blink or wink the eyes.
Puff - cloud of smoke.
Drainpipes - pipe for channelling waste water.
Frightful - horrifying.
Stench (or stink) - smell bad.
Ooze - exude slowly.
Smack - hit with open hand.
Outraged - shocked, offended.
Shivers - shake from cold.
Beg - to implore, ask for.
Whizzing - whirring sound (like a bee flying).
Squelching - walk noisily in mud.
Motto - slogan, saying... what you want to achieve in your life.
Swoops - attacks.
Enthralled - captivated, fascinated.
Tar - substance black.
Dressing-gown - housecoat.
Odd - unusual.
Twinkle - To blink or wink the eyes.
Puff - cloud of smoke.
Drainpipes - pipe for channelling waste water.
Frightful - horrifying.
Stench (or stink) - smell bad.
Ooze - exude slowly.
Smack - hit with open hand.
Outraged - shocked, offended.
Shivers - shake from cold.
Beg - to implore, ask for.