The Little Leftover Witch

Like almost everyone else here, I remembered Florence Laughlin's charming 1960 book, "The Little Leftover Witch," from my childhood.The plot: on Halloween night, 7 yr old Lucinda Doon is awakened to find a little witch around her age crying on a tree branch outside her bedroom window. The witch, Felina, has broken her broom and can't fly home until next Halloween. So, Lucinda invites Felina into her home and asks her parents if Felina can stay for the year. Thus starts a year of mild adventures for the Doons and their little town as they adjust to having a little witch in their midst. The Doons, though, through love and acceptance start to change Felina from a suspicious, cross, and sometimes naughty little witch into a happy and well-adjusted child. Yet, what happens when Halloween rolls around and the other witches come looking for their lost little one....This is just a fun and charming story. As another reviewer has mentioned, it really is an allegory for adoption. For its intended audience (K-3rd graders), Felina is a real witch with the ability to do mild mayhem through her use of "little magic." Yet, to adults it's clearly a story about a neglected/abandoned child finding a family and a home. Either way, it's a touching tale.One complaint: the republished edition does NOT contain the original illustrations. In fact, it has no illustrations except for its cover one. That's a real shame. I still remember the original illustrations which really drew the reader (or listener) into the story. So, why did the publisher ditch the illustrations? To save costs? Or the belief that it'd be tough to market to modern children a book that contained illustrations of little girls from 1960- the type who wore dresses to school everyday? (Also, the type who got threatened with spankings for misbehaving which is still in the book.)

Fantastic story of the beauty of adoption. The relationships are touching and sincere. I read this book as a child and I love reading it to my grandsons.

I read this story as a fifth grade student, many years ago. After searching for this book for more than twenty years I finally came upon it through Amazon and promptly purchased it. I have been sharing it with an English Language Learner , (a student) from Italy that I provide home instruction for, due to a medical condition that prevents her from attending a regular school setting and which is the sole reason she is living in the United States, as a medical cure is sought. The delight she is experiencing as we read this book together is helping me relive the joy I felt when I read it as a little girl. Felina's antics and the Doon family's kindness is delightful and makes you daydream of a world where peace and joy abound. My student cannot get enough of the book which we have been reading over the past few days. Everyday when I arrive to her home for her instruction she asks excitedly "can we read the little witch, can we read the little witch"? At the end of our two hour session she is reluctant to stop reading because she is totally enchanted with The Little Leftover Witch. The vocabulary that my student is learning from reading this book is helping her develop her English skills in a fun way. I recommend this book as it will make you believe that anything is possible.

I had owned the original hardcover as a child but it finally fell apart, so I was thrilled to get a new copy for the next generation. As a young reader, I needed a story to get into a book, and this book never left my memory. It is about a little witch who ends up with a family when she is left behind at Halloween. The trials and tribulations she and her new family go through -- all in anticipation of the witches retrieving her the next Halloween (think ET without technology) are very entertaining, and fun for anyone under 9. I would imagine it would be a good read-aloud book for a parent who enjoys chapter books and stories, but for a young girl, who isn't caught up in just technology and American Girl dolls, this book is truly great. As a bonus, it is also helpful to talk about a Foster situation, as basically that is the position Felina is in -- living with a family that is not her own. It's all good!

LOVE this book! When I was a little girl, this was my favorite story. My sister had kept the book, but then lost it. I searched high and low for it, couldn't find it anywhere! FINALLY found it here! Worth the price because of sentimental value. The story is so sweet and touching.A little witch gets left behind on Halloween and has to wait a whole year before the other witches can come back and she can rejoin them. In the meantime, a family finds her and brings her into their lives. She very slowly begins to trust them and appreciates all the things the family does for her. She is in essence a Foster child to the family, and then they all discuss having her join the family permanently.Adoption is the key factor, and its very well written for kids to understand and accept. When Halloween comes around again, the little leftover witch has transformed from being a sneaky, stealing, angry witch to a loving, happy, well adjusted loving child.I wish the book was in better condition, but it was well read from a school library, so it held up quite well overall.Sweetest story ever. So happy I found it again. I think everyone will enjoy this story.

I picked this book out of the libary when I was six and loved it. It was the first book that took more than one setting for my mother to read it to me. I couldn't wait each night to find out what would happen next. It is great for any child who loves witches and halloween and any only young girl who thought how fun it would be to have a sister. It gives a child a lot to think about and wonder about. There imagination will go wild.My mother read this book to her first and third graders every year around halloween. They all loved it too. My old book was falling appart and so was the paperbook my mother found to replace it with. So glad to have amazon where I could find it again. I found an original copy on ebay for over $150 and lovee book so much I almost paid that for it.I recently read it to my 6 year daughter and she loved it too.

As an adult reading this for the first time, I thoroughly enjoyed this magical little book and wish someone had got it for me when I was a kid. Brilliantly written, delightful characters, funny, and subtly teaches about consequences etc. Ideal for children of any age.My only disappointment was, that it wasn't the illustrated version that many of my American friends have.

Buy this book. It's beautiful and perfect for reading before Halloween!

good story, granddaughter really in to it

A good read for any child

it was a very cute and fun read. Read it to my 8 year old daughter and she really enjoyed it!