THE #1 BESTSELLING PHENOMENON WITH OVER 4 MILLION COPIES SOLD ACROSS ALL EDITIONS! From the acclaimed creators of The Gruffalo comes an enchanting, family-friendly tale full of quick wits, friendship, and adventure that is perfect for celebrating the Halloween season. “Witty and wonderful. A surefire read-aloud hit.”— School Library Journal How the cat purred And how the witch grinned, As they sat on their broomstick And flew through the wind. The witch and her cat couldn’t be happier flying through the sky on their broomstick. That is, until the witch accidentally drops her hat, then her bow, then her wand! Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items and bring them back to the witch. In return, all they want is a ride on the broomstick. But is there room on the broom for so many new friends? And when disaster strikes, will they be able to save the witch from the clutches of a hungry dragon? Charming, funny, and richly illustrated, Room on the Broom is a treasured holiday classic that is sure to be laugh-out-loud fun for the whole family. There's always room for one more on this affable witch's broomstick... or is there? In another mild-mannered tale from the creators of the Smarties Prize-winning picture book, The Gruffalo , a witch and her happily purring cat fly through the wind on their broomstick, without a care in the world, until the witch's black hat blows away. In the process of retrieving it, they pick up another passenger, a polite and helpful dog. All goes well until the witch's hair bow flies off. And then her wand. And then real disaster strikes--in the shape of a big red dragon, a broken broom, and some very important (but notably absent) friends. Julia Donaldson's story, though not earthshaking in plot or rhyme, is a pleasant way to pass the time leading up to the witching hour (Halloween!) especially when paired with the friendly illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Readers will especially love the final illustration, in which our heroes solve their space problems once and for all. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter K-Gr 3-A witch and her cat pick up a dog, a bird, and a frog, and fly off on her broomstick. The frog jumps for joy, the broomstick snaps in two, the animals land in a bog, and a dragon captures the witch. What to do? As in the Grimms' "The Bremen Town Musicians," the animals, covered in mud, stand on each other and "yowl," "growl," "croak," and "shriek," scaring the dragon and saving the witch. All's well that ends well for the witch conjures up a super broom with seats for the cat and dog, a nest for the bird, and a pool for the frog. The story is in rhyme, bouncing merrily along, full of fun, and not at all scary. The illustrations are witty and wonderful. All the characters, even the dragon, have the same goofy grin and large, round eyes. Dressed in a purple skirt, red blouse, and black cape and hat, the witch, with a long, ginger braid, is more friendly than frightening. The image of the red dragon carrying her, passed out cold, is a hoot. And her cat is not the traditional black cat; it looks more like a baby tiger. The result is a surefire read-aloud hit. Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. "The story is in rhyme, bouncing merrily along, full of fun.  The illustrations are witty and wonderful.  The result is a surefire read-aloud hit." - School Library Journal "The wart-nosed witch and her passengers make magic that is sure to please. Effective use of brilliant colors set against well-conceived backgrounds detail the story without need for text—but with it, the story—and the broom—take off." - Kirkus Reviews  "In this lightweight, witty story, helpful animals find "room on the broom" of a generous witch." - Publishers Weekly Julia Donaldson lives in Glasgow, Scotland.