The Witches is a ***** star book.  It is funny, scary and a bit informative.  It tells you the characteristics of a real witch.

     The story is about a young boy who lives with his granny in Norway. Each night his grandmother tells him a story. One night, his grandmother tells him a nonfiction story, the characteristics of a true witch: 

blue saliva, eyes that change color, bald head, no toes, great sense of smell, and long fingernails.

     As a result of this description, he is able to identify his first witch.  He encounters her when he is working on his tree house.   He knows it is a real witch because he sees blue dots on her teeth and she is scratching her wig-covered bald head a lot (but that can also indicate lice) and her eyes are changing color. She is also wearing gloves. It is summer. Witches wear gloves year-round to cover their fingers.  She is holding a paper bag and says, "Come down here, and have my candy!"

     Soon after, the boy and his grandmother take a holiday in England, and it is a good thing they did, because the boy gets mice and is training them when he meets the Grand High Witch herself . . . and  . . I won´t tell you anymore, except that the encounter certainly changes him and his life.  GO TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY or BOOKSTORE and get The Witches.  It is a spellbinding book!