Hansel & Gretel by Bethan Woollvin (review)

Willow the witch is a good witch with good intentions, so when she sees two kids snacking on her gingerbread house, she assumes they must be hungry and invites them in for dinner. She tries not to be bothered when Hansel and Gretel quickly gobble up the feast she magically prepares for them, leaving only a bone for poor Willow. She tries to be patient when the pair grab her spellbook and wand, harassing her pets and turning her cat into a giant beast. She really tries to keep her cool when they shove her into the oven so they can continue their fun, but there's only so much a good witch can take before she resorts to bad magic—and besides, the gingerbread cookies made from the siblings are adorable. This fractured fairy tale revises the original with snarky humor but manages to keep a bit of its darkness, though here it's the witch that satisfyingly claims the victory. The geometric shapes—Willow is basically a triangle with a face—and bold palette, consisting mostly of orange and black, make this easy for group sharing and an obvious pick for a Halloween storytime. Viewers will appreciate the humor and parents might appreciate the lesson for kids more than that of the original tale: forget staying safe in the woods; just stop being a brat and you won't get eaten.