The Witches

The Witches 

• Genre: Fiction; fantasy; children’s literature 
• Originally Published: 1983 
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 740L; grades 3-7 
• Structure/Length: 22 chapters; approximately 208 pages; approximately 4 hours, 28 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The story is narrated by an unnamed boy who, with his grandmother, becomes entangled in a secret world of witches who despise children. The central conflict arises when they discover the Grand High Witch’s plan to eliminate all the children in England by turning them into mice. Together, the boy and his grandmother must find a way to thwart the witches’ nefarious plans. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Depictions of witches as malevolent creatures; danger to children; transformation of children into mice; fantasy violence and peril; abuse and injury to animals (mice); smoking (cigars); scary and suspenseful scenes

Roald Dahl, Author 

• Bio: Born in 1916 in Wales; died in 1990; British author; celebrated for his inventive plots, dark humor, and the triumph of the underdog; influential and popular writer in children’s literature
• Other Works: James and the Giant Peach (1961); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964); Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970); Matilda (1988)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Importance of Family, Teamwork, and Love
• Good Versus Evil
• Appearances and the Fluidity of Identity

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will: