Kids into books: Broomsticks in Space

Author: Kate Saunders

Illustrator: Tony Ross

Age: 7-10 years

Publisher: Macmillan, $10.95



Things had not always been so happy, however. For their first couple of years with the humans, Skirty and Noshie had been at war with the terrible Mrs Abercrombie. The ex-queen had done everything she could to destroy Old Noshie and Skirty Marm. She had plenty of reasons to hate them.

First, they had helped to bring about the Witch Island Revolution, which finally three the evil queen off her throne.

Second (and worst of all), they had stolen the Power Hat. This was an extraordinarily powerful witch's hat, two metres tall, with an everlasting candle burning at its point. Nobody knew all its secrets, but this Hat was the very heart of Mrs Abercrombie's power. Without it, she was nothing more than a very clever, very wicked and very ancient witch. With the Power Hat, she was the strongest witch in the world.