Witches of Wakeman

by Betsy Haynes

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553158309
• ISBN13: 9780553158304
• Release Date: September 1990
• Publisher: Skylark Books
• Length: 121 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Interesting story on common teen body image problems...

Swell book; one of the best Beth books yet. Beth was always my second favorite after Katie; I loved how funny and dramatic she was, yet vulnerable and sensitive also. Beth is very talented, esp. in acting and is highly creative and unconventional, but often has self-esteem problems. She wins a great part in the school play, but also the Fabulous Five's enemy, Laura McCall is in it also as Glinda, the good witch. Laura is an only mediocre actress and is very jealous of Beth's brilliance on the stage. Laura loves being the center of attention and resents sharing it with Beth, whom she considers homely and weird, so Laura does nearly anything she can to steal the scenes and to undermine Beth's already shaky self-confidence. In addition, several of the cast and crew believe in theater superstitions and several bizarre happenings during rehearsals appear to "prove" the superstitions. Laura, especially, squeals and complains loudly and at one point, when her wand seems to vanish, tries to blame Beth. Beth courageously forges ahead with her part in the rehearsals, but her low self-esteem is becoming more painful, especially since she feels flat-chested and awkward next to the more filled out, glamorous Laura and Jana. Keith, Beth's boyfriend, doesn't help matters when he flirts with Laura and hurts Beth's feelings. Jana then tries to "cheer up" Beth to no avail, then tells Beth that her lack of self-confidence is "all in her head" which hurts Beth even more. I felt like kicking both Jana and Keith's butts there; they both showed a real lack of empathy there. I liked the bats that Paul Smoke had; they were interesting; I just wish his sister Shirley had been developed more, maybe have her own some bats of her own. The play itself is huge success despite the weird backstage happenings and Laura's amateur attempts at scene stealing and own little dramas. The play and Beth seeing some pictures of small-busted, yet successful actresses restores some of Beth's confidence and gives her the courage to carry on and even to stand up to Laura more. The end is hilarious when we find out just what is behind the superstitions and happenings; it takes everyone by surprise. Very good book; Beth is captured well here...her zaniness, her low self-esteem, her creative mind, her brilliance on stage. The Baby-Sitters Club series was a set that had even more books where the girls struggle with self-esteem problems, for one example see, Mary Anne to the Rescue (Baby-Sitters Club). Mary Anne Spier, although quieter than Beth and more reserved, also is bright, but struggles with many self-esteem problems and even at one point, has to contend with a boyfriend who's a lot like Keith.