Long, long ago, spelling was easy. Each letter had only one sound. Anyone who learned the sounds of the letters could read and spell. 

Then, swooping down from the sky on her broomstick comes a mischievous witch. This is the Spelling Witch.  She hates to see children read.  She is determined to stop them.  With her magic powers, she starts muddling up all the letters and sounds of the alphabet.  Reading becomes difficult.

What can be done to stop her?

By chance, a powerful magic spell falls off her broomstick one night.  It is found by two children and their dog.  With this, they discover the Land of Alphabet and its population of Letters.  The children join with the Letters in their struggle to stop the witch, and with the help of the Spelling Bee, they embark on a dangerous mission to chase her away forever.

Will they succeed?

Through a playful, captivating series of adventure poems, The Spelling Witch helps children make sense of the nonsensical nature of English spelling.  It actively encourages them to engage with unusual letter-combinations, to demonstrate to the witch that she cannot defeat them in the Spelling War.  Spelling is no longer a boring classroom routine.  It has now become an exciting battle in which every trick mastered is a victory.

To provide children with strategies to master some of the confusing elements of early reading, the book presents a series of 21 poems which address common spelling challenges.  At the same time, the story moves forward to its climax.

A spirited, entertaining doorway into the complex world of spelling, this innovative educational resource transforms the difficulties of beginning to read  into  a fun-filled game.

At a time of increasing concern over children’s literacy and the need for more focused teaching of the specific skills required for reading and writing, this imaginative tool serves as a delightful pathway to turning young children into avid readers.