| Title | : | Heckedy Peg |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0152336796 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780152336790 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 32 |
| Publication | : | First published October 21, 1987 |
| Awards | : | Irma Black Award (1988) |
Heckedy Peg Reviews
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This feels like either a Grimm fairytale or an Anderson fairytale, but maybe Audrey just wrote it to be that way.
The artwork is beautiful. It looks like Renaissance artwork with light/dark contrasts and it reminds me of her King Biggood book, which is amazing and you need to read that story.
A mother has 7 children and she names them after days of the week, why not right. The mother goes to the market with a warning not to touch fire or let in strangers, but strangers are crafty, especially old witches, so the children let them in and this starts the story. Heckedy Peg is an evil witch, because why not make witches evil, right? (I really don't like an evil witch archetype, it's so patriarchal)
The witch turns them into food and whisks them away to eat them at her cave home. The mother gets help from a bird and goes after them. She is able to rescue her children and I love how she does that. It's a great story device and that one piece could have been drawn out just a little bit more. It's over fast, but it's a great moment. It makes the story worth it.
Nephew thought this was a little spooky. He thought it was good and he was glad the children were saved. He thought the witch should have paid more. He gave this 3 stars. -
Revised Review:
“Heckedy Peg” is another early book of Audrey Wood and Don Wood and is the winner of the Irma Simonton Black Award. With Audrey Wood’s masterful storytelling and Don Wood’s exotic illustrations, “Heckedy Peg” is sure to be an instant classic.
Audrey Wood’s masterful storytelling is both exciting and intense as she narrates the story of a mother who risks her life to find her seven children before Heckedy Peg eats them up. The scene that really stood out the most in this book was the scene where the mother knew which food item was her child by remembering what they had requested before she went to the market. I always thought that while reading this book, whether or not the mother had an excellent memory of what her children wanted or that it was the power of love that broke the spell over the children, but I believe that the power of love is a good theme in this book because the reader can easily see that the mother was distraught when her children were kidnapped and she had the courage to go rescue her children even after they were transformed into food. Don Wood’s illustrations are beautiful and haunting at the same time especially of the scene of Heckedy Peg’s hut being gloomy and frightening as the colors are mainly gray and blue and the trees twist in a monstrous way.
Parents should know that Heckedy Peg, the evil witch, might scare small due to her wanting to eat the mother’s seven children. Also, some parents might be upset by the use of witchcraft in this story as Heckedy Peg uses dark magic to transform the children into various food items and they might want to talk to their children about the controversial topic about witchcraft. Also, Heckedy Peg looks extremely frightening as she dresses in a tattered old dress and has a twisted and insane looking expression on her face. The scene that will probably frighten children the most would be the scene where Heckedy Peg transforms the seven children into different food items and you can see the malicious grin on Heckedy Peg’s face as the children seem like ghostly apparitions of themselves when they transform into food. Parents may want to comfort their children that a mother’s love for their children usually conquers any frightful situation and also discuss about the dangers of letting in strangers that they do not know that well.
“Heckedy Peg” is one of Audrey Wood’s and Don Wood’s most dramatic books and is also the most beautiful book from their collection, other than “The Napping House.” Children who love books filled with adventure and tension will definitely enjoy this book and the mother’s clever resolution in finding out which child is hers. I would strongly recommend this book to children ages six and older since it does deal with the subject matter of witchcraft and small children might be frighten by Heckedy Peg’s desire to eat the seven children.
Review is also on:
Rabbit Ears Book Blog -
The illustrations here are truly magnificent. The paintings would not be out of place in an art museum. They’re amazing.
The story is both scary and funny. I’d have been terrified as a young child, but as an adult I really enjoyed the story.
It’s about a clever and loving mother and her seven children. (Given the children’s names, I did get a chuckle from wondering what she’d have done had she had eight children. ha ha) I guess this is a reassurance story since the mother outwits the witch but it’s a very scary story, in my opinion. What’s fun is for the reader/listener to guess, along with the mother, which child is which, in order to save them.
This is an original fairy tale like story. The inside cover says it’s inspired by a sixteenth-century game still played by children today. (That’s all that’s said about that. I don’t know anything about the game. I’m curious enough that I’ll probably go try to look it up.)
4 ½ stars -
Quite gorgeous illustrations and a clever story. I'm not sure I felt especially drawn to it, although I do appreciate all its merits. Best of all, I love that Mom is the HEROINE for a change. A spunky, brave and clever one at that. Woo hoo!
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How come I never came over this author / illustrator duo before?
This is exactly what I asked myself while reading this little gem. The story itself is entertaining, even though elements of it remind me of multiple old European fairy tales. However, it does offer a fresh look at the age-old cautionary tale of parents telling their children to not open the door for strangers no matter what. The children, as we know, can never abide by that simple rule :)
The illustrations in this book are simply wonderful. I love the oil paintings, the use of light, motion, the detail in every picture, in every expression. The illustrator (in this case the author's husband) is a true artist, and a very talented one indeed.
Reading this book reminded me of how wonderful children's books used to be. Not the run-of-the-mill we get now, with photoshop images and shaky drawings. No, I'm talking about real children's books that took time to write and illustrate.
Recommended. -
When their mother, setting out to the market in town, must leave them home alone, seven rambunctious siblings - named for the seven days of the week - keep to her instructions at first, refusing to open the door for strangers, or to touch the fire. But a crafty witch named Heckedy Peg (who'd lost her leg) soon comes along, tempting them with a bag of gold, and - when they finally do admit her to the cottage - transforming them into various food items! It falls to their determined and resourceful mother, returned home with the items they requested, to rescue her children from the witch who plans to eat them...
The third picture-book from storytelling team Audrey and Don Wood that I have read - the previous two being
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub and
The Napping House - this tale of a family that triumphs over the machinations of one very evil witch is an absolute delight! I enjoyed the story, appreciated the clever way in which the items each child requested from the market matched up (in various ways) with the food into which they had been transformed, and really liked the fact that it is the mother who is the hero. As for the illustrations, done by Don Wood in oil, they are simply gorgeous - a pure visual feast! All in all, Heckedy Peg is just a delightful book, one I recommend to all young fairy-tale lovers, and to fans of the Woods. -
This is a great pick for story time! Not only are the illustrations beautiful, but children can try to guess how the mother will figure out which food is which child. I consider this to be one of Audrey and Douglas Wood's best. Highly recommended!
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I really loved the illustrations in this book. When I checked it out I didn't realize it was by the married author/illustrator team who collaborated on an excellent read
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub. I liked the old time feel of the story. The witch reminded me of snow white and the seven dwarfs. A mother leaves her children alone to go into town. Upon coming home, she discovers they are missing. A little blackbird tells her what happened and she is off to rescue her children from the evil witch. Not a book for the very young or a sensitive child.
This is a Children's Picture Book Club read. This month's theme is witches and monsters:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6... -
Paralleling the idea of "The Wolf and the Seven Kids", this folktale details how a mother saves her children (named after the days of the week) from a witch after they have been tricked by her. Using quick wit and recognition of the food group matching the mother rescues her children. A fun tale to use for folktales, parellel stories and matching and prediction as well as introducing the days of the week and possibly pairing with the rhyme of the days of the week.
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Gorgeous illustrations really complement the story. I'll admit it's been a LONG time since I read this book, and the story seems a bit silly in my head since it's fantasy, but it's still a really fun story with some beautifully-done illustrations.
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Creepy and ethereal illustrations and a scary narrative highlight this story by the writing team of
Audrey Wood and
Don Wood. The story is spooky and entertaining and perfect to read at Halloween, even if it isn't about the holiday.
Our girls really enjoyed the story and talked about it for days after we read it. I love the amazing illustrations and just had to reread the story and really look at the details in the pictures. I also love that the Mom is the hero of the story and succeeds because she knows her children so well.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the
October 2011 Witches and Monsters-themed reads for the
Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads. -
When I was little, this was one of my favorite books. The story is about a mother with seven children who must go to the the market to get food. She asks each of her children what they would like and promises to bring an item back for each child. While she's away, an evil witch (Heckedy Peg) stops by and tricks the children into letting her in. She turns the children into food and brings them to her home. When the mother arrives home, and her children are missing, she knows just where to find them. After several attempted to get into the witches home she finally is allowed in and in order to get her children back she must guess correctly what food item is which child.
The author, Audrey Wood, and her husband Don (the illustrator) have collaborated on many other books that my sisters and I loved when we were little such as Kind Bidgood in the Bathtub and The Napping Room. This is my favorite because the story is so intriguing. The illustrations are also very beautifully done. -
Seven children are left home alone while their mother goes to the market to buy them special items for helping with chores. The mother tells them to the lock the door, not to let in strangers, and to stay away from fire. An old witch, Heckedy Peg tricks the children into letting her inside and she turns them into food. Will mother be able to save her seven children from this wicked old witch?
An incredible story. It does read like a folktale variant and the children turning into food dynamic is definitely a feature of many folktales, but I would have to do some research before I categorized it as such. I appreciate that the mother is portrayed as clever, brave, and strong. The illustrations are stunning. Don and Audrey Wood have a remarkable talent and have long been a favorite duo of mine. -
One of my favorites. My children move closer and stare, spellbound at the pictures. Will the mother be able to save her children from being eaten by a witch? I don't know what it is about the threat of being eaten, but there is something wonderfully terrifying about this story. The clever victory is immensely satisfying. If the story were not entirely compelling, I could stare at the pictures for a very long time, but it is too tempting to turn the page!
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My wife and father-in-law are obsessed with this book, so I figured I'd be remiss not to include it among my books. They both do a really great job with the voices. I just can't get over the whole creepy cutting-your-feet off and turning kids into food thing.
Oops, was that a spoiler? -
This is one of my most favorite children's books of all time!! It has been so special to me and my daughters, that I bought another copy of the book for my grandchildren! It is a unique story, teaches many concepts, and demonstrates the strength of a mother's love!!
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This book gets 4 stars because of the illustrations. The story is a little odd but I liked it.
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This was one of my favorite Wood books. Creepy, thrilling, and awesome.
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I borrowed this from the library, and have read it about 20 times in past couple of weeks (per request). Beautifully illustrated, and a clever story that echoes the gospel.
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The story is a good moral tale but the lavish illustrations really make this one pop! Nothing finer than a quick-witted mama outwitting a witch!
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I'm reviewing a bunch of picture books for a HS picture book collection, and I remembered reading this with my son when I was little. He gave it 5 stars, and I never reviewed it. Well, it's a bizarre little story that is a bit frightening, but the illustrations are amazing. I think he loved the spookiness or darkness to it, and probably loved that it had no heavy-handed moral to the story at all other than obey your mom and she has your back if you screw up.
I'm not adding this to the HS collection, but it's a child-pleaser for I don't know what reason. :) -
" - Sou a bruxa Salomé,
e acabei de perder meu pé.
Deixem-me entrar!"
Da série livros da minha infância, A bruxa Salomé é um dos meus favoritos da vida!!!! A capa do livro eu acho uma das capas mais lindas da literatura.
Gostinho de infância e conforto. -
I don't usually read/rate children's book but this was my favorite in elementary school...so I went ahead and got a copy. Beautiful illustrations and good lesson. I used to be so scared of Heckedy Peg and the idea of strangers, so I'd say the message was well-received by young-me.
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I'm not sure how I feel about this book. At first, I didnt know where it was going and where the lesson came through. I think in the end its that a mother always knows who her children are and what they need? It confused me.
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This is yet another illustrated children's book that drew me in and caused me to marvel at the stunning beauty of the illustrations.
Inspired by a 16th century children's game, the author and illustrator fashioned an incredible story book.
When seven children, each named for the days of the week, are left alone while their mother goes to market, they are cautioned not to let anyone inside and not to touch the fire.
Soon, the very two things they were told not to do, become the unraveling of their life as an old witch, who lost a leg, begs for entry and a light for her pipe.
For a sack of gold, the witch is allowed entry.
As the children dance with burning sticks of fire, Heckedy Peg changed the children into food, gathered them up and took them deep into the forest.
When the mother returned from market, a blackbird told her what he witnessed and pointed the way into the forest.
As Heckedy prepares to eat Tuesday, mama rescues the day playing the witches game of requesting her to identify the child with the food item it became.
Successful, the children were transformed back into human form. Chasing the evil witch throughout into the town and onto the bridge, Heckedy Peg jumps and is never seen again.
Highly recommended. Interestingly, the Muter Museum in Philadelphia, PA, in May, had an exhibit wherein the focus was fairy tales and cannibalism. Hanzel and Gretel is but one example of this barbaric deed thwarted by the children, thus making the evil witch unsuccessful.
In this book, the mother's resourcefulness saves the children from death of being eaten.
cannibalism -
Seven children are left at home by their mother with strict instructions to keep the door locked and stay away from the fire as she goes to the market. A wicked witch comes to the window and offers them a sack of gold if they will let her in and light her pipe from the fire. They give in to temptation and she turns them into various types of food, packs them up and takes them home to have dinner. Mother comes home and with the help of a bird locates the old witch's hovel. The witch tells mom that if she can correctly name each of her children even though they are food, that she will let them go. Using the things her children requested from market Mom is able to release them. The old witch disappears into the river and they are safe.
Beautifully illustrated but this book is for those who are not afraid to expose children to some violence and negativity with their fairytales. This is a traditional fairy tale up to and including the witch asking the mother to chop off her own feet in an effort to make sure that she can't run away and the wicked woman is definitely planning to eat the children in their altered food forms. This is a cautionary tale of obedience for children and of the love of a mother and her willingness to sacrifice herself for her children. This is a classic tale told in a very traditional style that does not resemble a Disney version by any means, so parents should approach this book with caution. The illustrations are detailed and follow the story with wonderful imagery and make this an excellent tale well told. -
A slightly modern ('80s) original fairy tale that is haunting yet charming, a little scary yet delicious (look at all the food!), and stunning in every way; much aided by the breathtaking artwork. It took me back to my childhood of reading illustrated fairy tale books.
'Heckedy Peg' is about how nothing is more powerful than a mother's love and affection for, and knowledge of, her children. It is about why children should listen to their mother's reasonable dos and don'ts of life - for the witch, albeit an old, reclusive, disabled one, is a metaphor; there are worse things to be wary of in real life. It is about never letting strangers into the house, and never touching fire; it shouldn't be used for anything other than cooking, light and warmth (smoking is bad, too, kids!). It is about hard work being rewarded. It is about outwitting your foes.
'Heckedy Peg' is about a lot of things. But the biggest that is to stick in a child's mind is: love and appreciate your mama for all she does for you.
Darkness and a bit of nightmare fuel in the art can be good for kids. They learn from a little fear and uneasiness; it's good human instinct, and good fairy tales should reflect this. They should also pour in an equal measure of light and hope, culminating in the famous "happily ever after". 'Heckedy Peg' provides exactly this spectacle and treat.
It's just that I'd like to read fairy tales that are a bit more subversive, where the witch isn't evil and typically old and ugly (and disabled with a peg leg, in this case). But oh well.
A classic gift.
Final Score: 4/5 -
What's really amazing about Heckedy Peg is that it's an original story. You are going to read this and think to yourself "Is this from Grimm?" or "Is this some (Insert European region here) folktale?" Because that's exactly what the story feels like - something straight outta Andrew Lang. It's not; Audrey Wood has crafted an imaginative story that combines fairy tale and folkloric elements but is completely fresh. It would make a terrific read aloud - and could easily be told without any pictures at all. I love the fact that the witch "jumped off the bridge and was never seen again;" there isn't some peacenik granola sort of ending in which the witch mends her evil ways. Probably the Grimms would have made sure the mother and kids eat the witch bit by horrifying graphic bit instead of the other way around, but the Woods probably had a line they couldn't cross, so it was better to have her peacefully drown (out of frame too). It's the illustrations that were my main complaint. I suppose art and illustration is completely subjective, but I found the oil paintings of the child protagonists to be vaguely menacing. They could easily all be stand ins for Regan in The Exorcist. I thought they all looked more evil than the witch (although in a meta sort of way, I suppose witches think kids are the ultimate evil, albeit tasty evils).
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Some other reviewers have commented that this book "sounds traditional" or "reads like folklore" or similar. That's actually because it IS a traditional bit of folklore - it's taken
from a traditional children's game known variously as "Old Witch, Old Witch" or "The Witch in the Well" or I'm sure a dozen other things!
This commenter suggests that the second part of the game he played - which is word-for-word in the book - is called "Pies" and was actually a different game at some point.
Do yourself a favor and click that second link. Do you see all the dialog around cutting off feet and whatnot? That's in Heckedy Peg, and it's about the only objection I have to this book. (The mother doesn't actually cut off her feet but just pretends.) It's a little frightening for very little children. If you think your child might be scared or upset by a story in which a witch steals children to eat, and then makes their mom (pretend to) cut off her feet to get them back, please READ before you BUY.
