A BAD SPELL FOR THE WORST WITCH; THE WORST WITCH; THE WORST WITCH STIKES AGAIN

A mildly entertaining series (the first was published in Britain in 1974) by a British author/illustrator making her American debut. In the tradition of the British school story, the books deal with the adventures of feckless Mildred Hubble, student at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Mildred, who can't work a spell properly, make her broom fly straight or her (non-black) cat stay on the broom, is continually running afoul of her nemesis, Headmistress Hardbroom, and archenemy Ethel Hallo, the class goody-goody. It takes nick. of-time quick thinking by Mildred and her friends to extract her from these disasters and prevent Mildred from being expelled. Murphy's pen-and, ink drawings are full of deadpan humor. Amusing fantasy for readers who are ready to move a little beyond Coombs' books about Dorrie.