Come and Dance, Wicked Witch!

Sometimes, it's wicked not to invite the witch to the party!

25 years ago Lemniscaat published the first collection of stories about the Wicked Witch by Hanna Kraan. The cranky witch of the forest, illustrated by Annemarie van Haeringen, flew on her broomstick into the hearts of thousands of children to stay there forever.

Now, that witch is 25 years old so, naturally, it's time for a party!

To celebrate this silver anniversary, Annemarie van Haeringen has chosen to illustrate one of the loveliest wicked witch stories for a new picture book.

Will the Wicked Witch come to the party and dance? Partying is not really her thing--she is supposed to be angry, fearsome and horrible. Yet a party where all the animals come in the forest come, but the Wicked Witch does not appear, wouldn't feel right. When she does come to the party, her agenda of spreading fear changes by degrees to having a good time with her neighbors.

Annemarie's lively illustrations seem to dance off the pages as the celebration continues.