Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler have created a classic and must-have story for every child’s book collection. Its rhythmic tale is fun to read as well as listen to. The colorful illustrations do not distract from the story and only add to the reader’s imagination.
A happy-go-lucky witch and her cat are riding on her broom. The wind kicks up and blows off her hat. When they go to retrieve the hat they come across a dog, who wants to know if there is room on the broom. As you turn each page, the witch drops something else and encounters another animal. However, throughout their adventure, they do not realize that they are being followed.
I enjoy reading this book every time my son takes it off his bookcase. There are a couple of lessons that my son has taken from this book. The first one is that the kindness and hospitality that you give out will find its way back to you when you need it most. Despite the limited room on the broom, the kind witch never turns down a creature that asks for help. When all seems lost for the witch, the creatures that she bestowed kindness to all come to her aid when she needs it most. The second lesson is that your friends and family may not come from the same place as you or even look like you, but that does not mean that they will not be there for you with kindness and support when you need it most. Kindness, hospitality, acceptance, faith in friends, and teamwork are all lessons that parents can teach with this book.
Most of the time you hear that books are better than their videos. Not in this case. In 2012, a short Room on the Broom video was created. If you don’t have the book yet, watch the video on Netflix or the web. The British-sounding narrator reads the book word-for-word while the 3D animation acts out the script. After watching the video, the book only seemed better afterward.
Room on the Broom, both the book and the video, are a must have to any parent/child’s bookcase and video playlist!