Heckedy Peg

Heckedy Peg
Audrey Wood
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference Publis
Copyright 1992
Pages: 32
Reading Level: 4-8 years
Genre: Fairy Tale
Summary: 
Seven children, all named after the days of the week, clean their house with their mother everyday before she goes to the market. One day, their mom wants to get them each something from the market for being so good, but made them promise not to let anyone in the house while she is gone. The children play until a witch, Heckedy Peg, comes by and wants them to light her pipe. The kids say no, but let her in after she promises them a bag of gold. After they light her pipe, she throws it on the ground and turns the kids into food. When their mother comes home she finds that her kids are gone. The blackbird lets her know that Heckedy Peg turned her kids into food and took them away. The mother goes to the witch's hut and demands to be let in. The witch refuses because her shoes are dirty, so the mother takes them off. Then the witch refuses to let her in because her socks are dirty, so the mother takes them off. Then she refuses because her feet are dirty. Mother says she'll cut them off and goes away and comes back on her knees and is finally let in. The mother had to guess on the first try which food was which child. She does it based off of which child wanted what from the market and what food would want what. Her children turn back into kids and they all chase the witch until she jumps into the river and is gone forever.
Recommendations and Conflict:
I would recommend this to first or second graders. One concern might be the picture of the children turning into food, because their spirits are being sucked into the food they become.
Reactions:
This fairy tale has a great plot line and wonderful pictures. The pictures use color and light to show the mood of the story.