There were all kinds of witches in the world, from cross to happy, skinny to fat, but Ma, Pa and Sam Witch were teeny, tiny witches - the only ones of their kind. Seeking a place where they "fit," this miniature family continually found itself forced to move on, establishing one home after another - in a field pumpkin, a tree hole, a teapot - only to be supplanted by stronger residents, from shrews to humans. Would these teeny tiny witches ever find a place to settle down...?

The Teeny, Tiny Witches is the second picture-book I have read, in the course of my "witchy-witches" project, to be illustrated by Margot Tomes - the first being Tony Johnston's The Witch's Hat - and that's primarily the reason I picked it up, this past weekend, from my public library's Halloween display. It's not really a Halloween story, although the witchy theme makes it appropriate for this time of year. The illustrations are winsome, in that Margot Tomes-ish kind of way that's so difficult to pin down (attractive, without being "pretty"), and the story will appeal to young readers who like tales of small people, such as The Borrowers, or The Littles. ( )