The third and final entry in Wende and Harry Devlin's picture-book series about the Old Black Witch - begun in Old Black Witch! and continued in Old Witch and the Polka-dot Ribbon - this vintage tale (first published in 1972) follows its eponymous heroine as she saves the village of Oldwick from the machinations of the mean-spirited Mr. Butterbean. The wealthiest and most influential resident in the area, Mr. Butterbean - sick of the noisy children and trick-or-treating that accompanied the holiday - attempts to force a ban on Halloween at the town meeting, only to be confronted by an enraged Old Witch, escaped from the tower of Butterbean Manor, where she was meant to be a prisoner, for the duration of the meeting...

As a confirmed lover of witchy picture-books, I would like to read all three of the Devlins' stories about the doings of the Old Black Witch, but sadly, only this third entry in the series is available from my library system. An entertaining romp, complete with engaging characters (I liked Nicky and his mother, as well as the Old Witch herself), and humorous cartoon-style illustrations, Old Witch Rescues Halloween is a welcome addition to any Halloween shelf, or witchy collection. I enjoyed it enough to mourn the fact that the first entry in the series isn't more widely available...

Addendum: since writing the above review, the initial title in this picture-book series, Old Black Witch! has been reprinted by the Kentucky-based Purple House Press, which republishes vintage children's books that have gone out of print, but deserve another airing. ( )