If you have read any of my posts recently, you will be aware that Mary Stewart’s children’s classic, The Little Broomstick, has just been re-issued in the UK, in readiness for the release of its animated adaptation, Mary and the Witch’s Flower, in May. Follow the links for my reviews of the novel and the film (short version: I love them both, they are perfect for children and adults).
Now, thanks to the generosity of UK publisher Hachette Children’s Books, you have the chance to win a copy of The Little Broomstick!
This offer is for the UK only, due to postage costs. To be in with a chance of winning a free copy of this beautiful and thrilling novel, all you have to do is follow the blog and leave a comment below to let me know that you would like to win. Enter by noon (BST) on Monday 23 April 2018 and, who knows, The Little Broomstick may be flying out to you next week!
And while you wait to see if you are a winner, why not read a free excerpt of the book via the Hachette schools website?
This giveaway is now over. Congratulations to our winner, Julie Cook!
Mary Queen of Plots 
Thanks for the giveaway! I read The Little Broomstick as a child and loved it so would love to win, so I can reread it myself and then read it with my niece as I think she will love it too 😦
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Hello and thanks for taking part in the giveaway!
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Good luck to those in the UK. My copy, ordered from The Book Depository arrived at my home in the US today. About 10 days shipping, longer than normal. I haven’t had time to check for all the differences yet between my old US text and this one, but some of the major differences come in Chapter 1. So, those in the US who would like to meet the characters that the US editors removed from the text can read about them in the free sample provided by the publisher. Just follow the link Allison provided above! Pages 5 through 8 or so for the major text missing from US versions. I especially love Mrs McLeod.
I will report more when I have had a chance to really compare the two editions.
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Thanks, Jerri. So glad you have your copy, I hope you will love reading it. Thanks for the tip about the UK-US differences on p5-8 or so of the free extract – and I look forward to hearing more from you on this!
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Getting ready for a trip, but here is a quick response. I really feel it was wrong to leave Mrs McLeod out. Her major appearance in Chapter 1 is a delightful foreshadowing of the magic to come. And her two later appearances add dimension to the book. The cleaner and her daughter never show up again after the first chapter, and I can understand why a US editor felt they could be removed, although they did give Mary one more chance to try to make friends/do something and get a gentle rebuff.
The other significant and noticeable difference between the US and UK versions came when Mary was being shown around the school. In the first classroom the US version eliminates the descriptions of the students (not children , but little old ladies, a dwarf, etc.) and also leaves out the third of the “twisted nursery rhyme spells”. Perhaps the US editor thought it too scary? Or too much poetry? Prefer the UK version.
Also, many of the US chapter titles were “dumbed down”, what appears to be a poetic quote replaced by something more literal (rather than literary.) A loss. And, while I had seen this from the table of contents, I note in the UK version a number of the chapter headings are longer in the actual chapter then they are in the table of contents.
And of course, the lovely advertisement for the flying broom is missing from the US.
Glad to have a nice full edition. I will try to look for more little changes when I get back. It is tough, I tend to get lost in reading the book and forget to check on a paragraph by paragraph basis. I did find a few stray words here and there different, but failed to keep track and know I didn’t check carefully enough to have them all in any case.
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Jerri – thank you so much for this detailed look at the differences between US and UK versions of The Little Broomstick! I agree completely about Mrs MacLeod, she helps build up anticipation of magical goings-on. That is interesting about the Endor College cuts, I wonder what the US publisher’s rationale was? I’m impressed by all the differences you have spotted, especially as you say you get lost in reading (as do I!).
Have a great trip.
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thanks for the chance – would love to win for myself and my dd!
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Thanks for taking part, Julie!
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This book sounds fun, I’d like to read it. Please enter me for the giveaway.
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Hi, it is a great read! You are entered into the giveaway.
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Audible has released an audiobook version of The Little Broomstick, but in GERMAN. Der Verhexte Besen. Interesting addition to the English language audiobooks of just about all of the romantic suspense titles starting last autumn and going through upcoming November. Three of those in Swedish. Some interesting artwork.
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It’s great that her works are still going strong in multiple languages, thanks for the info Jerri!
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