Heckedy Peg!

From talking to my mom, I know I loved books as a little girl. I’m sure I had many favorites during different phases of my childhood, but there is one book in particular that I remember loving. The tone of my mother’s voice, the detailed pictures, and intense story line will forever remain in my mind. The name of the book is Heckedy Peg. This story is about a conniving and ragged witch with only one leg who tricks seven siblings, named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday into lighting her pipe, which then causes them to turn into food. Long story short, the mother gets her children back by guessing which child is which food, matching each food with corresponding items the children wanted from the market.  

            When I was young, I didn’t quite understand why I enjoyed this book so much, but now as I’m older I can see why. The art in the book is absolutely amazing and its intricate details set the tone for the story. For instance, wherever the witch is, the art is dark and intimidating whereas the art involves light and warm colors wherever there is safety. In addition, each paint stroke is so detailed you feel as though you can touch and feel the objects in the paintings. Apart from the fabulous art, I thoroughly enjoyed the way my mother read this book to me. She would change her tone of voice when necessary and had the absolute best witch voice. It was creepy but kept my interest. As I write this assignment, I long to travel back in time and have her read it to me again. The bonding felt between us as we dove into the story with our imaginations is something I cherish.