The Boy with Two Shadows

By Margaret Mahy, Jenny Williams (illustrator),

Book cover of The Boy with Two Shadows

Book description

There once was a little boy who took great care of his shadow...

One day a witch notices the care he has for his shadow and asks him to look after her shadow while she goes away on holiday. But minding a witch's shadow turns out to be more complicated…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Boy with Two Shadows as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Elissa Brent Weissman

Author

There’s no way to talk about Kiwi KidLit without acknowledging Margaret Mahy, New Zealand’s most celebrated children’s writer and the author of more than 120 books.

The Boy with Two Shadows is a classic from 1971 about a witch who entrusts a boy with her shadow for two weeks.

I love how the playful story and language have some bite—there’s a deliciously sharp edge here that you won’t find in picture books today. Add wonderfully retro illustrations by Jenny Williams, and you feel instantly transported to 1970s New Zealand.

From Elissa's list on New Zealand.