The Witches / Roald Dahl / 201 pages / October Challenge Banned Books

In the 1990's  The Witches was #22 on ALA's 100 Most Frequently Challenged/Banned Books List.  Reasons for the challenges/bans include:  "Might this book make people think poorly of WICCA, a real religion?"; "The children misbehave and take retribution on the adults and there's never, ever a consequence for their actions."; "The Witches is satanic."; and "The book might entice impressionable children into becoming involved in the occult."  Despite these criticisms, The Witches would be an excellent read aloud this time of year.  Yes, we have a cigar-smoking grandmother who seems to know everything about witches.  Luckily, she shares this information with her grandson who stumbles across an entire convention of witches.  Because he has listened and remembered well, he recognizes them, uncovers their dastardly plan and with his grandmother's help fearlessly thwarts it.