Book Report Written by Kruti Patel
Book Title: Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth
Author: E. L. Konigsburg
Setting(s):
- Cynthia’s apartment-This is where Cynthia’s birthday party is thrown.
- Elizabeth’s apartment-This is where Elizabeth, one of the main characters of this story, lives.
- Library-The library is where Jennifer and Elizabeth meet to have their witch meetings and discuss things.
- The park-This is where Jennifer and Elizabeth do some witch rituals.
Characters:
- Elizabeth-Elizabeth is one of the main characters of the book. She is an only child and the shortest kid in her class. Elizabeth is lonely until she meets Jennifer.
- Jennifer-Jennifer is a witch, or at least, she claims to be one. Jennifer becomes friends with Elizabeth and teaches her how to be a witch.
- Cynthia-Cynthia is Elizabeth’s enemy. Cynthia is admired by almost every adult because the adults think she’s a good kid. Cynthia gets perfect grades, she’s pretty, and she’s smart. But when adults aren’t around, she can be rude.
- Hilary Ezra-He is the toad that Jennifer uses to make the ointment that will enable her and Elizabeth to fly.
Plot Summary:
Elizabeth is an only child, the shortest kid in her class, new in her town, and lonely. One day, she meets Jennifer, a different child. She’s a witch-well, she claims to be one. Jennifer and Elizabeth soon become good friends. They hang out together at the library every Saturday and do some rituals at the park’s fountain.
Elizabeth is assigned to eat one type of food every day for one week. One time, the food is a raw egg. Another time, it’s onions. She’s a really picky eater, so that’s a problem. But she manages to do so. Elizabeth’s mother is a bit confused about Elizabeth’s food habits, but she’s also happy because usually, Elizabeth is a fussy eater. On Thanksgiving, Jennifer decides that they should make an ointment that will enable them to fly.
As soon as Thanksgiving weekend is over, the entire school starts to get ready for the Christmas play and Christmas itself. Cynthia is assigned the role of a princess. Elizabeth is assigned the role of a puppy given to the princess since she is the shortest person in her class.
Jennifer says that Christmas is a dangerous time for witches since it’s a time for everyone to be good. Instead of eating special foods, they have to give up special foods they love until New Year’s Day. Jennifer gives up watermelon, and Elizabeth gives up candy.
Some of Elizabeth’s relatives come over for winter vacation. On the last Saturday of the vacation, they left. Elizabeth meets with Jennifer at the library, and she is given a promotion from apprentice witch to a journeyman witch. Elizabeth doesn’t eat special foods anymore; she has to remember taboos and make sure to follow them. She can also cast short spells.
One Saturday in February, Elizabeth is forced to go to Cynthia’s birthday party. Jennifer says she’s not allowed to play musical chairs or eat cake. Elizabeth wins the treasure hunt and the “dropping clothespins into the milk bottle” game. Elizabeth and Jennifer meet at the fountain circle and start planning the ingredients for the ointment. Jennifer even finds a toad they should use in the ointment.
When it is the middle of April, Elizabeth and Jennifer start to make the ointment, but Jennifer almost puts the toad as the last ingredient for the ointment. Elizabeth gasps and grabs the toad, dropping him on the ground. They have an argument, and Elizabeth is in a rage. She goes back to her house. Elizabeth gets over her anger and visits Jennifer. Soon, the girls start talking and laughing. They stop pretending to be witches. (Yep, they were just pretending!) But one thing is for sure: they’re great friends!!!
Opinion:
Did I like this book? Answer: Yes, I totally love this book! It’s so fun and creative! And yes, I would recommend this book. It’s a great book for fans of fantasy and witches. I also recommend it to 9-12 year olds. It’s a really spectacular book! I love fantasy books, so I totally love this book! It’s a Newbery Honor book for a reason! In conclusion, this book is adored by many children, and I guarantee that your eyes will be glued to the pages once you start reading the book!
