As a child I always loved the book From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, but I never read another book by E.L. Konigsburg until I was in college and found an old copy of Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William Mckinley, and me, Elizabeth at a library sale. I read this book straight through one day in October and it has become one of my all-time favorites that I reread almost every Autumn. Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth seems like a fairly short and simple book at first, easy enough for a third or fourth grader to read and enjoy, but (like all of Konigsburg’s books) each I time I read it, I discover more layers of meaning. As the book opens, Elizabeth, a fifth grader, has just moved to a new community and started going to a new school. She is an only child and often feels lonely, with few children living in her apartment building. Then, walking to school on the morning of Halloween, she happens to look up and see a girl wearing a pilgrim costume sitting in a tree. This moment is the beginning of a mysterious relationship between Jennifer (the pilgrim girl) and Elizabeth. Jennifer insists that they are not friends because she is a witch and witches don’t make friends. Instead, she insists that Elizabeth is an apprentice witch and Jennifer is her teacher. Jennifer requires Elizabeth to perform more and more outlandish tasks as part of her witch training, but in the process the two girls start to form a relationship that looks a lot like friendship. When the girls decide to make a flying potion together, the attempt will test their magical skills and their friendship.
Click below to print out the discussion questions for your book club and make these delicious Witch’s Brew snack bars to share while you discuss!
While this book takes place over the course of the fall and into the spring, I always think of it as a Halloween book as that is the day the girls meet. There is also an unforgettable chapter where Jennifer and Elizabeth go trick-or-treating together and Jennifer shows off her unusual strategy of collecting lots of candy. The treat recipe I’ve included here pays tribute to Jennifer’s candy gathering skills as well as the girls’ attempt at concocting a witch’s potion. These snack bars are heartier than most cookies, due to the oats and whole wheat in the batter, but also provide plenty of Halloween fun with a topping of candy bar pieces and sprinkle eyeballs. These are fun to make and a great snack to share with your book club or at a class Halloween party.
Witch's Brew Snack Bars
Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly butter an 8 X 8 inch baking dish.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt until well combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and continue to beat another few seconds.
Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Turn mixer on low speed and add half the dry ingredients, mixing for a few seconds, just until combined. Add the milk and mix until combined, then add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix just until a stiff dough forms. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the butterscotch and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
Scoop the dough into the prepared baking pan and use a spatula or your hands to spread it evenly in the pan. Press the candy pieces and candy eyeballs lightly into the dough, just so the candy stays put while baking.
Bake bars in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until bars are set and lightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly butter an 8 X 8 inch baking dish.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt until well combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and continue to beat another few seconds.
Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Turn mixer on low speed and add half the dry ingredients, mixing for a few seconds, just until combined. Add the milk and mix until combined, then add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix just until a stiff dough forms. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the butterscotch and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
Scoop the dough into the prepared baking pan and use a spatula or your hands to spread it evenly in the pan. Press the candy pieces and candy eyeballs lightly into the dough, just so the candy stays put while baking.
Bake bars in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until bars are set and lightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
