Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | E. L. Konigsburg |
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| Illustrator | E. L. Konigsburg |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Atheneum Books |
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Publication date
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1967 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover & paperback) |
| Pages | 128 pp (paper) |
| ISBN | 0-440-44162-5 (paper) |
| OCLC | 11687301 |
Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth is a fun children's book written by E. L. Konigsburg. It was first published in 1967 by Atheneum Books. In the UK, it was called Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth and Me.
This book was E. L. Konigsburg's very first published work. It came out in the same year as her famous book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. That second book won the important Newbery Medal in 1968. Jennifer, Hecate also received a special mention called a Newbery Honor. This made Konigsburg the only author to win both awards in the same year!
Contents
A Magical Friendship: The Story of Elizabeth and Jennifer
The story of Jennifer, Hecate is told by a girl named Elizabeth. She is the main character, also called the protagonist. Elizabeth has just moved into a big apartment building. She feels a bit lonely because she hasn't made any friends yet.
One Halloween day, Elizabeth meets Jennifer on her way home from school. Jennifer is dressed as a Pilgrim. But she claims to be a real witch! Jennifer decides to take Elizabeth on as her helper, called an apprentice.
Elizabeth's Witchy Training
Jennifer gives Elizabeth weekly tasks. For example, in the first week, Elizabeth has to eat a raw egg every day. She also has to bring Jennifer a hard-boiled egg each day. The girls usually meet at school, the library, the park, or in the woods.
Being Jennifer's apprentice is not always easy for Elizabeth. Sometimes she gets angry with Jennifer. But Elizabeth knows that before Jennifer, she had no friends at all.
The Flying Ointment and a Special Toad
After several weeks, the girls start a big project. They want to make a special ointment that will help them fly. This project is also a test for Elizabeth to become a full witch. The last ingredient they need is a live toad.
They choose a toad in advance. Over the next few months, the toad becomes Elizabeth's pet. When it's time to add the toad to the ointment, Elizabeth stops Jennifer. She can't let them hurt her pet. This act ends their ointment project and their friendship. Later, Elizabeth realizes that her love for the toad was part of Jennifer's test.
Discovering the Truth About Jennifer
Eventually, Elizabeth figures out that Jennifer's dad is the gardener at "The Estate" across the street. Jennifer lives there with her family. As Elizabeth puts the clues together, Jennifer walks to her door.
Inside, Jennifer starts to laugh. She admits that the whole witch story was just a game. It was all make-believe! After this, the two girls become normal friends. They start to focus on real-life activities instead of magic.
How the Story Began
E. L. Konigsburg wrote Jennifer, Hecate based on her own life. She noticed that her children were "comfortable/uncomfortable kids." They were comfortable on the outside but felt a bit uneasy inside. This was similar to her former students.
The author shared that the book was inspired by her daughter. Her daughter was new to their apartment building in Port Chester, New York. This is where the Konigsburg family moved in 1962.
From Book to Screen: The TV Adaptation
The book was made into a TV movie in 1973. It was called Jennifer and Me. This special show aired on NBC. June Reig produced, directed, and wrote the television adaptation.
