Do you feel that wicked chill in the air? As temperatures drop, leaves begin to flutter in the wind, and attention starts to turn to Halloween costumes, cackling witches will begin popping up everywhere. There’s no better time to cozy up with a good witch book. From fun and silly picture books to spookier, adventure-packed young adult novels, these witch-centric tales will put a spell on you through the Halloween season and beyond!
Picture Books
There’s a Witch in Your Book
by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott
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Dust off your magic wand because you’re going to need it when you read this interactive picture book from one of the UK’s bestselling authors! If you don’t have a wand, no worries — your finger can act as a wand as you cast spells and cause mayhem through every page turn. Make sure you check out the rest of the books in the Who’s In Your Book series for more interactive fun!
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Room on the Broom
by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
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This is one of those books that you will love just as much as your kids do. It’s fun and clever, and little readers adore the rhyming and repetition. Plus, the story has a great message of friendship. A witch is happily flying around on her broom when the wind blows away her hat, then her bow, and then her wand. Luckily, a helpful animal finds her missing belonging each time. All the animals want in return for their help is some room on her broom. The witch keeps collecting new friends until her broom snaps in two and she’s captured by a fire-breathing dragon who likes to eat witches with French fries. Luckily for the witch, her friends come to the rescue.
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by Ashley Belote
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Wilma, a young witch, eagerly waits for her first cat. Alas, the pet store is out of kittens. So, she settles for a ... wombat? Does Wilma's wombat have what it takes to be a witch's sidekick? A delightful and heartwarming story that celebrates our differences (with a few fun facts about wombats), perfect for reading all year long.
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Leila the Perfect Witch
by Flavia Z. Drago
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This adorable witchy read is an excellent choice for kids who deal with perfectionism. Leila strives for perfection and excels at everything she tries — except for baking. So, when she wants to enter a baking competition, she asks her sisters for help. Together, they cook up a heap of fun, sisterhood, and tasty treats.
10 Busy Brooms
by Carol Gerber, illustrated by Michael Fleming
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With bright, cheerful illustrations, little readers will love following the witchy Halloween adventures in this fun counting book. It starts with “one little witch on a long, speedy broom” who encounters another witch and invites her along for a ride. Fans of Room on the Broom will enjoy watching the ten witchy friends zoom past skeletons, ghosts, goblins, mummies, and a werewolf with bad breath. As a bonus, see if you can spy the cat and owl on every page!
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Little Witch Goes to School
by Deborah Hautzig
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Little Witch wants to go to school like her friends, but her mom wants her to stay home and learn to be bad from her witchy aunts and cousin. When Mother Witch finally agrees to let Little Witch go, she makes her promise to be very, very bad. But can a good Little Witch do that? The third book in the Little Witch series has a surprise ending that kids will love.
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The Legend of the Christmas Witch
by Aubrey Plaza and Dan Murphy, illustrated by Julia Iredale
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Kristtörn is a powerful witch who got separated from her twin brother when they were young. Desperate to find him again, she leaves her forest home and heads out alone. Throughout her journey, she learns more about herself, her magic, and her brother than she thought possible. This stunning holiday story is a seasonal favorite.
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Middle Grade
The Witches
by Roald Dahl
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Grandmamma tells her grandson everything he needs to know about witches: what they look like, what they wear, and all of the details about their hatred of children. Her grandson listens very, very carefully — but can it really prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself? Told with Roald Dahl’s signature zaniness and dark humor, this book is sure to become a life-long favorite.
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Witches of Brooklyn
by Sophie Escabasse
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When Effie comes to stay at her aunt’s house, she soon comes to realize that things are not as they seem. While Aunt Selimene and her partner say they are simple naturalists, Effie can see they’re really witches! Is she a witch too? Humor, magic, and amazing art abound in this magical graphic-novel series opener.
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Dragons in a Bag Series
by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Cherise Harris
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Witches, dragons, and magic — oh, my! Young middle grade readers love this exciting series about a boy’s adventures working for a witch in Brooklyn. Whether chasing baby dragons around the city or caring for a phoenix egg, Jaxon manages to steal readers’ hearts.
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Season of the Witch
by Matt Ralphs, illustrated by Nuria Tamarit
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Explore the history of witches with this fascinating nonfiction book for kids. It’s filled with information, facts, and stories about witches from various cultures around the world. Anyone that wants to learn more about these unique individuals should add this book to their reading stack.
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Healer and Witch
by Nancy Werlin
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Sylvie lives and works as a village healer with her mother and grandmother. When her grandmother passes away, an accident pushes Sylvie to leave home and search for a mentor. This heartfelt novel is about a young witch searching for clarity, strength, and her place in the world.
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Kiki’s Delivery Service
by Eiko Kadono, translated by Emily Balistrieri
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Not every town has a witch, but no town has more than one; and so, at 13, Kiki must leave home and find a town of her own for a year. But the village of Koriko is wary of Kiki, that is until she sets up Kiki’s Delivery Service, using her broom and powers to retrieve things for others. Kiki’s infectious attitude toward each new task, each one tougher than the next, makes this a charming read for the whole family.
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Begone the Raggedy Witches (The Wild Magic Trilogy, Book One)
by Celine Kiernan
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Kids who love reading about magic, adventure, and quests to another world will obsess over this story. This book is the first in a completed trilogy about a girl named Mup who sets out to rescue her kidnapped father from a group of witches. Twists, turns, and plenty of witchcraft will keep readers glued to the page.
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The Worst Witch
by Jill Murphy
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In the first story of the Worst Witch series, lovable, accident-prone Mildred Hubble is starting her first year at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches — and it’s not going so well. She can’t ride her broomstick without crashing, she always gets her spells mixed up, and — worst of all — the teacher’s pet has become her sworn enemy.
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A Matter-of-Fact Magic Book: The Wednesday Witch
by Ruth Crew
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Now back in print, Ruth Chew’s classic Matter-of-Fact Magic books are enchanting a whole new generation of young readers. This magical tale is about Wednesday Witches. A Wednesday Witch’s magic works best on Wednesday, so that’s when she goes in search of trouble. One Wednesday, Mary Jane hears a knock on her door. It’s a mysterious old lady with a skinny black cat. She must be a witch! But what is she up to?
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2023.
