Witches tend to have a bad reputation in literature, especially children’s stories. From the Wicked Witch to Roald Dahl’s The Witches, they’re always scheming and trying to cause havoc, steal children (and sometimes even eat them) and other terrible things.
But sometimes a witch comes along who doesn’t want any part of all that mischief. What’s a not-so-wicked witch to do when she doesn’t want to do the things the other witches want to do?
That’s the idea behind The Not-S0-Wicked Witch by Bethan Stevens.
The naughty little witches (all the witches are portrayed as young girls) are always causing trouble, stealing socks, eating the last cookie, tracking mud everywhere. But the littlest witch wants to be helpful, friendly and nice to people.
While the other witches warn her that her face might get stuck with a smile and that she’s giving witches a bad reputation, she still just wants to be kind.
So when the witches come upon a human child’s birthday party — complete with their favorite food, marshmallows — the naughty witches want to make a sleeping potion to feed the children so they can steal the treats. But the littlest witch has a plan that will help everyone to get what they want.
It’s a sweet little story for preschool and early grades, with cute pictures also drawn by the author. This is a fun non-spooky Halloween tale that’s great for use in the classroom or at home. You can use it as a way to talk about what actions are naughty and which ones are nice, and what kind of people we prefer to be around. Because the kids are nice to the witches when they are nice to the kids, it serves as a reminder that it works that way with people, too.
About the book: 32 pages, hardcover. Published 2024 by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books. Suggested retail price $18.99.
