Books about witches have long been a staple of books for children and teens, such as Tomie dePaola’s Strega Nona (1975), Roald Dahl’s The Witches (1983), and, more recently, Hal Schrieve’s Kirkus-starred Out of Salem (2019). Here are three others, all recommended by Kirkus Indie, that may cast a spell on young readers.
In T.C. Bartlett’s 2020 YA adventure, The Good Witch of the South, 15-year-old Sam Goodwitch is the magically talented daughter of witch Glinda the Good, whom readers will know from L. Frank Baum’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. When Glinda goes on a mission to the City of Emeralds, Sam embarks on her own quest to take on rumored local dragons. Our reviewer calls it a “well-developed fantasy spinoff that will transport teen readers.”
Fat Witch Summer is a YA fantasy by Lizzy Ives due to be published later this year. It tells the story of 16-year-old Theodora “Thrash” Blumfeld-Wright, the “plus-size” daughter of two magic-wielding women, who recently found out that three intriguing classmates are witches, just like her. When Thrash learns that her widowed mother plans to give her the Gift of Glamour—the ability to create visual illusions, which the teen sees as “the magic of lies”—the nascent sorceresses escape on a road trip to figure out their futures. Kirkus’ review highlights the story’s “imaginative magical system” and “intriguing characters.”
Thirteen-year-old Abby Shepherd finds out she’s a witch in Josh Roberts’ 2020 middle-grade series starter, The Witches of Willow Cove, which received a Kirkus star. Before long, she meets others like her and starts receiving training from Miss Winters, a new magic user in town. Soon, Abby and her best pal, Robby O’Reilly, get involved in investigating local mysteries. “Roberts perfectly balances small-town drama, preteen hijinks, and paranormal thriller action in an engaging novel,” writes Kirkus’ reviewer.
David Rapp is the senior Indie editor.
