Witchlore– at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Bereaved shapeshifter pursues dangerous magic.
Children’s book title: Witchlore.
Children’s author: Emma Hinds.
Genre: Fantasy.
Published by: Usborne.
ISBN: 9781835409589.
Recommended for children aged: 14+.
First published: Paperback October 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: Readers looking for relatable and rebellious magical characters going through deep, personal journeys whilst navigating complicated relationships. A non binary protagonist with determination on a magical quest.
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Our review:
Orlando is known to most as Lando and, only to their late ex-girlfriend, more affectionately as Orla. They are a lonely character, which is understandable given that they are a shapeshifter who cannot control their powers as they should. Lando is met with caution by witches, distanced from the abusive parents who raised them, and misunderstood by many for being non-binary and for their inability to control their magic.
We meet Lando at a significant point of personal development in their life. Their girlfriend has recently been killed and, as a result, Lando is in the process of recovering from their own suicide attempt (the mention of a suicide attempt is why I would not recommend this book to younger teens or those who are vulnerable. However, this story is also a positive perspective on how you can turn your life around after such an experience; use your own discretion. Lando is living in a kind of halfway house run by witches who make no attempt to understand them as they face the challenge of returning to university after the disastrous events that led to the death of their ex, Elizabeth.
Despite the magical heritage of the characters, they are all very relatable personalities for any young person learning to navigate the adult world. Certain themes are universal, whether you are a shapeshifter, a witch or a human, such as struggling to fit in, making sense of adult life after childhood trauma, and, alongside all this, trying to study and make your place in the world. Lando struggles with friendships, and their backstory gradually explains the reasons behind this. The issues of friendship and relationship struggles are likely to be relevant to many young people.
The character of Bastian and his relationship with his parents introduce a theme of traditional versus modern values. It explores this in terms of witchcraft: his mother lives traditionally in their Cornish coven, while his father barely acknowledges his witch status and partakes in capitalist culture. Despite the fantasy setting, this could still be relatable to young people today who are caught between constant progress and a desire to return to more traditional pastimes.
Using Bastian’s family as a starting point creates an interesting way to encourage young readers of this book to reflect on their own values and how they compare to our current values as a society. Lando’s shapeshifter parents also add an interesting but different perspective on tradition; being incredibly old due to their shapeshifter status, Lando finds their home very outdated, old-fashioned and uncomfortable. This complete disconnect from modern life perhaps explains some of Lando’s difficulties in fitting in at university. They are also extremely emotionally distant parents, which may be explained by the fact that they are from a very different generation of parents.
Witchlore is due to be published on 9th October. I highly recommend pre-ordering your copy. This story is fresh and intriguing, while also being timeless in many ways. There is plenty of jeopardy and intrigue to keep you gripped by the plot and turning pages.
Many thanks to Usborne for the review copy.
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