Witches books for children and teens
Books about witches for children and teens can be funny, spooky, adventurous or genuinely unsettling. Magic and spells provide the fun, but the best stories often have plenty to say about friendship, fitting in, independence, courage and what happens when power is misused. They also offer a wonderfully flexible escape from everyday life, whether that means a cosy coven, an enchanted school or something much darker lurking in the woods. This list features books by Roald Dahl, C. S. Lewis, Jill Murphy, Cressida Cowell, Diana Wynne Jones, Eiko Kadono, Kelly Barnhill, V. E. Schwab, Elle McNicoll, and Ciannon Smart.
Books about witches for children and teens – our recommendations
Books about witches for 7-12 year olds – our recommendations
The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Mildred Hubble is a pupil at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches, where spells, broomstick lessons and her rivalry with Ethel Hallow rarely go according to plan. Mildred’s spectacular mistakes make this a funny and reassuring story about perseverance, friendship and finding your feet at school. Newly independent 7+ year olds can enjoy the short chapters, illustrations and chaotic magical adventures.
The Witches by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake
Real witches look perfectly ordinary, but they loathe children and the Grand High Witch has gathered her followers to put a particularly horrible plan into action. A boy and his grandmother set out to stop them in this darkly comic adventure. Dahl mixes grotesque transformations, danger and gleefully macabre humour in a story that continues to entertain 9+ year olds.
Witch Wars by Sibéal Pounder, illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson
Tiga Whicabim discovers that she is a witch when Fran the Fabulous Fairy arrives with an extraordinary invitation. Soon Tiga is competing in Witch Wars, the contest to choose the next Top Witch of Ritzy City. Silly spells, strange challenges, fashion and friendship keep the pace lively, making this illustrated fantasy particularly accessible for 7+ year olds who enjoy magic with plenty of mayhem.
The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol
Arianwyn fails her final witch’s assessment and is sent to the remote town of Lull as an apprentice. What first looks like a disappointing posting soon brings strange creatures, dangerous magic and responsibilities that put her developing skills to the test. With friendship, self-doubt and determination woven through the magical adventure, this first book in the series that’s perfectly pitched for 8+ year olds.
Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson, illustrated by Becka Moor
Wizard Arriman the Awful decides that he must marry the wickedest witch he can find, prompting a wonderfully ridiculous competition involving spells, familiars and increasingly elaborate displays of dark magic. Kind-hearted Belladonna desperately wants to win despite being hopeless at evil. Newly illustrated by Becka Moor, this comic gothic fantasy gives 8+ year olds mischief, magic and a heroine whose goodness proves surprisingly useful.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Each year the people of the Protectorate abandon a baby as an offering to a witch, never realising that Xan rescues the children and carries them to loving families. One year she accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the child with extraordinary magic. This richly layered fantasy for 10+ year olds explores fear, power, family, memory and the stories communities tell themselves.
Hag Storm by Victoria Williamson, illustrated by Elise Carmichael
Set in 1771, this historical fantasy imagines the young Robert Burns as twelve-year-old Rab, working on his family’s farm and longing for more time at school. A hag stone reveals witches gathering in a coming storm, with Rab’s family apparently in danger. Ideal for 9+ year olds, the novel blends Scottish history, supernatural adventure and inspiration from Burns’s famous poem Tam o’ Shanter.
Witchspark by Dominique Valente, illustrated by Eleonora Asparuhova
In an alternative magical Britain, twelve-year-old Eglantine joins a forbidden course for witches in the hope of gaining the skills she needs to save her kidnapped father. Princess Victoria has problems of her own as uncontrolled magic threatens her future. Friendship, disability, prejudice and access to power all feed into an inventive adventure that gives UKS2 children plenty to think about alongside its spells and secrets.
Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
Thirteen-year-old trainee witch Kiki leaves home with her black cat Jiji to spend a year living independently, as tradition demands. Flying is Kiki’s particular talent, so she establishes a delivery service and gradually finds a place in her new seaside community. Gentle magic, everyday problems and growing independence give this Japanese children’s classic a distinctive charm.
Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna, illustrated by Tomislav Tomic
Cassie runs away from boarding school in search of her missing mother and discovers a hidden Britain of goblins, talking cats, broomsticks and dangerous Faerie magic. In the village of Hedgely, she learns that she comes from a family of Hedgewitches charged with guarding the boundary between worlds. Mystery, magical training and a threatening Erl King make this an absorbing fantasy adventure for UKS2.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, illustrated by Tim Stevens
When Sophie Hatter attracts the attention of the Witch of the Waste, she is transformed into an old woman and leaves home in search of a cure. Her journey leads to the extraordinary moving castle of the vain and mysterious wizard Howl. Clever, funny and full of transformations, curses, fire demons and magical bargains, this is a children’s fantasy classic.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes
Lucy Pevensie steps through an ordinary wardrobe and discovers Narnia, a country held in endless winter by the White Witch. Soon all four Pevensie children are drawn into the struggle against her rule and the return of Aslan. The adventure, magical creatures and battle between enchantment and freedom have made this a lasting fantasy classic.
The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
Xar is a Wizard boy without magic and Wish is a Warrior girl carrying a forbidden magical object. Their peoples are sworn enemies, but an encounter in the forest pulls them into the same dangerous adventure just as a much older threat begins to return. Witches, Warriors, Wizards and wild creatures populate this energetic fantasy.
Like a Curse by Elle McNicoll
Ramya Knox knows that she is a witch, but learning how to use her powers is another matter. With Edinburgh under the control of a dangerous Siren, she must work with family and Hidden Folk while uncovering secrets about magic and herself. This sequel to Like a Charm combines Scottish folklore, neurodivergent representation and fast-moving fantasy for 9-11 year olds.
Swanfall by Sophie Kirtley
Pip is fascinated by the annual return of the Bewick’s swans, so he becomes concerned when three of his favourite birds fail to appear. An old letter and a swan feather hidden inside a library book lead Pip and his friends towards the legend of the Children of Lir and a mystery involving missing children, witches, spells and ghosts. Nature and folklore combine effectively in this atmospheric adventure for 9-11 year olds.
The Wildstorm Curse by Eve Wersocki Morris
Thirteen-year-old Kallie arrives at Wildstorm Theatre Camp determined to write a play, but the surrounding village has a troubling history involving a woman accused of witchcraft centuries earlier. As strange events gather pace, old stories about curses and demons begin to look less like folklore. This supernatural mystery for 10+ year olds mixes theatre, local history, witchlore and a protagonist determined not to let dyslexia limit her ambitions.
Alcatoe and the Turnip Child by Isaac Lenkiewicz
Alcatoe is the cantankerous witch of Plum Woods, where three local children ask for her magical help after a run-in with their grouchy neighbour, Mr Pokeweed. Their plan to grow a prize-winning turnip for the Harvest Festival Vegetable Pageant produces something much stranger when the vegetable comes alive. Mischief, visual humour and gloriously odd magical ingredients fill this lively illustrated story.
The Witches of Pendle by Yvette Fielding
A witch bottle discovered in Pendle releases the spirits of people accused during the notorious Lancashire witch trials of 1612. Ghost hunters Eve, Clovis and Tom must investigate as possessions begin and the past starts intruding dangerously on the present. With an interest age from around 11, this supernatural mystery introduces older KS2 and early secondary children to a real historical setting through a fast-moving ghost story.
The Extraordinary History of Witches by Hazel Atkinson, illustrated by Camelia Pham
This illustrated nonfiction history travels across centuries and cultures to examine witchcraft, magic, folklore and the persecution of people accused of being witches. Topics range from Ancient Egyptian Heka and South American Brujeria to witch trials and modern Wicca. Perfect for 9-12 year olds, it also considers how accusations of witchcraft have been used against women and places familiar European stories within a much broader global history.
DK Super History Salem Witch Trials by DK
What happened in Salem in 1692, and why did accusations of witchcraft spread so rapidly? This visual history introduces the people, beliefs and events behind the trials, while encouraging children to consider causes, evidence and historical consequences. Ideal for UKS and LKS3 children, the accessible layout, photographs, illustrations, timelines and subject vocabulary make a complicated and disturbing episode of American history easier to investigate.
Books about witches for teens – our recommendations
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
Zara wants to bring her murdered sister back from the dead, while Jude is desperate to escape a demonic curse. Their searches lead them to Emer, a cursewriter who sells spells to women and may also be connected to a series of killings. Dark magic, necromancy, demons and murder give this 12+ YA fantasy-horror a much sharper edge than a traditional witch story.
The Witchery by S. Isabelle
At Mesmortes Coven Academy, Logan arrives as a new witch just as the Haunting Season approaches. She becomes involved with the Red Three, a powerful group of young witches whose secrets and rivalries sit alongside a much larger supernatural threat. Friendship, romance, magical politics and danger combine in a contemporary witch-school fantasy for teens.
Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
Iraya has spent years imprisoned and wants revenge, while Jazmyne is the daughter of the woman responsible for maintaining a brutal magical regime. Although they are enemies, the two witches form an uneasy alliance against a common threat. Drawing inspiration from Jamaican culture and folklore, this dark YA fantasy builds a world of competing magical traditions, political power, betrayal and young women determined to control their own futures.
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Two centuries after three sisters were drowned for witchcraft, they return to the coastal town of Sparrow each summer by taking over the bodies of local girls and luring boys to their deaths. Seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot knows the town’s curse better than most. This atmospheric supernatural romance for 12+ year olds combines vengeance, possession, secrets and a fogbound coastal setting.
Hexed by Julia Tuffs
Jessie Jones is already dealing with a new school, period pains and the toxic behaviour of classmate Callum Henderson when she discovers that she is a witch. Her unpredictable powers offer possibilities, but controlling them is another matter entirely. Ideal for 12+ year olds, this YA comedy combines witchcraft with friendship, feminism, bodily changes and a sharp look at sexism and power among teenagers.
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Felicity returns to the elite Dalloway School after the death of her girlfriend, determined to leave her former fascination with witchcraft behind. That becomes difficult when novelist Ellis Haley asks for help researching five former Dalloway students rumoured to have been witches. Gothic surroundings, secret rituals, obsession and an increasingly unreliable sense of what is real make this a dark academia mystery with a supernatural edge.
All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue
Maeve discovers an old deck of tarot cards at school and finds that her readings are disturbingly accurate. When a strange card appears and her former best friend Lily subsequently disappears, Maeve’s new ability draws her and her friends into something far more dangerous. This Irish supernatural mystery for 14+ year olds mixes occult forces with friendship, identity, family tensions and contemporary teenage life.
The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli
Following a revolution, witches have gone from rulers to hunted fugitives. Rune Winters hides her magic behind the life of a wealthy young socialite while secretly operating as the Crimson Moth, rescuing witches from capture. Her attempt to gain information from witch hunter Gideon Sharpe becomes increasingly complicated as suspicion and attraction collide. The result is a tense YA romantasy built around persecution, deception and divided loyalties.
Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
Sixteen-year-old Voya Thomas comes from a family of witches in a near-future Toronto, but gaining her full magical powers depends on completing an ancestral trial. The task she receives is horrifying: destroy her first love or risk her family’s magic. For 14+ year olds, this inventive fantasy blends witchcraft and futuristic technology with questions about family expectations, morality, ancestry and the choices young people make for those they love.
The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith
Seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell is working as a seamstress in 1911 New York when a violent encounter reveals powers she cannot explain. She is taken to Haxahaven, a school where young women secretly learn witchcraft, but its rules and history hide unsettling truths. This historical fantasy for 14+ year olds combines magical education, murder, female power and the restrictions placed on young women in the early twentieth century.
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
In Clara’s world, witches draw their powers from the seasons and help control the climate. Clara is an Everwitch whose magic changes with every season, making her unusually powerful as increasingly violent weather threatens the world. The novel combines magical training and romance with climate anxiety, responsibility and Clara’s fear that using her abilities will harm the people she loves.
Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham
Delilah Bea wants to become a professional cursebreaker, but completing her magical Calling takes an unexpected turn when Kieran Pelumbra hijacks it and makes breaking his family’s curse her official assignment. Each generation of Pelumbra twins is doomed, and this time Kieran is growing weaker while his sister Briar is becoming something monstrous. This 12+ YA fantasy mixes curse-breaking adventure, generational magic, queer romance and found family.
The Lost Coast by A. R. Capetta
Danny moves to northern California and is drawn into the orbit of the Grays, a group of teenage witches who need her help to find their missing friend Imogen. The redwood forest surrounding them is beautiful, strange and increasingly dangerous. This queer YA contemporary fantasy brings together coven magic, murder mystery, friendship, identity and the idea of discovering where, and with whom, you belong.
The Scapegracers by H. A. Clarke
Sideways Pike is a teenage witch and outsider whose magical abilities attract the attention of three popular girls. What begins with a spell at a party develops into an intense new friendship and an increasingly serious confrontation with witchfinders. This witchy fantasy for 14+ year olds centres queer characters and a fiercely loyal coven, with strange magic, vengeance and the exhilaration and complications of finding your people.
The Near Witch by V. E. Schwab
In the isolated town of Near, stories warn children about an old witch who once lived beyond its boundaries. When a mysterious stranger appears and local children begin disappearing, Lexi Harris suspects that the legend may hold more truth than anyone wants to admit. Schwab’s stunning debut is an atmospheric fantasy of moors, folklore, suspicion and old magic, with a slow-building mystery at its centre.
How To Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy
Shay Johnson is a high-achieving student witch focused on winning a scholarship that could secure her future. Competition, magical coursework and an unexpected attraction to a rival are complicated by the behaviour of a powerful teacher. This engaging contemporary fantasy uses its magical school setting to explore ambition, institutional power, harassment, privilege and the difficult choices teenagers face when success depends on people who control opportunities.
Witch: A story of sisterhood, superstition and revenge by Finbar Hawkins
In seventeenth-century England, fifteen-year-old Evey and her younger sister Dill flee after witch-hunters kill their mother. Evey is consumed by grief and the desire for revenge, while the country around them is riven by civil war and fear of witchcraft. This lyrical teen historical novel explores persecution, sisterhood, jealousy and vengeance against the frightening backdrop of witch trials.
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska
Each year the Witch Queen of Caldella must sacrifice a life to prevent the island city from sinking beneath the sea. Lina offers herself to Queen Eva in an attempt to save someone she loves, but the relationship between captor and sacrifice becomes increasingly complicated. This dark fantasy for mature teens combines witches, black magic, sacrifice and an enemies-to-lovers queer romance with a city literally threatened by the rising tide.
A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult by DK
This substantial illustrated reference book traces beliefs about magic, witchcraft and the supernatural across cultures and historical periods. Its scope ranges from ancient divination, shamanism and alchemy to European folk magic, witch trials, Wicca and modern occult traditions. More than a catalogue of spells and strange objects, it places magical beliefs in religious, social and cultural contexts and examines their influence on literature and popular culture.
Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson
Historian Marion Gibson examines witchcraft through thirteen trials spanning different periods and places, paying particular attention to the people accused and the systems that persecuted them. The cases show how ideas about witchcraft have intersected with gender, religion, politics, colonialism and social control. For older teens exploring the subject beyond fiction, it offers historical context for understanding how the figure of the witch has been created, feared and repeatedly reinvented.
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Witches in literature resources for teachers
- The UK National Archives provides a substantial collection of primary sources on early modern witch trials, with teachers’ notes exploring accusations, confessions, evidence, gender, community attitudes and changing beliefs about witchcraft. It is particularly useful for adding historical context to the witches in Macbeth and other texts.
- The Royal Shakespeare Company offers a free Macbeth teacher pack with classroom activities, edited extracts and resources for exploring the witches, their prophecies, ambition, performance choices and the supernatural.
- BBC School Radio has produced downloadable Macbeth programme notes with activities for examining Shakespeare’s witches through performance, language, inference and different visual interpretations of the characters.
- The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education has a free teaching sequence for Bethan Woollvin’s Rapunzel that encourages children to investigate witches, curses, spells and potions across stories and poetry, including Shakespeare’s witches’ spell from Macbeth.
- Words for Life, from the National Literacy Trust, provides downloadable activities based on the Winnie the Witch books, including a colouring activity and word search that can be used with younger primary children.
- The Children’s Poetry Archive has a free spooky poetry challenge featuring witches, wizards, magic and supernatural characters, with poems by writers including James Berry, Laura Mucha and John Lyons to read and listen to.
- The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Cornwall has an online resource archive built around objects from its collection. Questions attached to items such as charms, curses and objects associated with historical witch beliefs can prompt discussion about how ideas about witches developed and how they differ from their portrayal in fiction.
- BookTrust’s Halloween picture book recommendations include witches, magic and other supernatural characters, providing useful starting points for teachers looking for witch-themed stories to share with Early Years and primary classes.
BISAC JUV037060, JNF008000, JNF052030, YAF019050, YAN007000, YAN052030. | Thema YNXW, YFH.
