This Year, a Witch!

818pegSkkvL
Author(s)
Age Range
4+
Release Date
July 15, 2025
ISBN
978-1665956024
Buy This Book
     
Four starred reviews!

In this “inspiring…delightful” (School Library Journal, starred review) picture book offering a twist on the trick-or-treat trope, a feisty little girl has had enough of her parents picking cutesy Halloween costumes for her—this year, a witch!

A little girl has been every adorable thing you can imagine for Halloween, and she is done with being cuddly, sweet, and precious. This year, she’s rebelling big-time and going for a totally different vibe: the spookiest thing out there. She’s going to be…a witch!

With only a little help from Dad, she works hard on her witchy locks, brew, spells and enchantments, and power to petrify. But what happens when what she sees in the mirror is so spooky, she scares even herself? Nothing that an understanding dad—and maybe a quick restorative nap—can’t handle.

Editor review

1 review
An Enduring Classic
(Updated: June 29, 2026)
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
This Year, A Witch is adorable from start to finish. It perfectly encapsulates the growing self-awareness of a preschool through elementary-aged child and their need to make their own decisions. The girl has always been something cute for Halloween, and this year she is determined to be a scary witch. Her father is there to support her choice and make her costume and snuggle her when her vision is a bit too scary.
You can almost hear the gleeful cackle as she decides to be a witch and practices being witchy. The illustration of her brushing her cat, then putting the hair on her eyebrows to make them bushy, was my favorite scene. Notably, the only parent shown is the father, which would make this a particularly great read for a single dad raising a daughter. Overall, while this is a fun Halloween read, the deeper theme of a child working towards self-determination with the support of a parent will make this an enduring classic.
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