Review Detail

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.