The Everyday Witch by Liz Martinez and Mark Beech

Jimmy has heard rumours of everyday witches living amongst us, then one day he spots his mother riding a broomstick with Tiddles the cat in tow. Are his eyes deceiving him? Is his mum really a witch?

There's something deliciously naughty about imagining your parents as witches, and whilst The Everyday Witch isn't as wonderfully anti-authority as Roald Dahl's work, there's a similar sense of cheeky fun to both. Any sensitive little 'uns needn't worry: when Jimmy finally plucks up the courage to ask his mum if she really is a witch, she explains she's an everyday witch, not one of those nasty ones from books. Her magic works with love, not eye of newt. Bless.

Both the rhymes and rhythm are strong in The Everyday Witch, and thankfully there aren't any clunky rhymes to stop you in your tracks. It works wonderfully when read aloud. The vocabulary is engaging and fresh, but there's nothing that will leave the youngest listeners scratching their heads. There's a little more text than the average picture books, making the target audience those on the cusp of reading themselves - they'll also be the ones who are most likely to snigger at the idea of their mum being a witch.

I love Mark Beech's illustrations. They're reminiscent of Quentin Blake's work, which is very much a good thing, but the people in particular have an interesting look of their own. The style is perfect for a spooky book, with all the scratchy, spidery ink lines. The pages looking at old-school witches are the best, but there's plenty to enjoy throughout the book. Oh, and there are stickers at the back, which is always a good thing. Now where would be the best place to put my sticker of a bottle of snail snot? Recommended.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

For more spells and spookiness, check out Spells by Emily Gravett. If it's free stickers you want, then take a look at Captain Wag and the Polar Bears by Michael Terry and Marvin Gets MAD! by Joseph Theobald.

The Everyday Witch by Liz Martinez and Mark Beech is in the Top Ten Picture Books For Halloween.

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You can read more book reviews or buy The Everyday Witch by Liz Martinez and Mark Beech at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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