We are approaching one of the most magical times of the year: when the leaves begin to turn, the days get windier, and the spiders come out to leave their shimmery artwork in the gardens for us to admire. Every autumn, it can feel amazing to lean into the spookier side of things and appreciate the coziness and beauty that comes along with the Earth turning towards darkness. For some of us, that means embracing our inner witch! Here are some books from different genres for different age groups about different kinds of witches, all appropriate for you to enjoy this witchy autumn.
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
This a young adult novel about a teenage girl, Sunny Nwazue, who discovers she has special magical powers after moving back to Nigeria from the U.S. with her Nigerian parents. Sunny is both Black and albino, which has led her to feel like a social outcast everywhere she goes, but she finds empowerment as she learns about her powers and uses them to track down a dangerous threat to her community alongside some new friends. Drawing from Nigerian mythology, this is an Afrofuturist witch story that opens a totally exciting world of magical lore to a genre in which non-Eurocentric witch stories are sorely unrepresented.
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Although this novel never explicitly identifies its main character as a “witch,” it does not take a very observant reader to identify the witchcraft – and social commentary on gender, xenophobia, and religious conformity that accompanies this theme – woven throughout this story. Vianne Rocher is a chocolatier who lives a nomadic life traveling through France with her daughter, Anouk. When they settle for a time in the small, conservative town of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes and Vianne’s chocolates begin to bring the closed-off villagers out their shells, she makes an enemy out of the town priest, whose watchful eye emanates over the town from the church opposite the square from her shop. What exactly is the magic that Vianne has brought to Lansquenet, and why has it made her such an enemy?
Which Witch? By Eva Ibbotson
This novel is a children’s classic from hilarious author Eva Ibbotson that is definitely capable of bringing joy to readers of all ages. The Great Wizard Arriman the Awful has decided that he is ready to get married, and decides to arrange a competition for all the witches of Todcaster. Thus the stage is set for a delightful cast of characters as witches of all shapes, sizes, ages, and dispositions compete for the final prize. Among them are Madame Olympia, a powerful and intimidating enchantress, and Belladonna, who insists she is evil but whose magic always seems to veer onto the lighter side of things. The book is witty, funny, and above all else, presents all of its characters in a truly endearing way that will have you falling in love with even the most wicked and terrible of them.
Happy Witching!
~Posted by Hannah P.
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