How to Be a Witch

by Gabrielle Balkan, Shana Gozansky, Carmen Saldaña (Illustrator)

A witch-themed picture book unlike any other – it’s nonfiction!

Most people, kids included, have very specific associations with “witch” – perhaps a scheming, warted, and/or green-faced woman in a pointy hat and heels, brewing a potion with gruesome ingredients intended for harm or dark magic. And though witches are real, none of that is actually true! Over many centuries, knowledgeable, powerful, and healing women have been demonized by men who fear a loss of power or pride. And through those same centuries, certain people have passed down their lived and learned knowledge of nature’s power to heal. Those who identify as witches today are most often natural healers whose wisdom serves to help those around them.

Written in a conversational, engaging tone, and illustrated in an accessible and appealing style, this book dispels stereotypes and expands young readers’ knowledge of what it means to be a REAL witch. Complete with a suggested potion and spell in the backmatter, this is a current and worthy celebration of witches!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Witches, Childrens, Magic, Halloween

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2024

About the author

Gabrielle Balkan writes for readers of all ages, equally enjoying picture books and readers as chapter books and young adult fiction. Her works include The Dog Rules by Coco LaRue, a Scholastic Book Fairs best-seller that sold 150,000 copies and demanded a follow-up.

One of her first forays into writing nonfiction was “America is hard to See,” a children's audio guide for the the inaugural exhibit at the Whitney Museum of Art's Gansevoort location. The 50 States was Gabrielle's first non-fiction book and was followed by two companion books, two activity sets, one follow-up atlas: 50 Cities.

She's also the author of BOOK OF BONES (an International Literacy Association pick) and it's companion, BOOK OF FLIGHT (coming in Spring 2019).

Before embarking on a career as a full-time writer, Gabrielle was a book buyer for the Scholastic Reading Clubs, a commissioning editor for Scholastic Paperbacks, and the Director of Communications for City and Country School.

Gabrielle was raised across from the State Fair Grounds in Indianapolis, Indiana and lived short stints in Augusta, Georgia and Zurich, Switzerland. After graduating with a degree in English and Elementary Education from Barnard College she decided to see what else the city had to offer, and now lives with her family in Brooklyn.

Reviews

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly inclusive and beautifully illustrated.

[madeline ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay well this book literally made me cry which I was NOT expecting.

The way that this book celebrates inclusivity within the witch community is really just such an inspiration and like the biggest hug I've ever received.

The illustrations are beautiful. The message is encouraging, supportive, and celebratory. This book is gentle and loving and perfect.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and informational! I immediately bought a copy for my home collection.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's no surprise that there are many stereotypes about witches, possibly due to books and popular culture. Many youngsters think that witches can fly through the air on broomsticks or have green skin and cackle all the time. Certainly, there are many children's books featuring fictional witches, and most of us have shivered at the wicked witch depicted in The Wizard of Oz. While I was initially surprised at this particular picture book, which explains to youngsters that witches actually exist in today's world, and that they are nothing like how they've been depicted in the past, I quickly realized that it's important to push against those false notions. Text and artwork, created with digital and traditional paint, highlight witches from all sorts of walks of life, young, old, large, small, as well as identifying some of the characteristics of witches. They love nature and magic and use herbs in different ways. The final pages invite youngsters to share their own magic that lies within, a fairly common concept. I'm not sure how its intended audience will react to the book, but it ended up being quite affirming for me. Given how women who were considered problematic in the past were often labeled witches, this book may raise questions and prompt important discussions.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this for my honorary niece, who is turning 3 this month. She loves books about fictional witches (like Meg and Mog ) and comes from a family that celebrates the Solstice as a holiday, so when I saw this at the bookstore in a Halloween-themed display, it felt like the right book at the right time!

This is a sweet little way to introduce kids to the idea that many people in the 21st century have a spiritual practice that involves witchcraft. I appreciate the authors' emphasis that witchcraft is about helping people, communing with nature, and expressing gratitude. (They are also careful not to encourage kids to do anything dangerous—e.g., on the page about herbs and plants, they only show stuff like rosemary and lavender, which are perfectly safe for humans.) As such, the book can help kids see the world as an enchanted place, without falsely thinking that magic can solve all their problems. And the illustrations are very cute and cozy—the "Where do witches live?" spread still warms my heart, and I'm an adult!

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A witch-themed nonfiction picture book where the authors introduce readers to the world of real witches and their daily practices.

This was definitely not what I was expecting. It talks about how real witches look, act, and believe and invites the reader to try their own hand at a spell of gratitude. The illustrations are cute, and I get the overall message that “witches are just people like you!” but it just rubbed me the wrong way. If you have any families that didn’t like the Harry Potter series, they will also definitely not like this book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witchcraft has been a stigmatized practice for hundreds of years, but that is because its feminine energy was and is considered a threat to patriarchal religions. This book is a very small but important step to change that stigma. A beautiful and simple explanation of the many ways witches can move about the world, and as you will see, it’s very mundane and unremarkable, which makes it a much-needed palate cleanser to the villainous tropes we are used to experiencing about witches.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a book sure to upset the religious right, Balkan explains that anyone can be a witch, and demonstrates just what it takes. I rate the text three stars, but Carmen Saldana's magical illustrations raise the rating by one twinkler.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a Halloween book as it's not a celebration of the green-skinned witches of folklore but instead focuses on explaining how those that practice witchcraft of various kinds are average people like anyone else, some use potions and others use cards, many have jobs that aren't full-time witchcraft. It's believing what you believe.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so cute and so great for young readers to learn about real witches! Illustrations are awesome. They are really diverse and great! I loved this book. There are also a couple spells in the back you can do and how to make your own spell too.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend gifted this book to my granddaughter and we read it together as a family. It's fantastic read, the perfect way to introduce a young (or old!) person to the concept of witches & witchcraft.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. A welcoming and down-to-earth introduction to what it means to be a witch.

Themes: Magic, Witches, Ritual
Age range: Preschool-Elementary

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately pretty generic and not very distinctive or memorable but the art is cute and I needed the wholesomeness right now.

[Alison N · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very accessible, inclusive and engaging look at modern witchcraft that's perfect for young readers and anyone else who's interested in learning more.

[Natalie (Natflix&Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute nonfiction picture book about modern witches, what they believe, and how the practice.

[Amanda Edens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cutest book to explain witchcraft to kids!!

[Ashley schoen]

Beautiful illustrations and a good conversation starter

[Rhiannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

so this is perfect and beautiful and i cried just a little bit i love being a witch

[Samm Beck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Loved the inclusivity and diversity however it came off as a join my religion book.