The Not-So-Wicked Witch

Cute with a touch of eye of newt!

A delightful story that adults will love to read to little ones, children will learn how to be kind amidst the pressure to be naughty.

Filled with charming illustrations, the story isn’t just for Halloween despite the witches.

Perfect for any home library or classroom to teach the importance of being kind and being yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free and provide my honest review.

This book is super cute! My daughter and I enjoyed reading it together and it has such a great lesson. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.

I read this book through Negalley. What a cute book that teaches a good lesson and gives good reason to children why things happen. Of course it is just for fun. I also enjoyed the diversity of children at the birthday party. Will be recommending and buying to give as gifts.

This was so silly and outrageous.

Maybe it's my dry sense of humor, but I absolutely loved the descriptions of the wickedness of the other witches! Their cackling and naughty expressions were excellent, them trying to convince the littlest nice witch how BAD it would be if they lost their wicked reputations- this one's gotta have an animated story teller to bring it to life!

The lesson was good and heartwarming without being too patronizing.

What an absolutely delightful story about the power of kindness!

We loved this take on little witches, who are responsible for all the wickedest things like lost socks, lego underfoot, and bedtimes. The prose is light and easy to read and well dispersed amongst the illustrations.

The messages about kindness are cleverly woven through the story. I loved the little witch’s approach of teaching kindness through modeling, rather than preaching or dobbing.

The illustrations were vibrant and expressive (delightfully snarky at times). The facial expressions on the naughty witches were excellent!

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

A super fun book about the need for kindness!

The tale is about a witch who unlike the rest refuses to be mean, choosing always the kindest route regardless of how laughable that is to the other witches! Through fun little illustrations, easy vocabulary and a really easy to understand message this is a great read for really young audiences!

Not So Wicked Witch is a sweet and cute lesson on kindness, vanquishing mischief, promoting more friendship, helping others, less selfishness, less mean actions because kindness and friendship get the best rewards.
Awesome art, love the character design, and the design of the pages, someone makes me want to draw myself as a little witch and be their friend too.

Thank you, Publisher and Netgalley, for this e-arc.

This was such a cute little book. I always love a theme that being different and kind is something to be encouraged. I loved the silliness of sending this message through a nice witch (and who knew witches love marshmallows!). This would be a great Halloween read for kids.

This was such a cute and fun read !! I loved it and I think that so many other kids will too. It makes for a great bedtime story or a classroom read. The illustrations were adorable and I’m impressed the author was the one to draw them. It has a great message that being good is better than being wicked. I would recommend to everyone and I’m thinking of purchasing a copy for myself.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

I received an ARC of “The Not-So-Wicked Witch” by Bethan Stevens from NetGalley, Quarto Publishing, and Frances Lincoln Children's Books in exchange for an honest review.

This delightful picture book was written and illustrated by Bethan Stevens. Few have the ability to do both—writing for children and illustrating for them—but Stevens did a fantastic job. The author uses watercolors to illustrate this darling tale of a little witch who, unlike her playmate witches, is actually very sweet. Stevens shows children that it’s actually better to be sweet than devilish. This is a cute book that is written thoughtfully and expertly illustrated. Children (and adults!) are going to love reading this. I highly recommend!

This book is adorable! The illustrations are great! My nephew really enjoyed this book! It’s light, fun and recommend this book to be added to your October reads (or all year reads if you love witches as much as I do)

What an adorable book. Cute illustrations, prose that flow, and a fun story with a good lesson. Definitely recommend!

The Not-So-Wicked Witch is an adorable story about a witch who is kind and helpful. The other, mischievous witches, decide they need to help her become more wicked. The witches try to get her to help make a sneaky potion to make kids sleep so they can steal all the marshmallows (because witches love marshmallows), but instead, she finds another way to fulfill their marshmallow craving.

This is a sweet story about the magic of kindness. The text rhymes well and is easy to understand. The illustrations are cute and colorful. This is a great story for any kids during spooky season and throughout the year!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the advance copy.

Advanced book @netgalley kids book recap 📚✏️✂️📖🖌️🖍️

The Puzzle Piece by Andrea Mendoza (May 13) The most beautiful story in how to help children love themselves and be their most authentic self. I’m excited to read more of her books. Wonderful conversations to follow this with my kids!

Gathered at the Table by Glenn’s Nellist (Sept. 9) Using poems, it explains Jesus last supper and his time at the table. Such a profound, kid appropriate explanation of the communion.

Rosie’s Wild Ride by Paige Murray (Oct 7) Her completion doesn’t go quite as planned, but what if we keep going and ask “What if I can?” as we follow big dreams! I can’t wait to get this for my daughter. Loved the illustrations.

Night Magic by Leigh Ann Henson (Sept 23) This was SUCH a fun book of information. Why does it take so long for the eye to adjust to night? Lots of great information with this book and at a child’s level.

The Mountain and the Goat by Slamk Taghaddas (Sept 23) I loved the concept of teaching resourcefulness in this one. Loved the storyline.

Sea Dog Boats by Astrid Sheckels (Jan 14) To learn all about boats, let the dogs lead the way. All about the ABCs and nautical adventures this is a really cute story!

Twelve Days of Summer by Sherri Meret (July 1) “On the first day of summer…” The animals take you on a summer adventure as you sing along! My kids LOVED this adorable book.

Franklin’s Trees by AJ Skenkman (July 1) A story about young President Franklin. A history major myself, this was a really cute informative book.

Outdoor Skills for Kids by Buck Tilton (June 3) My son thought this book was the bees knees. He learned so much from it and kept talking about “when you approach an animal this is what to do..” He was so excited to share all he learned.

A Very Dinosaur Christmas by Adam Wallace (Sept 2) The giggles with this one! Dinosaurs at Christmas is silly.

Spooky Poems Aloud by Joseph Coelho

The Story of Dinosaurs by Catherine Barr

The Not So Wicked Witch by Bergen Steven’s

Pips Adventure by Ashling Lindsay

Paul the Peacock by Tilly Matthews

Happy Halloween Fiona by Zondervan

The Adventures of Cam E. Chameleon by Donna Herweck Rice

This is a cute little story that is fun to read out loud and will be fun to read to little ones, it teaches children how to be kind amidst the pressure to be naughty, and how to stick true to who they are and not give in if others around them are being mean. It's filled with fun illustrations and despite the theming of witches, the story isn't Halloween themed. I think this would be perfect for any home library with little hands or a classroom/nursery.

In a world full of wicked witches, one is different. She believes being nice is better than acting wicked, and wants to help others see this, also. The cat illustrations were great, as were the facial expressions.I like the use of bright colors and the diversity of children. Well done.

This was a really fun and cute story with a good message behind it. Me and my daughter love books with witches so it was real treat and the pictures where great to.

What an adorable book! I loved the message of kindness triumphing over wickedness, the illustrations, and the unique take on witches. Loved the idea that all of life’s little inconveniences are actually naughty witches being mischievous. The not-so-wicked witch was so sweet, especially when she was trying to get potion ingredients. Gosh this was a cute book, great for early grades and preschoolers.

What an adorable children’s story. I am a huge fan of halloween related picture books and The Not So Wicked Witch really takes the “CAKE” here. The pictures are colorful and engaging and the story is heart warming and sweet. This story can be read year around. At its core The Not So Wicked Witch has a virtuous lesson about being kind and doing good in the face of adversity. It encourages going against the tide to do what’s right. This story is great for children and fun for parents as well.

My child and I enjoy reading books where a character is transformative and challenges the status quo when it is wrong, or does not meet all expectations.

This is fun, funny, and cute.

A great book for younger children.

This was a fun cute little picture book about witches and their wickedness or the lack of it for our main character. I am a big fan of Bethan Stevens's picture books. Her stories always make me giggle and the illustrations are very animated and joyful.

A fun read for the little ones!

An amazing book:
- funny
- sweet
- easy to read aloud to children
- had the line of quirkiness that children love
Most of all it was clever!

This is a wonderful children's book with excellent illustrations. I love the way it talks about little witches deciding to be wicked or kind. This is a great story for kids aged 3-9. We read this at bedtime and my daughter really enjoyed the illustrations and the funny nature of the witches (i.e. stealing the last cookie or harboring the missing sock after laundry). It overall has a great lesson for kids about being nice to others and good things will come to you. Highly recommend!

This was a cute and witty little book to help children learn to be kind and good when surrounded by naughty pressure. The drawings were simple yet cute. My child absolutely loved the marshmallows piece. The small witch sayings and descriptions were humorous and simplistic enough for children to understand. A great and simple way to teach being nice when there is pressure to be naughty or unkind.

The wicked witches who like to steal the last cookie and are probably why you can't find the remote when you definitely just had it decide that they would like to steal some marshmallows. But our littlest witch isn't so good at being wicked and instead wants to be nice and find a way to still get the marshmallows. We have a cute little story to teach that just because everyone else is doing something doesn't mean that you have to do it too and that being nice has it's rewards.

The artwork is very well done and it is very clearly formatted. There are a few words that a solo reader may have trouble with sounding out.

This book is so adorable. I love the illustration and the writing. The story is simple but fun to read.

How can you not love a book that teaches kindness?

This follows a group of "little witches" who think that being mean is the best way to be. All but one little witch, who does not understand why they like to be so cruel. Through doing the right thing and being honest, the good little witch shows the group of mean little witches that it is better to be kind. Not only does this teach kids that they should be nice, but also that they do not have to act a certain way or doing things because there is a person or group of people who do it.

The illustrations were just as cute as the story. I will be recommending to all mommas.

Thank you NetGalley, Bethan Stevens, and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for allowing my family to review.

Such a sweet and funny story about choosing kindness over wickedness. Read this book to my 5 year old and she loved it.

What a cute, funny story about kindness! This is a fun readaloud book and as a teacher, I found the other witches "wickedness" to be hilarious. I love a book with a great lesson.

This book was a bit of a controversy in my class but an overall success because the kids realize not all witches are bad.

The Not-So-Wicked Witch is a precious story about the littlest witch following her heart and showing kindness, not wickedness. She perseveres through a tough situation and teaches a lesson to all of her peers that being kind pays off.

The illustrations are friendly and fun, with a lot of whimsy.

This book would make an excellent read-aloud story anytime of the year, not just Halloween, for its timeless lesson.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was very well written with amazing illustrations! It will teach kids that’s it’s better to be kind than wicked. This book is about one good little witch who tries to teach the wicked witches it’s better to be good than wicked. A great picture book!

It's a brilliant story with wonderful illustrations. We connect with the moral of the story: kindness. It is inspiring and definitely a positive influence on the readers. I'd highly recommend it for kids and adults.

Everyone knows witches are wicked through and through . . . Unless they choose kindness instead! Overflowing with whimsy, humor, and lyrical flow, “The Not So Wicked Witch” is sure to delight readers with cackles and cheer.

This book makes for the perfect autumn read as your Littles consider what fun they want to get up to with costumes, candy, and kindness! We enjoyed this book “through and through!”

What a cute story for Halloween to read to younger children. This is the story of a kind witch and a group of trouble making witches all of whom like marshmallows. The kind witch tries to teach the other witches that you can be kind and still get what you want. The illustrations are cute and very fitting to the story. I recommend this for the Halloween library.

The Not-So-Wicked Witch is an adorable story about a good witch who doesn't give into peer pressure to be wicked like the other witches. The illustrations are colorful, and the story is very sweet.

I received an ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books | Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun story that’s not just for Halloween in which we discover maybe not all witches are wicked.

This was a great story which you could read with your child or they could read independently.

The illustrations throughout were brilliant and really set the scene perfectly.

This is an adorable Halloween book filled with a sweet lesson about the power of kindness! Such a cute children’s Halloween book! Also the illustrations are cute yet spooky.

This story is darling! I love the illustrations, the message of the importance of kindness and standing up to peer pressure, and the creative ways in which the author makes the witches wicked (such as multiplying the amount of broccoli on a child's plate). Although this would be a fun book to read aloud at Halloween, I think this book works year round. Fun addition to any library!

On the stillest of nights, witches take flight, but one little witch doesn’t enjoy being wicked. Instead of joining in the mischief, she embraces kindness. When tasked with making a terrible potion, she must choose between staying true to herself or following her fellow witches.

Loved this story!!! We are not a spooky season kind of family so this story was excellent for us. It brought in Halloween/fall characters and the mischievous side of this time of year, but also focused on what is really the most important - going with your gut, choosing kindness and knowing what is right for you even if others are not doing the same. We talk about this with our kids all the time! I love that this sweet little witch figured out a way to teach her peers that being different from the group is totally OK.

i thought that this book was great!

It was easy to read, very well written and it had a great storyline

I loved that this is a book about witches that is actually positive and not just showing them as gruesome and up to no good - that was a really nice touch that we enjoyed

The illustrations in the book were great and they really brought the story to life

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

Very cute book just in time for Halloween! I loved the little witches and their mischief. I really liked the lesson in the book- it’s ok to be nice even when others are pressuring you to be mean and being mean themselves. I also love the diversity in the book showing children of multiple races and physical abilities.

5 ⭐

A delightful story about a bunch of wicked little witches, one of whom stands out because she didn't want to be so bad.
And this little witch has the best idea to prove to her friends that kindness is the path to acceptance.

"...kindness beats wickedness... "


Illustrations: Lovely, fascinating, colourful and inclusive scenarios.
Language: Simple narrative and short, easy dialogues
Message: This book explains that with kindness we can reach more hearts, awakening the best feelings in those around us.
Reading Experience: a fun read with a gentle message. My daughter loved it

Witchy children's book? Say no more. I knew I had to read this. Bonus that the art is adorable. It is kind of like pencil and watercolor, simple but striking. I'm not sure how to word out but I love it. The story is delightful, both in story and in illustration.

This is such a cute book. My daughter truly enjoyed listening to it. We probably read it 20 times. I hope to see more books by the author.

Absolutely perfect for Halloween, a family favorite for us. In this story follows a little witch who really doesn’t like to be mean and wicked or to trick others. The other witches decide they need to help her get rid of the icky goodness and create an awful potion. Will she be able to show the other witches they can be good too?
So cute and fun. I love the playful illustrations that really fit the fun little story so perfectly.
Our family loved this story. We received it as an ebook ARC and can’t wait to add it to our home collection. We have a love for all Halloween and it goes perfectly. Your family will love this fun story too.

‘The Not-So-Wicked Witch’ by Bethan Stevens is a delightful children's book that turns traditional witch tales on their heads. With its charming narrative and enchanting illustrations, this story is sure to captivate young readers and offer a fresh perspective on what it means to be a witch.

Plot: ★★★★☆

The plot of ‘The Not-So-Wicked Witch’ is very sweet, centring around a witch who isn't wicked like her peers. The story beautifully showcases the witch's kindness and her unique way of doing things, providing a refreshing take on the typical witch character found in children's literature.

Character: ★★★★☆

The characters in this book are adorable. The not-so-wicked witch is incredibly cute and endearing, making her a character that children will easily fall in love with. Her personality and actions stand out against the backdrop of her more traditionally wicked peers, highlighting the theme of individuality and kindness.

Illustrations: ★★★★★

The illustrations in ‘The Not-So-Wicked Witch’ are simply beautiful. They add a magical quality to the story and bring the characters and their world to life. The vibrant and detailed artwork enhances the overall reading experience, making each page a visual delight.

Engagement: ★★★★★

This book offers great engagement for children. The sweet and unique storyline, coupled with the enchanting illustrations, ensures that young readers will be hooked from start to finish. The narrative's pacing and the whimsical elements keep the story lively and interesting.

Readability: ★★★★★

‘The Not-So-Wicked Witch’ boasts fantastic readability. The language is accessible and flows smoothly, making it an excellent choice for both independent reading and read-aloud sessions. The balance of text and illustrations helps maintain children's interest and makes the book a pleasure to read.

Enjoyment: ★★★★★

This book is very enjoyable for young children. The heartwarming plot, lovable characters, and stunning illustrations combine to create a delightful reading experience. It's a story that children will want to return to time and again.


‘The Not-So-Wicked Witch’ by Bethan Stevens is a charming and visually enchanting children's book that offers a fresh and heartwarming take on witch tales. With its sweet plot, adorable characters, and beautiful illustrations, it is sure to captivate young readers and become a favourite bedtime story.

Such a cute picture book! The littlest witch doesn't like being bad, and shows kindness to everyone. And, in the end, the wicked witches see that her kindness pays off better than their wickedness ever did! (And I laughed out loud at the cat cameo on the very last page ;-)

Such a charming story for children, illustrating the importance of being kind. Colorful art and an engaging tale make this a delight for both kids and adults!

Finally a Halloween type book that I love reading with my kids. Super cute and fun without anything bad or scary for the littles!

This was so so cute! I love the illustration style and the message. Perfect little book for spooky season!

The Not-So-Wicked Witch is a short, whimsical story about how a kind witch girl shows her witch friends how kindness beats out wickedness.

The art style is a charming watercolor in a beautiful fall color palette. I read it to my 4 year old. She was worried it was going to be too scary (it most certainly was not.)

Something to note that I absolutely loved, one of the children is in a wheelchair at the party and all the children are portrayed in true-to-life variety of colors and hairstyles, etc. That kind of representation is necessary and wonderful to see in children's books. Very cute for spooky season.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for this ARC. #thenotsowickedwitch #netgalley