Hettie Nettle, our local fabulous hedgewitch, is giving us the scoop on just what exactly her duties are as a keeper of the Wild Wood. Although much of the book is presented as her own personal handbook (hence many fictional aspects), there is also a lot of valuable information about actual pagan holidays/rituals. The book is structured month by month, with each month having its own tips, spells, 'celebrity' interviews, and more. It's a truly delightful escape into Hettie's cozy, magical woods. Full of whimsy, magic, and adorable illustrations, this charming handbook for hedgewitches is sure to be a hit with the witchy, nature-loving kiddo in your life!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hettie Nettle's Handbook for Hedgewitches is an adorable book for the budding fantasy reader. Children in 3rd-6th grade would likely enjoy this book. It is a mix of information for each month, short stories, and "spells". Lighthearted and fun, this book comes highly recommended. Although I would not put it in my first grade classroom, I would recommend it to older elementary students.

Thank you to Moon + Bird and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy. Opinions expressed are my own.

This book was so whimsical and fun! The main character takes us through each month of the year, offering up seasonal information, stories, and spells. The illustrations were super cute too!

This is such a charming book! In it, we are presented an in-character guide to all things hedge witch by eight-year old Hettie Nettle, who lives by herself in caravan in the The Wild Wood, and will surely be the envy of young readers who would love to imagine themselves doing the same. Though she lives alone, Hettie introduces us to a variety of people and creatures who make up her magical commuity, from her grandmother, her teacher at Miss Bindweed's School for Young Hedgewitches, to the faeries and animals who she spends time with in the woods.

In terms of structure, the book is broken up by the months of the year. Each month contains information about magical and pagan events for the month, Hettie's to-do list of magical tasks, a "celebrity" interview (notable celebrities being the Moon, a Moss Fairy, Thunder, etc.), a spell, and a story that relates to the themes of the month. These sections are each beautifully enhanced by watercolor illustrations of animals, magical creatures, other natural elements, and spell ingredients.

Though the text is written in-character by Hettie, and is firmly situated in her fantasy world, the book does contain real and useful information about pagan observances and practices in a kid-friendly fashion. I had such a fun time reading this book, and would highly recommend it to children who are interested in faeries and magic and well as pagan families who are looking for texts that speak to their practices.

This is a delightfully whimsical children’s book for little magic lovers. It’s in an almanac format with stories, spells and goals for each month (which are charmingly renamed). The illustrations are darling and it has a really sweet, fun tone. The one thing I wish is that it had actual hedgewitchery like herbal recipes (elderflower syrup, plantain salve and such) but it’s purely fiction (or magic) in terms of the little spells/recipes. Well recommended.

I read a temporary digital loan of this book via netgalley.