Wilma was the littlest witch in the Spooky Woods, and although she was determined to participate in the annual Halloween broom-flying demonstration, she found that her arms and legs were just too short to do the spins properly. Her efforts to help other witches with various Halloween preparations were similarly unsuccessful, leaving her feeling very down, until she ran into her friend, Mae the mummy. Then, when the director of the broom-flying demonstration went missing, Wilma was able to step into her shoes, saving the day and proving that although she was little, she did indeed have something to contribute...

One of a number of related paperback picture-books from author Brandi Dougherty about the 'littlest' member of various communities - other titles include The Littlest Elf and The Littlest Pilgrim - The Littlest Witch features a sweet, winsome little witchy story, and cute artwork. The character of Mae the mummy also appears, in a starring role, in The Littlest Mummy. This story, and the series to which it belongs, will have great child appeal, as many children will be able to identify with the feeling of being too young to contribute to group activities. The positive, upbeat conclusion of the story here will offer such readers/listeners reassurance, and the page of stickers included at the rear will add another element of fun. Witchy picture-books are a pet project of mine, so I am grateful to my friend, La Coccinelle, for bringing this one to my attention! Recommended to picture-book readers looking for sweet, rather than scary Halloween fare, and to any child readers who has felt sad about being the youngest or littlest of the group. ( )