Winnie the Witch: what to read next

Another witch who has a tricky time getting her spells right is the little witch in Witch in Training by Michelle Robinson and Briony May Smith. There is a cosy feel to this magical mayhem, and a lovely mother-daughter relationship. Meanwhile, poor Melric the wizard has to find his magic again in David McKee’s Melric the Magician Who Lost His Magic. Can he do it in time to save the kingdom? And for a deliciously shocking story, try Trick or Treat? by Catherine Emmett and Laura Brennla. A little girl knocks at a witch’s door at Halloween – but can you guess what will happen? 

Winnie gets herself into all sorts of pickles, which are very funny, and the energetic illustrations add a lot of humour too. For another funny book where someone’s in a sticky situation, try Whose Dog is This? by Andrew Sanders and Aysha Awwad. Dad only left the living room for ten minutes, and now it’s a mess and suddenly they have a dog. Can Albert talk his way out of this? While, in Dexter Lost his Boo-woo, by Shane Hegarty and Ben Mantle, Dexter escalates his lost toy situation to the police, the fire fighters – even helicopter rescue. Great fun to read aloud, this rhyming story has a big twist in the tale… 

And if you’re looking for an interactive read to capture a child’s attention, Are you a Monster? by Guilherme Carsten asks the reader to join in with monster noises and actions. Winner of BookTrust’s Storytime Prize 2024, voted for by families in libraries, this will have young children roaring with laughter. Brilliant for children who can’t sit still. 

Wilbur is a great cat character – he’s loyal, he helps Winnie and he has just the right kind of wild fur. For other excellent animal characters, seek out Mr Big by Ed Vere, about a piano-playing gorilla, and Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, starring a fox and a bear who play toddler-like games together – the best of friends. If you want to stick with cats, Fatcat in Billy and the Beast by Nadia Shireen is a hilarious sidekick to the resourceful Billy. His monobrow is a joy to behold. While, for slightly older children, Gordon, star of Gordon the Meanest Goose on Earth by Alex Latimer, also has fantastic eyebrows – and an unsettling feeling that being mean might not be as fun as he thinks. 

New or old, there are many hugely enjoyable picture books to discover. Which are your favourites? Let us know by messaging us on social media @BookTrust using the hashtag #WhatToReadAfter.