11 magical books for children who love witches and wizards

Are your children big fans of stories about witches and wizards? Are you looking for great magical books for children? This reading round-up is full of magical book characters including witches, wizards and magicians.

I’ve included magical books for kids across a wide age range. The list includes children’s picture books about witches and wizards, and chapter books about wizards and magic for more advanced readers.

These are all books that my son and I have enjoyed, I hope you and your children do too!

Updated December 2021.

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Whatever age child you are looking for books for – there is something for everyone. I’ve divided this list into selections of books by age for your convenience.

See the menu below to click to jump to the section you are most interested in. However, please note that all age range guidelines are approximate and flexible.

New – don’t miss our new bonus section with even more great books!

11 of the best magical books for children

A quick overview of the best wizard and witch books for kids

Here is a quick look at some of the books discussed in this article – scroll down to find full information and details about each book below this table.

Title	Approx. age range	Cover	Prices and availability
Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll & Jan Pieńkowski	2-6 years		Check here
Winnie and Wilbur: Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul	3-6 years		Check here
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler	2-6 years		Check here
Witches and Wizards Sticker Book by Kirsteen Robson & Seb Burnett	5+		Check here
The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas	7-12 years		Check here
Beast Quest by Adam Blade	7-10 years		Check here
The Adventures of King Arthur by Russell Punter and Andrea Da Rold	7-12 years		Check here
Clockwork by Philip Pullman	8+		Check here
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling	8+		Check here
Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch	9+		Check here
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan	9+		Check here

Picture books about wizards and witches – for ages 2-6

Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll & Jan Pieńkowski

Kicking off our list of kids books about witches and wizards is the classic Meg and Mog series by Helen Nicoll and illustrator Jan Pieńkowski. They created a series of great children’s picture books about magic for kids.

The books are about Meg the Witch, her cat Mog and other friends including Owl. These children’s witch story books were written in the 1970s and are timeless classics. Meg’s spells never go particularly well. There are many titles in the series to explore. We particularly enjoyed Meg on the Moon. These witch children’s books are wryly funny. The simple illustrations, colourful pages and clear text make the books very appealing to toddlers and young children.

Approx. ages 2-5

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Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul

Like Meg and Mog, our second recommendation also features a children’s book witch and cat. Young children will love the adventures of Winnie the Witch and Wilbur, her big black cat.

There are lots of books in the Winnie and Wilbur series including Happy Birthday, Winnie and The Amazing Pumpkin. Winnie is one of the classic children’s book witch characters. She and Wilbur have incredible adventures together.

When Winnie decides on a magical plan she acts on it quickly. Meanwhile, Wilbur often has to cover his eyes with his paws in shock. In a favourite of ours – Winnie and Wilbur in Space – the witch and her cat launch into space.

They encounter dangerous space rabbits and have to act quickly to save their rocket. Luckily Winnie knows lots of spells to help deal with tricky situations. Winnie and Wilbur in Space is one of the funniest witch books for kids we have read! Once we came across Winnie and Wilbur in Space and Winnie became a favourite character for our son, we ended up getting a collection of the books – these can be great value and increase options for bedtime reading!

These books are great to read to young children and for children to read themselves as they gain reading confidence. These children’s witch books are great fun to take your time looking at the illustrations. Korky Paul’s detailed illustrations reveal little jokes. Paul’s illustrations even include characters from other books he has illustrated. Many special guest stars appear at Winnie’s Birthday Party in Happy Birthday Winnie and on other occasions.

Approx. ages 3-6

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Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

From the author and illustrator of The Grufallo, Room on the Broom is a classic picture book about a friendly witch and her cat. It’s great for bedtime stories as well as being a book that young children can read independently as their reading confidence grows.

The lyrical text flows enchantingly in this witch kids book as more creatures join the witch on her broom. The illustrations are entertaining, colourful and engaging. Together, the group of animals and the witch bravely face a fearsome dragon.

Approx. ages 2-6

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Witches and Wizards Sticker Book by Kirsteen Robson & Seb Burnett

Our list of children’s books about witches and wizards includes a great activity book for children to delve in to. This sticker book is full of creepy yet charming creatures. Children can arrange the stickers to create scenes of magical mayhem. There are over 500 stickers.

The ghoulish activity book is great for children over three. The activities encourage children to create their own visual story full of witch book characters. They can put the characters exactly where they want to within the colourful pages of scenes. If your children love this sticker book format there are many other sticker books in this series to choose from. Options include Unicorn sticker books and Ancient Egypt sticker books.

Approx. age 5+

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Graphic novels and magic chapter books for ages 7+

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

The Magic Thief is the first in a children’s fantasy book series about a young boy who stumbles into a world of magic after desperately picking the wrong persons pocket. The magical action in this wizard books for kids begins in the cobbled streets of The Twilight.

Coonwaer is hungry and cold. When he tries to steal from the wizard Nevery, he begins his own journey as a wizard’s apprentice. The adventures of this series of books for kids are captivating and spell-binding. Children can also read the sequels, Lost, Found, Home and an e-book A Proper Wizard. This book is accessible and a great bridge for readers who are growing in confidence and are ready for chapter books. It’s readable for children age 7 plus, but can be of interest to fans of fantasy who are older too.

Approx. ages 7-12

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Beast Quest by Adam Blade

The Beast Quest book series tells the epic adventures of young heroes Tom and Elenna as they fight to keep the magical realm of Avantia safe. They are assisted by a good wizard – Aduro.

Using many magical tools and weapons the young heroes free mystical beasts that have been enslaved by the evil wizard Malvel. Ferno: The Fire Dragon is the first of many fantastic books for kids in the series, and is followed by five more books in the first six book series.

The text of the Beast Quest books is very straight forward but is exciting and fast-paced. The series is a good bridge into chapter books for children who are just gaining the confidence to read longer texts independently. The books are ideal for children aged 7 plus. Early Reader Beast Quest books are also available for younger readers.

The large number of books in the series means children who enjoy the books are encouraged to keep finding more and reading more. Fortunately, it is possible to read them out of sequence. So your kids can pick up any of the series that the library has in stock and keep reading!

Approx. ages 7-10

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The Adventures of King Arthur by Russell Punter and Andrea Da Rold

Many grown-ups will be familiar with the legends of King Arthur and the prominence of sorcery and magic in them. The story begins when the wizard Merlin visits King Uther Pendragon with a warning.

The Adventures of King Arthur graphic novel is a great way to introduce young readers to the fascinating legends that surround Arthur. Using clear text and bold imagery, the graphic novel is an accessible and appealing format.

The book tells the stories of sorcery and drama that follow Arthur through his life. It explores the legends of the sword Excalibur, the Holy Grail, Morgan Le Fay and the Lady of the Lake. The title is suitable from age 7 plus, but older children with an interest in myths and legends are sure to enjoy it too. My 10-year-old certainly did!

Approx. ages 7-12

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Magic fiction books for ages 8+

Clockwork by Philip Pullman

Clockwork: or All Wound Up is a magical and slightly shocking tale. It’s perfect for young readers who love spooky stories. The mysterious Dr Kalmenius weaves magic into his clockwork figures.

While clockwork figures spring to life the story also brings to life the magic of storytelling. And like any good fairy tale, it has a moral for its readers.

Clockwork is a good read for children who are fairly confident readers and who are excited by mysterious spooky stories. For children who are less confident, it could be a great book for an adult to read out loud or alongside them. I’ve previously provided a full review of Clockwork here.

Approx. age 8+

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The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

What list of children’s books about witches and wizards would be complete without a book from the Harry Potter universe?

I haven’t included the Harry Potter witches and wizards series in this round-up as it is so well-known. Alternatively, I’m adding The Tales of Beedle the Bard to my list.

The collection of fairy tales written by Beedle during the 15th century have been well-known and much-loved by wizard and witch children through the ages. Even Muggle children will enjoy the magical fairy tales in this wizard children’s book today.

This edition has been newly translated by Hermione Granger and includes accompanying notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore.

As Harry Potter fans will be aware, Dumbledore left his copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard to Hermione in his will.

She had missed out on these fairy tales as a child, having been raised by Muggles. But the book was invaluable in her adventures in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The tales can be enjoyed by children and grown-ups of any age who are Harry Potter fans.

Approx. age 8+

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Longer magical reads for ages 9+

Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch

The blurb on the back of Bad Magic tells us that “It does NOT contain MAGIC”, so why am I including it on this list of magic books for kids?

As you explore the world of Bad Magic the answer to this question could get clearer, or maybe it won’t. Fans of Bosch’s The Secret Series will know that the author’s hilarious writing style is full of misleads and tricks. Magic tricks perhaps?

Despite a twelve-year age gap, Clay and his older brother share a bond over magic tricks and their code for magic words is “bad words”. Two years after Clay’s brother went missing, 13-year-old Clay is sent to a summer camp on an island with an active volcano. Then Clay’s magical adventure really begins. Or does it?

Approx. age 9+

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The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid is the first of The Kane Chronicles trilogy by Rick Riordan, the creator of the Percy Jackson and Magnus Chase book series (which we love!) Siblings, Sadie and Carter Kane reunite after years of separation.

They embark on an epic adventure, discovering that they are from a family of magicians (or shesh) who are connected to the House of Life, an Ancient Egyptian temple of magic.

In The Red Pyramid ancient mythology meets with magic. Sadie and Carter learn how to cast spells using Ancient Egyptian magic as the evil god Set threatens the world.

If your kids love mythical adventures check out our guide to all books by Rick Riordan here.

Approx. age 9+

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Bonus section! Even more witches and wizards in great picture books and chapter books!

Here is a selection of more of our favourite magical books featuring witches and wizards. These recommendations include wizard picture books, a scary witch from a magical land and a funny tale of a struggling witch. We couldn’t miss out the story of how one of the greatest wizards of all helps a hobbit and a band of dwarves. And there are lots more books below for witch and wizard fans of all ages to explore.

Title	What the book is about and approx. age range	Cover	Price and availability
The Wizard of Oz picture book retold by Rosie Dickens	L.Frank Baum's classic retold by Rosie Dickens for younger readers Approx. age range 18 months +		Check here
Stories of Wizards - Usborne Young Reader Series 1 by Christopher Rawson	This is one of the great children's books about wizards for young readers. The collection contains three enchanting stories about the adventures of wizards. Aimed at children who have just begun learning to read. Approx. age range 5+		Check here
Stories of Wizards and Witches by Enid Blyton	A collection of 25 classic Enid Blyton stories about wizards, witches and other magical creatures like pixies and elves! These short stories are great for bedtime. Approx. age range 5+		Check here
The Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy	The funny story of Mildred, an aspiring witch at Cackle Academy. Her spells keep going wrong and she can't stop falling off her broom! Approx. age range 6+		Check here
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum	A classic story. When Dorothy and her dog Toto are lost in Oz she must find the Wizard of Oz to send her back home. On the way she has to deal with the terrifying Wicked Witch of the West and she meets new friends and a good witch. Approx. age range 8+		Check here
The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell	An adventure of a young wizard and a young warrior whose people are at odds. But Xar and Wish must deal with a worse threat - the horrifying Witch King. Approx. age range 8+		Check here
The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic by Cressida Cowell	As Xar's Witch stain worsens, and Wish's forbidden magic grows, they must go on a quest to find a dying giant. Approx. age range 8+		Check here
The Wizards of Once: Knock Three Times by Cressida Cowell	Wish and Xar's adventure continues in this series of imaginative chapter books that will help kids reading confidence to grow. Approx. age range 8+		Check here
The Wizards of Once: Never and Forever by Cressida Cowell	The Wizards of Once adventure continues in the fourth magical book in this series! Approx. age range 8+		Check here or check out the four Wizards of Once book collection here
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis	A childhood classic. In the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia, four children find their way into a magical realm through the back of a wardrobe. An evil witch rules the land and has created an unending winter in Narnia. Approx. age range 9+		check here or check out the full Narnia collection here
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien	Another of my childhood favourites! Bilbo is living quietly in The Shire when the wizard Gandalf brings a group of dwarves to his home. Bilbo joins their quest to The Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon Smaug. Approx. age range 9+		Check here
Harry Potter - Books 1-7 by J.K. Rowling	Harry is an orphan who is treated horribly by the aunt, uncle and cousin he lives with. But his life changes forever when he finds out he is a wizard and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Incredible adventures and terrible foes await Harry and his friends as his story unfolds across 7 magical books. Approx. age range 7+ for Books 1-3 10+ for Books 4-6 12+ for Book 7		Check here or try the first Harry Potter book first
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman	In the world of Pullman's engaging trilogy witches are a separate species from humanity. Witch Queen Serafina Pekkala is one of the witches who helps the children in the North. Approx. age range 10+		Check here
Skullduggery Pleasant - Book 1 by Derek Landy	Witches and warlocks are part of the magical world of the Skulduggery Pleasant book series. The books centre on a young woman, Valkyrie, who is assisted by her 400-year-old skeleton detective mentor in fighting evil. Approx. age range 11+		Check here or check out the collection of the first 9 books in the series here
The Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathon Stroud	Bartimaeus is a 5000 year old djinni. The books in the Bartimaeus Sequence follow the adventures of a teenage magician, Nathaniel who works with Bartimaeus. Approx. age range 11+		Check here

Over to you… what are your favourite stories of witches and wizards?

Which wizard or witch books were most magical for you as a child? Have you found amazing magic books for kids that you would like to share and recommend? Who are your children’s favourite witches, wizards and magicians? Please share you and your children’s ideas in the comments below.

If your children love magical books like these they might also be excited to hear about these new releases of fantasy books for kids for Spring 2018. And check out our guide to fictional places children and teens can visit in literature. And if you are looking for books that are full of Christmas magic, check out these great Christmas books for preschoolers.

– Find lots more magical books here at readinginspiration.com –

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