Jill Murphy (1) (1949–2021)

After the mediocre The Worst Witch Strikes Again, author Jill Murphy completely redeems herself with A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch.

The impulsive and accident-prone self-styled “worst witch” Mildred Hubble returns for her second year at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches; she’s happily reunited with her pals, Maud Spellbody and Enid Nightshade and, unfortunately, with her nemesis, Ethel Hollow, an arrogant straight-A student. To tell more would be to ruin the surprise, but let’s show more just say that it’s not a spoiler to reveal that the titular bad spell is a literal one. show less

Getting awfully tiresome. Nobody ever learns anything. Including the reader, who does not learn why the girls like being treated worse than prisoners. Also, no diversity, though there's no reason, of setting or anything, for lack of it.

This time the word "prison" was actually used to describe how the school feels. And to be made to write home, your letter being screened for anything disparaging, is actually worse than what prisoners (at least in the US) are subjected to. (The two prisoners that I know can complain about their treatment.)

Other than that, why is everyone still so stupid? Even Mildred still trusts Ethel!

And why do people give these five stars? I can see four for a childhood favorite, but honestly, friends, show more reread them as if they're new to you. What is the value? show less

Thank you, Candlewick Press, for reissuing this — pardon the pun — magical series featuring witch-in-training Mildred Hubble. Before there was Harry Potter, before there was the TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch (even the cheery original), before there was Kiki’s Delivery Service, there was Mildred, an impetuous, clumsy and unlucky girl who first appeared in 1974. Despite her ill fortune, Mildred saves the day through her ingenuity and the help of her fast friends, Maud Spellbody and show more Enid Nightshade. A wonderful message for children who feel that nothing goes right.

In this, the eighth and latest book in the series, Star, the stray dog Mildred found in a previous book, is reclaimed by his owners. Heartbroken, Mildred seeks to find a way to be reunited with her dog. She also wishes that her archnemesis Ethel Hallow wouldn’t win all the prizes at the end of the year. No spoiler to reveal that Mildred gets recognized for her kindness and good intentions. (It’s in the title!)

Each book in the series covers one semester of the five years at Miss Crackle’s Academy for Witches, so we can expect two more. But newbies to author Jill Murphy’s humorous, good-natured series will enjoy this book as much as longtime fans.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. show less