- Chapter Books
- Ages 8–11
- Fantasy
Mari the Unwonderful Witch
Butter author Asako Yuzuki's first book for children: a warm, food-and-fashion-loving young witch who refuses to be told that a good witch must always put others first.
- Best for8–11
- FormatChapter
- Length224 pp
- Read aloud~3 hr10 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
Tone
- Warm
- Funny
- Whimsical
- Inspirational
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Eleven-year-old Mari loves her life, and she isn't sorry about it. She adores fashion and food, delights in time with her two mothers, and has a brilliant time with her friends. But the other witches in her town disapprove: a truly wonderful witch, they say, should always put the needs of others before herself, and Mari cares far too much about her own happiness. Mari, though, doesn't much mind what other people think of her. So when disaster strikes the town, it falls to this most unwonderful of witches to convince the others to find the courage to break free of what they're supposed to be, and to discover magic that works for everyone. Asako Yuzuki, the acclaimed author of Butter, makes her children's debut with a warm, funny and quietly rebellious story about self-acceptance, community and being unapologetically yourself.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Aimed at newly independent readers of about 8 to 11, with plenty for younger fans of about 7 to enjoy shared aloud. A gentle magical story with real heart and an inclusive family at its centre.
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- Best fit · 8–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 8–11
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
Low
Reluctant-reader friendly
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Witches
- Self acceptance
- Feel good
- Inclusive stories
Avoid if
- Wants high peril
- Wants realistic fiction
Particularly good for children who are…
- Lgbtq parent family
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A warm story for discussing self-worth, individuality and diverse families, with a heroine who models standing up for who you are.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Mari loves fashion, food and her own life, and being told she's doing witching wrong only makes her more herself. Children will cheer a heroine who saves the day precisely by not following everyone else's rules.
- Magic powers
- Being understood finally
- Making a difference
- Breaking the rules safely
Why parents love it
A warm, gently rebellious debut for children from the author of Butter, celebrating self-acceptance, a loving two-mum family and the idea that looking after yourself isn't selfish. Reassuring and quietly empowering.
- Cultural representation
- Conversation starter
About the author
Asako Yuzuki.
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