- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Fantasy
Room on the Broom
Part of Julia Donaldson & Axel SchefflerView the full series
Part of the Julia Donaldson universeOpen the collection
A joyful rhyming adventure about generosity, teamwork and a witch who keeps making room for new friends. One of the best Donaldson/Scheffler read-alouds for children who like magic, animals and a satisfying rescue.
- Best for3–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Rhyming
- Repetitive
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
A kind witch and her cat are flying on their broom when the wind blows away the witch's hat, bow and wand. Each lost item is found by a new animal who politely asks for a ride, and the witch happily makes room. The broom becomes increasingly crowded, the cat becomes increasingly unimpressed, and a hungry dragon eventually gives the new friends a chance to prove why kindness matters. Room on the Broom has one of Julia Donaldson's cleanest and most satisfying picture-book structures: repetition, cumulative build-up, comic grumbling, sudden danger and a team rescue. Axel Scheffler's illustrations make every animal distinct and expressive, while the final upgraded broom gives children a lovely payoff. It is magical, funny, warm and especially strong for talking about inclusion and the practical value of friendship.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–6
- Read aloud · 2–7
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Witches
- Friendship
- Teamwork
- Rhyming read aloud
- Halloweenish
Avoid if
- Very sensitive to dragons
- Prefers realistic stories
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Reluctant reader
- Starting nursery or preschool
In the classroom
How it works in school.
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's modern rhyming classics — the gold standard of join-in read-alouds, ideal for prediction, sequencing and performing.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific pleasure is the cumulative refrain — every animal asks 'Is there room on the broom for a [X] like me?' and a three-year-old chants along by the second iteration. The broom gets fuller, the rhythm gets bouncier, and the dragon at the end gives the rescue ending the satisfying weight it needs.
- Magic powers
- Friendship and belonging
- Making a difference
- Adventure and freedom
Why parents love it
Often regarded as Donaldson's strongest book after The Gruffalo. The cumulative pattern is taut, the dragon climax is properly scary in a kid-safe way, and the rescue ending lands every single time. The picture book to perform with five different voices once a child knows the rhythm well enough to demand them.
- Shared humour
- Bedtime appropriate
- Beloved classic
- Quick to read
In the series
Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler.
14 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
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