- Chapter Books
- Ages 8–12
- Horror
The Witches
Part of the Roald Dahl universeOpen the collection
Dahl's scariest core children's novel: thrilling, funny, grotesque and genuinely unsettling. It is a superb pick for children who want safe horror, but not for very sensitive readers or those unsettled by child harm and body transformation.
- Best for8–12
- FormatChapter
- Length208 pp
- Read aloud~2 hr55 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
- Literary
Tone
- Scary
- Dark
- Funny
- Suspenseful
- Irreverent
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
A young boy and his beloved Norwegian grandmother know the truth about witches: they are real, they hate children, and they hide in plain sight. While staying in a hotel, the boy accidentally discovers a secret meeting led by the Grand High Witch, whose plan is to turn children into mice and destroy them. When he is transformed himself, the boy and his grandmother must fight back with courage, cunning and a very dangerous plan. The Witches is Dahl at his darkest and most thrilling, blending horror, humour and grotesque imagination. Quentin Blake's illustrations sharpen the comic ugliness without making the danger disappear. The bond between the boy and his grandmother is warm and moving, but the book also includes parental death, child-hating villains, transformation horror and an ending that is more emotionally complex than many readers expect.
“In fairy-tales, witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks, and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy-tale.”
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 8–12
- Read aloud · 8–12
- Independent · 8–12
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
Moderate
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: death of parent, scary imagery, violence, abandonment.
Bedtime suitability
1 / 5 · Wide awake
Sensitive-child
2 / 5 · Use judgement
Graphic intensity
3 / 5 · Some
Best for
- Scary classic
- Safe horror
- Grandparent bond
- Witch story
- Dark dahl
Avoid if
- Very sensitive to scary imagery
- Sensitive to parent death
- Sensitive to child harm
- Needs gentle bedtime
Particularly good for children who are…
- Nightmares or fears
- Bereavement
- Anxiety and worry
In the classroom
How it works in school.
Roald Dahl's deliciously scary classic — a thrilling class read-aloud and a gripping free read for those who like a fright.
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 chill is witches hiding among ordinary women — bald heads under wigs, claws in gloves, a hatred of children dressed in polite smiles. A nine-year-old reading this looks at adults around them slightly differently for weeks afterwards. The Dahl that earns its scariness, and the boy who stays a mouse is the bravest ending.
- Surviving danger
- Being special or chosen
- Trickery and cleverness
- Family belonging
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
The scariest Dahl. Witches convincingly disguised, real menace, and the ending — the boy stays a mouse — is one of the bravest landings in children's fiction. Not for very sensitive readers; perfect for the eight-year-old ready to be properly thrilled. The grandmother is one of Dahl's best adult characters.
- Beloved classic
- Conversation starter
- Great writing
- Shared humour
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.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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