- Graphic Novels
- Ages 8–12
- Fantasy
Witches of Brooklyn: Spell of a Time
Book 4 of 6 in Witches of BrooklynView the full series
A lively Coney Island magical rescue with mermaids, talking animals and Effie growing into her powers. It keeps the series light and accessible while adding a stronger adventure hook.
- Best for8–12
- FormatGraphic
- Length224 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr45 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Adventurous
- Whimsical
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Back at school, Effie is trying to understand what kind of witch she is becoming. New friends, new lessons and new powers make life more complicated, especially when she discovers that she may be able to listen and talk to animals. A school trip to Coney Island turns into a magical rescue when Effie and Garance overhear seagulls discussing a missing mermaid, pulling the story into a bright, seaside-flavoured adventure. The volume works because it lets Effie's magic feel both exciting and morally meaningful: she is not just collecting powers, she is learning how to notice problems and help. With talkative animals, a helpful turtle and a missing mermaid, it has a slightly bigger fantasy feel than earlier entries while remaining friendly, funny and age-appropriate.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 8–12
- Read aloud · 7–11
- Independent · 8–12
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Reluctant readers
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
- Magic
- Mermaids
- Talking animals
- School trip
- Rescue adventure
Avoid if
- Needs series from start
- Prefers non magic realism
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Interested in science
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A warm, witchy graphic-novel series about friendship, family and finding your power — a reluctant-reader favourite.
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 delight is the talking animals — Effie discovering she can hear seagulls, the school trip to Coney Island turning into a magical rescue when she overhears them discussing a missing mermaid. The Witches of Brooklyn with the biggest fantasy hook yet.
- Magic powers
- Animal companions
- Making a difference
- Adventure and freedom
Why parents love it
The fourth Witches of Brooklyn — Coney Island setting, talking-animals power expanding Effie's range, magical-rescue plot stretching the world. Light and accessible; Effie's moral-noticing-and-helping arc gentle but real.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
- Cultural representation
In the series
Witches of Brooklyn.
6 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Sophie Escabasse.
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.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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