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Once a Witch

(2009, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Carolyn MacCullough)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Mildly bewitching with strong female characters.

Themes in this book include:   dating/crushes, family relationships, growing up

Why We Rated This on for Ages 14 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.

  • Messages:

    Families stick together; girls are smart and strong; it's OK to be different even if you're a witch.

  • Role models:

    Tamsin pretends to be her older sister but gets into trouble doing it. She lies by omission and breaks some family rules while she is trying to save her family from rival witches who are evil. Her grandmother is the head of the family; all the females seem to have more powers and more intelligence.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Some danger, implied violence. Fireballs burn a character's hands, a witch under a spell is compelled to cut herself and fill a cup with blood.

  • Sex:

    Some kissing; mild flirtation

  • Language:

    Mild usage of the words "hell" and "s--t."

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Tamsin smokes cigarettes; her roommate drinks alcohol heavily.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Once a Witch

Parents need to know this book is a fairly conventional portrayal of witches -- they fled Europe because of persecution, they observe Samhain and practice ancient rituals under the moon. The teen smoking and drinking is gratuitous, and the romance is gentle. This is a slight fantasy with strong female characters.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about  whether witches exist (ed) and why they were persecuted? 
  • Should Tamsin's family have hidden the truth from Tamsin?
  • Why did Tamsin pretend to be her older sister?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    witchluvr
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Perfect Book!

    Love this so much. Really shows that portraying somebody else when it is not appropriate is not ok. It is really enjoyable read!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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