Little Witch’s To-Do List (A Magical List Book)

Sorcery joyously infuses a child’s day in Zax’s pleasant rhyming take on one witch’s accounting of tasks. “Cast a spell for sunshine/ Fluff my cobweb bed” kicks off a full roster of activities for Little Witch, portrayed with light brown skin. Sporting a classic pointy hat, a bat-covered sweatshirt, and striped stockings, the protagonist eagerly moves through a long to-do list that includes “try to grow a wart hair,” “drink a green-slime shake,” and “bake a toadstool cake.” Even as the sun begins to set, the young witch stays busy: a moonlit broom ride above trick-or-treaters leads to a bedtime checklist featuring yoga, the conjuring of “sweet-dream magic,” and a requisite “cuddle with my mom.” Eagan’s smooth, round-edged renderings depict each activity with cartoon flair, and brightly lit domestic vignettes make the fanciful components of this enchanted “to-do list” feel as much like play as work. Ages 3–5. (July)