Seasonal literacy materials can be very motivational to get students engaged about different times of the year. During the Halloween season, here is an idea about books with good witches as the main characters to make it educationally appropriate and aligned to their student specific goals.
One of the most beloved witch stories for children is Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler. I included a link for a spiral bound book which is a little more expensive, but it is easier to work with to add textures and braille. National braille press has the book in braille.
In this classic Halloween tale, a kind witch and her cat fly on their broomstick through the night sky. Along the way, the wind blows away their hat, bow, and wand. Three animals find the witch’s things and ask for a ride on the broom. Will there be room for them all? The story unfolds with gentle humor and a heartwarming message about friendship and teamwork. This story lends itself very nicely to a literacy box.
Room on a broom literacy box
The witch’s kindness and the animals’ trust in her make the journey safe and fun, even when a hungry dragon shows up. It’s a short, accessible read that’s perfect for early readers, and its often classroom favorite to be read during the October season.
Materials
I had a cauldron that I am using for my container but usually I use the same plastic containers for each literacy box, so they stack nicely and are organized when not in use. Figures can be felt, stuffed animals, plastic figurines, finger puppets, or objects that represent each character.
- Container
- Witch
- Broom
- Wand
- Cat
- Bird
- Dog
- Frog
- Dragon
More witch story options for all ages
Two other great options are The Pomegranate Witch by Denise Doyen, which blends Halloween charm with playful wordplay, and A Very Witchy Spelling Bee by George Shannon, where a young witch uses her magic to turn words into fun and unexpected things. These tales show witches as friendly, imaginative characters who use their magic for good, making them ideal during the spooky time of the year.
If you are working with older students who read chapter books, I recommend going to the website Imagination Soup where she has recommendations for all ages. These include Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, illustrated by Emily Balistrieri. Available on BookShare and audio platforms.
Melissa Taylor wrote she was “a huge fan of the movie, I was so impressed at how true to the original story the movie was. This sweet witch book is about a 13-year-old half-witch named Kiki who leaves home for her year-long apprenticeship in a town. She flies with her cat, and they find a seaside town that needs a witch. There, Kiki settles above a bakery and uses her wits and magic to endear herself to the town as a helpful delivery girl. Lovely, lovely, lovely!”
How to make a clay witch ghost
I found Jane Sawyer’s witch ghost and decided to try it with students since it had a pattern, materials, step-by-step instructions, and looked super cute. This can be adapted to various age groups and if you have an OT on the team, I would invite them to help and provide strategies aligned to student specific goals. If this one seems too complicated there are others that may be a better fit.
For simpler ideas you can make a witch hat or ghost out of air drying clay with just a cookie cuter and put a hole in the top to make it an ornament.
References
