Hauntings and hexes by Aleesah Darlison

Little Witch series, book 2. Big Sky Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925520576
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Hauntings and hexes is book 2 in the Little witch series and starts where the first book left off. The holidays are over and our 'little witch' is about to start at her new school. She has been practising her magic, with some success and many failures, over the holidays but Courtney Little is not ready for school to start. Courtney's first days at school don't go as well as expected. She might have tried to stay out of everyone's way but her spell to avoid holding a rat caused utter chaos. When a benevolent spirit is released, it is up to Courtney to remember the spell to make the town safe again. It is a huge challenge for the young witch but thanks to the spirit of her grandmother and her new friends, Courtney will give it a try. She is the only chance the town has.
Hauntings and hexes is a magical themed story with themes of friendship and doing the right thing. With Courtney starting high school, it would be expected that the story is aimed at older children but the vocabulary is aimed at independent readers aged 10+ and the themes are consistent with this age group despite an evil witch determined to punish the town. The vocabulary is easy to read as well as descriptive. The story moves quickly and readers will connect with Courtney as she is just like any girl with any issues - she has to be independent, she has to step up and she has to solve her problems. This book is highly recommended for girls aged 10+.
Kylie Kempster