The Ink Witch

For fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and The Okay Witch comes a hilarious and affirming cozy fantasy about the adventures of a girl who discovers she is the descendant of a powerful witch coven.

Becca Slugg is bored. It's the tail end of summer, and it feels like she's done nothing but run errands for her family's Cape Disappointment Beach Inn,
argue with her frustratingly overprotective mother, and have one-sided conversations with the giant spider living by the dumpsters out back.

When Becca wishes for something to happen, she doesn't expect her wish to manifest in the form of an unwelcome visit from her mom's sinister and estranged sister, Malatrice. It turns out Becca's aunt is a powerful witch--and when she doesn't get the help she wants from Becca's mom, she unleashes a devastating ink spell. Becca is left with a mindless puppet for a mother and a whole lot of questions--like Can I castspells with the ink in my veins, too?

With the help of Natalya, her mother's tarantula familiar, and Oddvar, a friendly troll living in the motel's ice machine, a distraught but determined Becca sets out to uncover her own magical abilities and find the ingredients for a potion that will cure her mother. Besides, how hard can it be to find mermaid eggs, troll teeth, and the most precious possession of a Witch-Queen?

This magical adventure is equal parts hilarious and exhilarating, with a sassy, talking tarantula being just the tip of the iceberg.

Author: Steph Cherrywell
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 09/16/2025
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 7.70h x 5.30w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780316585941
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2025
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2025
Publishers Weekly 09/15/2025

About the Author
Steph Cherrywell is an author and librarian in the Milwaukee area. Their previous works include the science fiction middle grade Unboxing Libby and several graphic novels and games for older audiences. Steph's favorite things are books, comics, video games, biking, and exploring. They're not a witch, but they do play one named Radish in their weekly D&D game.