Witches and cauldrons...isn't that Halloweeny? When I saw this one, I was immediately drawn to that sure-of-herself, small witch and the pink hearted steam with 'No' underlined. She definitely isn't giving me romantic love vibes...not in a picture book. So, I'm super curious to see what this little witch is up to.
Let's look inside and find out!
NO-LOVE POTION
by Christina Shawn
Illustrated by Merry Miller-Gass
The Little Press
Picture Book
36 pages
ages 4 to 8
A funny and heartfelt witch picture book about friendship, feelings, and the unexpected magic of love.
Bettina is not into Valentines. Or hearts. Or any of that ooey-gooey love-stuff.
She’s into serious magic.
With her cauldron bubbling and her ingredients lined up—bat wings, beard hair, and just the right amount of gloom—Bettina is brewing her most powerful spell yet: a No-Love Potion.
But when Ingredient #9 unexpectedly hops into her heart, everything changes. Suddenly, her potion doesn’t look—or feel—like what she planned. Could a little love be the most magical ingredient of all?
Full of humor, heart, and hocus-pocus, No-Love Potion is a whimsical picture book about discovering friendship and letting others in—even when you’re certain you don’t need them.
Perfect for fans of A Spoonful of Frogs and A Witchling’s Wish this enchanting children’s book is:
A playful Valentine’s Day picture book for kids who love magic
A charming Halloween story about witches and friendship
A timeless read-aloud for any season
MY TIDBITS
With nods towards Valentine's Day, this read visits the potion making skills of a spunky witch and twists the magic of forming friendships on its head.
Bettina is a witch. A real, potion-creating witch. One thing she really can't stand is lovey-dovey moments. So, she decides to create a no-love potion to keep these icky feelings far away. For everyone. Luckily, she's very good at what she does and has all the right ingredients. One after the other, she tosses them into her boiling cauldron, but then, a slimy addition with a sticky tongue causes issues.
This is a cute, enjoyable tale, which adds quite a bit of silliness and sweetness into the darker magic of potions creations. Actually, it's almost only adorable and fun, but the illustrations hold dim tones with enough shadows to let the black cauldron and its boiling brew come across with an eerie edge. Still, this cute witch is anything but creepy. As she tosses in her ingredients, the rhymes create read-aloud fun, while the scenes show each object with a touch of humor. When the frog gets involved, smiles and giggles are sure to come as it gives its best to stay alive. It's exactly that type of frog which is sure to win over a few listeners' hearts.
The message surrounding kindness and forming connections is loud and clear, and gives this read all sorts of warmth and goodness. It's fun to watch the witch go through the process of being sure of what she believes to be true, discovering something unexpected, and then, fighting with the possibility that she was wrong. All of this, of course, is slid under the lovely silliness and cute characters.
While the entire read brings a smile to the face, there was a small aspect that had me wondering—what about the grumpy warthog? Somehow, I feel sorry for him. But that's all I'm going to say, since this one is worth picking up and listeners should discover the rest themselves.
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