Witchlings

Best Books of 2022

Discover the books that made our 2022 list.

Disney's The Owl House meets Nevermoor, in a brilliant new adventure from New York Times bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches.

And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend. But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare

Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work. They're stuck as Witchlings — and will never be able to perform powerful magic.

Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever.

But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all...

With action-packed adventure, a coven of quirky witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega's signature humor, and girl-power vibes, you won't be able to put down this middle-grade Latine witch story, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Harry Potter.

"Energetic and intelligent; invites readers to question their assumptions and the status quo." Kirkus Reviews

"Centering three resourceful, sympathetic protagonists and considering issues of exploitation and privilege, Witchlings interweaves Spanish phrases, contemporary elements, and well-grounded magical worldbuilding." Publishers Weekly

"A gorgeous tale of determination and magic." Booklist

“Seven is a character who readers will want to root for, and her journey to befriend a stranger and understand her former bully brings authentic realism to this clever fantasy.” The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A magic-filled quest of friendship and power." School Library Journal

"Enchanting. Ortega's inventive story has a cozy, lived-in feel and a mystery that will keep kids guessing." Entertainment Weekly

“Magic, friendship, and humor — an enchanting read.” Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong series

“Inventive. Magical. Enchanting. An absolutely charming tale with its heart rooted in the friendships we make and keep.” J.C. Cervantes, bestselling author of The Storm Runner series

“Nonstop fun. Ortega's worldbuilding is charming….Witchlings heralds the importance of giving everyone a chance to shine.” Shelf Awareness

Claribel A. Ortega, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Squad and Witchlings, is a former reporter who writes middle grade and young adult fantasy inspired by her Dominican heritage. When she's not busy turning her obsession with eighties pop culture, magic, and video games into books, she's cohosting her podcasts Write or Die and Bad Author Book Club and helping authors navigate publishing with her consulting business, GIFGRRL. Claribel has been featured on BuzzFeed, NPR, Good Morning America, and Deadline.

You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @Claribel_Ortega and on her website at claribelortega.com.