Kara LaReau does a strong start in the Witchycakes series, it had that element that I wanted and was hooked from the first page. It had a engaging world that worked with everything that I was looking for. The characters were wonderfully written and worked well in this world, I am excited to read more from Kara LaReau and am excited for more in this series.

this is a super cute children’s book that follows blue, a witch in training who learns some important lessons about their magic and life. it was kind of reminiscent of kiki’s delivery service (more so the book, but also the movie) in that sense, which is probably my favourite ghibli movie of all time <3

i looved that the mc of a children’s book used they/them pronouns, and there were also visibly queer adults. the art style is really cute and the messages conveyed in the story are valuable for children. overall, i really liked this! would recommend to anyone looking to read a cute little book about magic and witches and yummy-sounding baked goods with their little kids while instilling in them a sense of self-confidence. also i really want a raspberry sandbar now, points off for making me crave something i cannot have :( it does have a recipe for a “beach crumble” at the end though which i might give a try to!

thank you to the publisher random house books for young readers and netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This sweet, charming book is sure to delight early elementary readers. Witchycakes delivers funny animal sidekicks, magical shenanigans, delicious baked goods, and an eager main character. 🌊🐚🧁✨️

The charming magical elements and ocean-themed setting made this really fun to read. I loved Blue, our main character who is a witch-in-training and always eager to help.

The illustrations made me want to fall right into Shellville! The color palette was perfect. I wish I could set up my own little beachy shop and meet all the neighbors.

Plus, I really appreciated the representation of a single parent, a gay couple, characters of all races, and a main character who uses they/them pronouns. Recommend!

Witchycakes #1: Sweet Magic written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Ariane Moreira is a children's picture book for kids between the ages of six and nine with an expected publication date of August 5, 2025. The story is about a magical bakery and a kid named Blue who delivers the baked goods to businesses around town, and they like to help people out. What adventures does Blue help out with?

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for providing me with a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. I loved the synopsis of this book, and I love most anything that involves witches.

This is a super cute picture book about a child named Blue that uses the pronouns of they/their. They like to help out people by practicing magic that they've learned. When the magic doesn't always go according to plan, Blue must find other ways to help out.

Children will enjoy this heartwarming story. A recipe is included at the end of the book, and parents can help their kids make the dessert. It's a perfect way for parents to have a discussion about something that may not have gone their children's way and other ways to fix it.

There were times that I did find some of the transitions a little clunky, but other than that, I found it to be an endearing and fun story. Additionally , the illustrations are beautiful. Four out of five stars.

This book was refreshing and lovely to read. The illustrations are gorgeous and full of detail- I especially loved the nod to Kiki's Delivery Service in one of the spreads. The through-line of the book holds up with each story, but they can also be read spread apart without losing anything, something I find helpful for early chapter books like this one. I personally love witchy stories and this one is super cozy and cute for grown ups to read alongside a child. I think kids will also enjoy the story and Blue's attempts to hone their magic. The use of they/them pronouns for our main character is never made a big deal of or overly explained, which I found refreshing as a reader.

the artwork is darling and the premise is super cute. I couldn't get over the fact that Blue was nonbinary. I did not understand it and when I read it with my daughter, who is ten, she did not understand it either and I was not prepared for that conversation. I know some may view themselves as such, but there should be a way to make parents aware so that they can choose for their family. Blue using pronouns did not serve the story in any way and maybe some background or insight to it would have made it make sense, otherwise, it just felt out of place. I liked the recipe at the end,

This was such a sweet kids chapter book with beautiful illustrations on every page making it easy and more enjoyable for kids to read and give them a visual too. This is perfect for kids who are wanting a step up from picture books but not quite ready for chapter books, plus it had a delicious recipe in the end that your kids will love to try with you! Literally planning to make it this summer because it looks and sounds delicious.

Witchycakes is a very cute early chapter book. It is just a few chapters long, with lots of illustrations. Its a very lovely, cozy little story about Blue, a young witch in training, who delivers food from her mom's bakery to the surrounding town. Blue tries to help out wherever she goes, and usually messes up. But she always tries again and with hard work and friendship, gets the job done.

Witchycakes is an adorable children’s story that follows Blue, the main character on their adventures delivering baked goods from their and Mama Moons bakery while helping out the people they are delivering to.

I loved this book, the story is good and the art is beautiful, the book even managed to touch on the sensitive subject of losing a loved one.

I am curious if the writer took inspiration from Kiki’s delivery service as this book reminds me a lot of that only for a much younger audience .

I will be recommending this book to everyone I know that has kids.

Thank you Netgalley Random House Children's | Random House Books for Young Readers for the arc

This is a cute series about a young witch trying to find where she fits in and figuring out her magic. I think that young girls will really like this series. I also really liked the color palette of the illustrations.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

I was totally enchanted by the soft, inviting illustrations that bring Shellville to life in this new early reader series. Blue may not have perfected their magic skills yet, but they have a lot of heart and imagination, which allows them to do more than just deliver baked goods around town--they're also happy to lend a helping hand wherever it's needed. Super sweet, community-oriented--perfect for future readers of cozy fantasy.

This is such a cute story! I read this with my little cousin since it's for a younger audience, and she loved it. The artwork inside was absolutely adorable and there was even a recipe at the end that you can try. I just think this book needs more promo because it has the potential to be popular amongst the little age audience.

OMG! Witchycakes is SO cute! This is a really fun early chapter book with gorgeous full-color illustrations on every page. The protagonist, Blue, is training to be a witch and helping out their mom at her bakery. I loved all of the fun witchy baking! This one would definitely enchant young readers, and I loved it as an adult!

Thanks to NetGalley, Kara LaReau, and Random House Children's for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own!

Blue (they/them) is a witch in training. They work for their mother delivering magical baked goods throughout Shellville. This story follows Blue and their seagull familiar, Gully, around town during a day of delivering treats. As the day progresses, the two run into various townsfolk who need help. Though Blue is still learning to get the hang of magic, they have something just as special to help solve their neighbor's problems: friendship and imagination.

This is a cute early chapter book with diverse characters, charming illustrations, and many cute animal friends. Recommended for readers of books like Zoey and Sassafras, Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue, or Heidi Heckelbeck.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun kids book. This is full of magic and whimsy. This will be a great read for kids.

Blue, a non-binary child, is an apprentice witch. They works with their mother in a magic bakery, by doing the deliveries. They ride all over town with their familiar, a sea gull, and drop off orders. Each place they drop off orders has a different situation going on, that they think magic can fix.


And while magic does appear to be the right answer, it fails each time, and Blue has to think of how else to solve the problem. A missing hamster, a mourning store manager, and an overworked mother are all some of the problems they encounter.


I like how Blue figured out how to solve problems without magic, just as a child reading the book might do. By helping the mother, and getting her kids to join in, for example.


This is the first in a series, there is at least one other book on the way, so this is not the last we have seen of Blue. It is full of colorful illustrations, and cute situations that kids can relate to.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 5th of August 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Witchycakes.

“In a village by the sea live a witch and witch-to-be. Life is sweet and never dull, and it’s always, always magical.”

Blue is a witch-in-training that uses their magic to help the townsfolk. When Blue’s magic doesn’t work or malfunctions, they use kindness, hard work, and problem solving! This is a beautiful children’s book that is inclusive of queer and non-binary characters. I love that Blue uses they/them pronouns. Highly recommend and I cannot wait for the other editions to come out! 5 stars

This is a cute story about a young witch learning to use their powers. Their mom owns a bakery and they spend the day delivering orders around their cute little beach town. During the day, they try to use magic to help the people they come across, but when the magic didn't work the way they intended, they learned that sometimes it is better to help people without magic. It was a heartwarming tale. My daughter loved the book! A couple things to be aware of for younger readers: there's a storyline of a child keeping a secret from his parents and there is some discussion about loss. Overall, highly recommend.

This was so adorable. I love the small coastal town vibes, the relationship between the people in town, and the mother-child relationship. The artwork is so cute. The art and story have such a cozy aesthetic. This is a great book for readers starting on chapter books. Those that enjoy wholesome magical tales will likely enjoy this one.