The Little House that Needed a Witch by Sophie Pluim

Deep in the forest sat a little house, empty and alone. The old witch who'd lived there had gone for good. The little house felt empty and alone.

The little house decided it needed a new witch. So, creaking and squeaking, it stood up! And went in search of a witch in need of a house.

When the witch who lived in a little house deep in the forest is gone, the house decides the obvious solution is to find itself a new witch.

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📚 Pre-Reading Thoughts

There's something immediately appealing about a premise where a house is the one taking action. Houses in children's stories are often places of safety, but they're usually passive. This little house has other ideas.

Also, any story that begins with a lonely, mobile house wandering through the forest looking for a purpose already has my attention.

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📖 Post-Reading

As I thought…

• This is a wonderfully gentle story. Even though it begins with loss, it never feels sad in a frightening or overwhelming way.
• The house itself is immediately lovable. Its determination to solve its own problem gives the story warmth and humour from the very first pages.
• The tone strikes a lovely balance between magical and matter-of-fact. A house deciding to stand up and go for a walk is treated as entirely reasonable, which somehow makes it feel even more magical.

It surprised me by...

• How comforting the story's view of change is. The old witch's departure is clearly significant, but the book focuses on what comes next rather than what has been lost.
• The reactions of the characters the house meets. Nobody seems especially alarmed that a house is wandering around the forest looking for a witch, which creates the delightful impression that this sort of thing happens all the time.
• The ending. I particularly loved that the new witch settles where the house originally stood rather than forcing the house to relocate permanently. It gives the story a lovely sense of continuity and belonging.

And perhaps my favourite detail of all is tucked into the artwork. The illustrations suggest that the old witch becomes a tree rather than simply dying and disappearing. As the seasons pass, the tree grows and flourishes, quietly remaining part of the landscape.

It's such a gentle, beautiful way of depicting the idea that someone can be gone and still remain part of the world around us.

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🌈 Vibe Check

• Colour Palette: moss green, mushroom brown, warm wood, autumn gold
• Season: all four seasons turning quietly through the forest
• Mood: comforting, whimsical, hopeful
• Scent: damp earth, fallen leaves, woodsmoke drifting through trees
• Setting: the sort of forest where magical things happen so regularly that nobody bothers to mention it

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👀 For fans of

• The House in the Cerulean Sea for its gentle kindness and found-family spirit
• stories where homes are just as important as the people who live in them
• cosy fantasy that feels like a warm blanket on a rainy afternoon

This is a story about endings, new beginnings, and finding where you belong—but wrapped in such warmth and gentleness that it never feels heavy. Just sweet, thoughtful, and quietly magical. The sort of picture book that lingers long after you've closed it.

The Little House that Needed a Witch publishes on the 15th of September, 2026. I am giving an honest review.