The Witching Hour

(illus. Adelina Lirius; Tundra / Penguin Random House, June 2025)

In the witching hour between dinner and bedtime, anything can happen: laughter, tears, fun screaming, not-fun screaming . . . parents, siblings, pets and neighbors are all familiar with this dreaded time of day. What happens when that cranky baby is part of a family of witches? Turns out, it's pretty much the same, except sometimes the toys levitate and the soothing songs sound a little different ... The Witching Hour is a spare, slyly funny and deeply familiar slice-of-life story featuring a fussy little witch and their increasingly desperate family.

🏆 American Library Association 2026 selection, “Rainbow Book List”

🏆 Telling Tales 2025 Reading List selection

“Jennifer Harris and Adelina Lirius have captured the [witching hour] phenomenon so perfectly in their new picture book that you and your children will be under their spell.”
— Imaginary Elevators

“[A] very sweet story about family coming together to help the youngest settle down. . . . Surprisingly, Jennifer Harris never makes the story ridiculous or uproariously funny. She keeps it charming and familial and affectionate. Any parent or older sibling will understand and feel for this family at this witching hour.”
— CanLit for LittleCanadians

“A bewitching bedtime story sure to charm the whole family.”
— Kirkus Reviews

“A spot-on rendering of the magical lengths families will go to soothe a cranky witchling.”
— Brunhilda Stormweary, The Witchling Sleep Solution

“They try everything! Broomsticks! Conjuring! Everything except my patented frog’s eye potion, which can be ordered directly through my cat, Ms. Saucytail.”
— Dr. Spider, author of Dr. Spider’s Witchling Basics

“Non-magic parents sorely lack our advantages—how do they manage?”
— Hepzibah Newton, Advice and Spells for the New Witch Parent

🛒 Find it at your favourite local bookstore, or order from Indigo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online booksellers.