Hocus Pocus—the 1993 comedy starring the incomparable Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy—is a cultural masterpiece. There are a million reasons to love this cinematic romp through the world of the Sanderson sisters, three witches from 17th-century Salem who've been resurrected in the present day. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out now.

For a decidedly different take on witchy sisters, we turn to Alice Hoffman’s novel, Practical Magic; spectacularly brought to life on the big screen by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. A tale of two modern-day sisters who happen to be cursed-in-love witches … and who may or may not have killed a man, brought him back to life, only to kill him again. But what should they read in their downtime?

We're here to offer some book recommendations to the wild, wonderful characters of our favorite Halloween films—witches and non-witches alike.

Witch movie? https://t.co/nOKEdHbWO6

— NY Public Library (@nypl) October 23, 2019

Hocus Pocus

Winifred Sanderson

The eldest Sanderson sister has perfected the art of sassy sarcasm and, of course, magic. Her spells (and one-liners) are unmatched, she can shoot electricity from her fingertips, and she can raise the dead. But her vanity is her downfall. Winnie is obsessed with the notion of being young forever and will stop at nothing to achieve this. We have to admit, though, we admire her dedication to her most faithful companion: her spellbook.

Winnie would certainly appreciate The Eldest Daughter Effect by Lisette Schuitemaker & Wies Enthoven. The subtitle is "How Firstborn Women—like Oprah Winfrey, Sheryl Sandberg, JK Rowling, and Beyoncé—harness their strengths," so she'd be in appropriately excellent company.

Sarah Sanderson

Sarah is everyone’s favorite flirt. She’s a bit dimwitted and naive, but she’s loyal to her sisters, even if her antics sometimes infuriate Winnie. Sarah may be ditzy, she should not be underestimated; her siren-like singing voice is supernaturally powerful and can hypnotize those who hear it.

We'd love to see Sarah check out How to Hang a Witch, the 2016 YA novel by Adriana Mather, a descendant of Cotton Mather himself. It's a great book about the hidden power of a group (or a coven) of young women, and it's total escapism—think ghost love story—that might ease her stress just a bit. 

Mary Sanderson

The quirkiest of the Sanderson sisters, Mary is a classic middle child who always tries to be on the good side of her older sister Winnie. Mary is also the mediator of the group, trying to ease conflict and proposing ideas like calming circles to negate stress. Unrelated, Mary can also smell children. Although her power might not seem useful on the surface, it's essential if you just so happen to be a witch who literally consumes youth. 

I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution, a new collection of essays by TV critic Emily Nussbaum, might speak to Mary's TV obsession—and help her catch up on some of the shows she's missed in the last several hundred years. Plus, the book starts with an essay about Buffy the Vampire Slayer...who's maybe not a witch exactly, but who might inspire Mary nonetheless.

Dani Dennison

Dani is an eight-year-old spitfire who's a protector at heart—brave, stubborn, good-hearted, and loyal to her family and friends. Where would her big brother be without her?

We'd like to see Dani realize she's in good company! How about two books about inspiring women: Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World by Vashti Harrison and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women by Elena Favilli.

Max Dennison

Poor Max. He never even wanted to come to Salem in the first place and now he's stuck in this giant mess. Getting attacked by immortal cats, resurrecting vengeful witches, sacrificing his life force...and thank Bette Midler for all of it, because we wouldn't have a movie without him. 

In the Brooklyn Brujas series by Zoraida Cordova, Max might find a kindred soul in Alex, another protagonist dragged reluctantly into a witchy ruckus thanks to his family. Plus, Max might pick up some relationship tips from these books along the way.

Allison Watts

Allison is Salem’s resident Halloween-lover. She's kind, and she quickly becomes protective of Dani during their adventure. Her nerdy interest in the supernatural pays off; because she's so invested in and knowledgeable about the history of the Sanderson sisters, she plays an integral role in helping to outsmart them.

History-loving Allison definitely needs to check out The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff, a quintessential account of the Salem Witch Trials. She'd get plenty of dirt on the real historical events to help inform her current witch-catching endeavors.

Thackery Binx

If you were a kid who'd been turned into an immortal cat three centuries ago, you might turn vengeful, or at least a little grouchy. Not Thackery. He's still sassy, funny, loyal to his family, and determined to live in service of protecting others with no expectation of gratitude. Best brother (and black cat) ever.

We suggest Manfried the Man and Manfried Saves the Day, graphic novels by Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow. It's about—you guessed it—cats, but these cats aren't mere cats. They're living their best lives in a world where cats have jobs, romantic lives, and everything their human counterparts usually get. Plus a bonus rec: If Thackery can get his paws on an e-reader, he should also check out How to Tell if Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You.

Practical Magic

Sally Owens

Sally believes she's overcome the multi-generational family curse that aims to kill any man who catches the eye of an Owens woman. But after her first husband dies in a car crash, Sally comes face to face with a wall of grief. For this situation, wise words from Joan Didion, particularly via Blue Nights or The Year of Magical Thinking, might offer Sally comfort as Didion outlines her own experiences of heartbreak and mourning. 

Gillian Owens

To gather some personal strength, the wild-child sister with an appetite for unsavory men might need to tap into something more ancient than her 16th-century comrades. Enter Circe by Madeline Miller. This witch gets a favorable and powerful retelling, cracking the complicated woman trope wide open. Afterward, the sisters can bookclub (yes, in verb form) The Amazons by Adrienne Mayor to learn the incredible realities behind the myths.

Need more witchy books in time for Halloween? Check out more recommendations for witchy YA reads, spooky books for kids or adults, and our children's librarians' favorite Halloween books.

---

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!