The book is a children’s picture book about a little girl in witch school, or living with witches. But she is not a witch, or she doesn’t look like one, but she is pretending. Every day she puts on her robe and hat, and also a fake witch’s nose to hide her small nose. The book had line drawing illustrations (black and white), and at least one involved spiders and her bed. The girl was swept away by a real witch on Halloween, having been mistaken for a real witch girl, and finds herself at this school quite by mistake. I’m afraid this is quite a stumper, as I have only the fuzziest recollections of the book, but would know the illustrations instantly. I have looked and looked, and can’t find it!
The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes, maybe?
Little Witch by Anna Elizabeth Bennett?
Maybe Anna Bennett’s Little Witch?
Maybe Lulu Goes to Witch School, by O’Connor? It’s not a picture book, but an Early Reader, with lots of pictures. (It’s recently been reillustrated, so look for the earlier illustrations.)
Or maybe The Resident Witch, by Marian Place?
I know I read this book too. There are elements that sound like The Witch Family and Little Witch mentioned in earlier comments (and also The Little Leftover Witch, by Laughlin) but none of those sound exactly right. And they’re not picture books.
Another possibility The Little Broomstick, by Mary Stewart. Another chapter book, but there are line drawings sprinkled in the text, and there is a part where the girl tries to disguise herself as a witch in the middle of witches.
This is the original poster: Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback! I have looked at these, and none of them is quite right. I suspect Kelly W has the same hazy recollection I do. It was definitely a picture book. Thank you all again for your attempts to help! If anyone has further thoughts, I’d be most grateful.
This one sounds familiar to me too. I read as many “witchy” stories I could as a kid. Not the Dorrie Witch series is it? Although I don’t know that I recall a school in that series…
Could be Weeny Witch by Ida DeLage or Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian
How about Which is the Witch? by W.K. Jasner?
A tantalizing question, that–though Jasner (pseudonym, the book notes, for Jane Werner Watson) doesn’t get to the switch between Jenny, in Halloween witch garb, and real little witch Peckity Hecate until page 14, and then doesn’t give it much snap. Practical brother Nick has been scoffing at Jenny’s liking for “”witchy things,”” so it’s understandable that she succumbs to Peckity Hecate’s blandishments (“”Let’s have some fun. Let’s trade places””) and relinquishes her treat sack and prop-broom for the little witch’s “”real”” broomstick. But once transported to the mountaintop haunt of the old-hag witches, she shudders at their demands for toads and bats’ wings; and then is exposed–“”What are you–a real little girl?””–when the resident black cat raises its back and hisses. Peckity Hecate, meanwhile, is doing some shuddering too–every time Dad (“”Come on in, dumpling””) pats her on the back; and the jig is up for her when it’s suggested she take off her mask. An original situation, illustrated with passable Charles-Addams puckishness–which helps offset the somewhat uninventive development.
Oh. My. GOD!!! You just solved a mystery I’ve been team I got down for years!!! I thought I was going crazy! I knew when I was a kid I loved a library book about a little girl who switches places with a real witch, but I could not remember the title. This has been bugging me for so long…thank you!!’
It sounds like one of Mary Stewart’s books.
I have a lot of suggestions for this for some reason. How about Wickedishrag by Eugenie?
Gwendel was a very naughty Princess whose favorite game was playing witch and frightening people. Then, one Halloween, a real witch comes and carries her off to the Wicked Witches Kingdom.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had completely given up finding this book, but Celeste NAILED IT. Wickedishrag!
Thank you!
Yay! I’m glad you found it.
I looked at the cover online, and I remember it too. Now. 🙂