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WORK TITLE: The Invisible Wild
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WEBSITE: https://www.nikkivandecar.com/
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COUNTRY: United States
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PERSONAL
Born in Hawaii.
ADDRESS
CAREER
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July 1, 2021, Kathleen McBroom, review of The Junior Astrologer’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More, pp. 65+; November 1, 2023, Kathleen McBroom, review of The Young Witch’s Guide to Living Magically: Potions, Lotions, Rituals, and Spells for Kids, p. 60; April, 2025, Allie Stevens, review of The Invisible Wild, p. 104.
Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2025, review of The Invisible Wild.
Library Journal, August, 2023, Janet Tapper, review of Shadow Magic: Unlocking the Whole Witch Within, p. 98.
Publishers Weekly, June 5, 2023, review of Shadow Magic, pp. 74+; January 15, 2024, review of Forest Magic: Rituals and Spells for Green Witchcraft, p. 72.
ONLINE
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/ (June 20, 2025), Deborah Kalb, author interview.
DSavannah Rambles, https://dsavannah.com/ (October 6, 2012), author interview.
Nikki Van De Car website, https://www.nikkivandecar.com/ (November 12, 2025).
PaganPagesOrg, https://paganpages.org/ (January 1, 2019), author interview.
RP Mystic, https://www.rpmystic.com/ (October 6, 2012), author interview.
Nikki is the author of over a dozen books on magic and crafting, including the bestselling Practical Magic and The Junior Witch’s Handbook
She is an indigenous creator, focusing on exploring the ways in which story (mo‘olelo) inform how we understand the world and ourselves
She is a mother and a writer, and has helped hundreds of people share their own stories
She is a woman in search of magic, in the crunch of leaves and the scratch of a pencil, the brush of lips on a temple and the sound of voices raised in song
I’m a creator.
I write books about magic (see above!), I spin and knit and other forms of thread magic, and I also write novels about love, family, identity, and (you guessed it) magic.
’m kānaka maoli.
I grew up on the Big Island of Hawai‘i and I live here now with my family. I struggle with my Hawaiian identity sometimes - it’s something I didn’t really feel able to embrace when I was growing up because I never seemed or felt “Hawaiian enough.” I know this is something a lot of people can relate to - feeling distanced from your own culture - and I’m working to decolonize myself and learn more about what it means to be Hawaiian.
Book Review & Interview – Practical Magic, a Beginner’s Guide to Crystals, Horoscopes, Psychics & Spells by Nikki Van De Car
January 1, 2019
Book Review & Interview
Practical Magic
A Beginner’s Guide to Crystals, Horoscopes, Psychics & Spells
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the beautiful book “Practical Magic”, written by Nikki Van De Car and illustrated by Katie Vernon. This book was published by Running Press Philadelphia, in 2017. It’s a beginner’s guide to all things magical. It’s 152 pages long and is a hard back book. There is an optional kit that accompanies this book, that comes with a mini-book, 2 crystal tumbles, temporary tattoos, and a fold out natal chart. Both the book and kit are available through many retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Nobles. The book is also available for kindle. I was able to dig into both the book and the awesome kit, so read on to hear my opinions.
First off, both the book and kit are so beautiful! I love hardback books, and even more so if they have a gorgeous cover with an appealing title and artwork. The artwork throughout this book is very lovely.
This book is an amazing book for anyone new to magic or metaphysical topics, as it covers many, many topics and gives a nice overview of the subjects to get you started. In the introduction of the book, Nikki says it perfectly:
“Here’s the thing-you don’t have to believe in magic to enjoy this book. You just have to want to.”
I LOVE that!
This book has 3 parts, (1) Healing for Hedge Witches, (2) Magic for the Weekend Wiccan, and (3) Casual Clairvoyance.
There is information on so many topics, here are some (there are many more), auras, palm reading, tarot, crystals, sabbats, horoscopes/astrology, dream interpretation, herbs, chakras, and some recipes and spells too. It’s chock full of subjects I personally am very interested in, and I know most of my friends would be as well.
The book is geared toward beginners to magic, but as someone that’s been involved in magic for a long time, I still found the book educational and fun to read. Some topics I’m more familiar with than others, but each chapter I got something out of. I think anyone would enjoy this book very much.
Their is a very nice kit that you can get to accompany the book. In the kit you get an adorable mini book, a gemmy rose quartz tumble, a gorgeous tigers eye tumble, metallic & horoscope temporary tattoos and a fold out natal chart you can fill in with your birth info. There are sections in the book that will teach you about both the crystals and how to fill out the natal chart.
I love this kit, it ties in with the book perfectly and is such a fun addition! If you know me at all, you know I LOVE crystals, so I was thrilled two beautiful ones were included!
Including the natal chart was a great idea and very helpful for those new to astrology. And I’m also a big fan of metallic flash tattoos, so love that this fun element was included. The kit is also a great price for all that’s packed in.
I thoroughly enjoyed both this book and the kit. This would make a perfect gift for someone interested in all things magical. Its also available through many sites and at a fair cost. I highly recommend this book and kit!
Nikki was so kind… as to answer some questions I had for her. Here are my questions and her responses.
Retha: What inspired you to write this book?
Nikki: I just love magic. I always have- I was the kid that talked to trees, hoping a dryad would answer. As I got older, I let all of that go, but writing this book gave me the freedom to get close to that feeling again. It gave me permission to be open to that kind of wonder- and that’s what I wanted to share.
Retha: What is one thing you hope readers learn from your book?
Nikki: I want people to recognize the power of their own will. Over and over again in the book I say ‘magic is about intention’. And so it doesn’t matter how you want to channel your intention, your will, your magic- whether its through chakras or dreams or herbal remedies. What matters is how you live your life in that sense of personal power and possibility.
Retha: What made you decide to include a kit to go along with your book?
Nikki: This was my publishers idea! Its a fantastic addition, and I just love it.
Retha: Who is your target demographic with this book?
Nikki: It’s pretty feminine, so for sure women. I’m in my late 30s and I would 10/10 buy this book, so for sure I’m part of that target demographic! But I feel like there’s an insurgency of a younger generation of Wicca-curious millenials, and I hope this book can support them.
Retha: How long have you been interested in magical practices?
Nikki: After I grew up and got all adulty, I let go of magic for a long time. It was only within the past 5 years or so that I began to reconnect with my love of magic- when I sort of re-met that part of myself, and I found I still really like her! Once I gave myself permission to explore magic again, I started incorporating rituals, spells, herbal healing, and the like into my daily life.
Retha: What is your favorite section in the book?
Nikki: Personally, I turn to the herbal healing section ALL THE TIME. It’s the most practical. But I loved writing the section on pagan holidays, and those have become a large part of life. I love ritual and holidays, and having explored the meanings of these celebrations, I have found I really wanted to make them a part of my family’s life.
Retha: Are you planning on writing more books on magical/metaphysical content?
Nikki: Yes! In fact I have 2 more on the way! “Magical Places” is coming out in 2019 and “Wellness Witch” will follow shortly thereafter! “Magical Places” explores the haunted, healing and fairy-occupied places of the world, and “Wellness Witch” expands on some of the healing practices in “Practical Magic” with specific recipes and rituals.
You can reach Nikki Van De Car through –
Instagram: @nikkivandecar
Website: nikkivandecar.com
I hope you enjoyed both my review and my interview with the lovely Nikki, and hope you will check out her website and book!! A huge thank you to Nikki for answering my questions & sending me her book to review and enjoy!
A Junior Witch Special: Emma Mildon Interviews Nikki Van De Car
Photo of Nikki Van De Car. Nikki is leaning against a wall with her head turned to the camera. She is smiling.
Author Nikki Van De Car
Mystical powerhouse Nikki Van De Car is expanding her magical offerings for young witches! Her bestselling title The Junior Witch’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to White Magic, Spells, and Rituals introduced kids to the world of magic with sections on spells, rituals, potions, and illustrated tables on everything from crystals and chakras to herbs. Now, she’s taken inspiration from this first book to create two new amazing offerings: a grimoire and a spell deck for junior witches!
Photo of “Crafting Magic” standing among a few crystals and flowers, in front of a gold marble background
Photo of “The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck” laid above face-up cards from the deck
Crafting Magic: A Junior Witch’s Grimoire is an interactive spell book that will teach young witches how to hone their craft. It’s the perfect place for a budding witch to write down spells, rituals, and meditations, and to work to develop their spellcasting. The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck: 50 Spells, Rituals, Meditations, and More! is a magical 50-card deck full of spells, rituals, activities, and meditations for friendship, family, school, and more.
Here, leading mystical author Emma Mildon interviews Nikki about this new step in her writing, and all of the magic she has in store for kids this year!
Q&A
An illustration from “Crafting Magic” showing two girls holidng a large cup of tea between them.
Emma Mildon: Both Crafting Magic and The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck are based on your first kid’s title, The Junior Witch’s Handbook which is a beautiful introduction to white magic. What’s your best tip for kids starting on this journey?
Nikki Van De Car: One thing we all start off with as children, and then slowly lose as we grow into adulthood, is a sense that anything is possible. I wrote these books to serve as guidance for young witches, to kind of launch them into exploring their own magic—but the last thing I want is for them to think that this is all that there is! My best advice is to hang on to that sense of imagination and discovery, and see where it brings you!
A Spell Record page from “Crafting Magic,” showing spaces to write in: Name of Spell; Date/Time/Place; Intention of Spell; Materials Required; Incantation
EM: Why did it feel important to you to make a grimoire for kids? Did you have a spell book when you were a kid?
NVDC: I had a number of journals and scraps of paper…usually that I’d dyed with tea and rubbed with dirt and burned the edges with a candle, but I didn’t have anything formal that could offer me any sort of guidance. I had to find my own way. And of course there’s nothing wrong with that—I pulled ideas from fiction and the stories I read, but I also didn’t necessarily have a sense that what I was doing was in any way real, or genuinely powerful, or that it could have any sort of impact on my life.
The adults around me all thought it was great and imaginative, but they figured I was just playing, which of course I was, but I also was truly working magic, even though I didn’t know it. Because magic is really so much simpler than we think it is, and when we’re comparing it with what we read in novels, expecting sparks to fly out of wands or something like that, it can feel like we’re not doing anything even when we are.
We are working powerful magic through our intentions, our dreams and hopes and the good that we put out into the world. And I suppose I wanted to create something concrete to show kids that, in a way that I didn’t understand when I was young.
The Spell to Invite Creativity card from “The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck”
EM: As a mystic mother, what was an important part of magic for you that you also taught your children to harness?
NVDC: It’s that magic sometimes takes time. One of my favorite stories ever about my kid involves a television show, of all things. We both really adored “Good Omens”—It’s a sweet, cozy hug of a show about an angel and a demon who absolutely love each other, and it was supposed to be only one season. The season finished, it was incredible, that was it. But my kid was certain there was more to it, even though the creator, Neil Gaiman, and the stars—everybody said, No, that’s it, it’s just the one season. And for two years, my kid made the same wish every chance they could, using every lost eyelash, every dandelion clock, every shooting star, asking for another season of “Good Omens,” just because they loved it so much.
They were at school when I read online that this “one season only” series was going to be renewed. I just about fell over, and I called them even though they weren’t supposed to use their phone, because I honestly couldn’t believe it. It’s such a small thing, in some ways—and yet it taught them so much about the power of patience and dedication and also about sticking to what you want, even when it seems like it’s not likely to work out.
The Connection Ritual card from “The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck”
EM: What’s currently on your altar?
NVDC: Along with my usual representations of the elements, I’ve added a couple of pictures of my best friend—one with her and my kid, and one of the two of us. She’s having a tough year, and I just want to keep her present. I also rotate the art on my altar fairly often. My kid is an incredible artist and did a multimedia piece of dancing goblins that I keep up there to remind me that living in the darkness can also be joyful and creative (I had a book come out recently called Shadow Magic, and this plays into that).
There’s also a wonderful tapestry of a unicorn, woven in the 1500s, that I loved when I was a kid, and when I was at ComicCon this past year, I bought a print of it, only the unicorn was replaced with the forest spirit from “Princess Mononoke.” I guess I keep that one to remind me that magic has always been present in cultures around the world, and it always will be, in one form or another, shifting and blending.
The Meditation for Compassion card from “The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck”
EM: Top 3 must-knows for a kid witch and mini mystic?
NVDC:
1. You are more powerful than you realize.
2. Let your own creativity guide you! There aren’t any rules here, and you are your own best resource when it comes to your magic.
3. You don’t need stuff to make magic. A blade of grass, a piece of string, a whisper, even just a thought—are all you truly need.
The DIY Diffuser card from “The Junior Witch’s Spell Deck”
EM: Any magic brewing for 2024?
NVDC: Yes! I have a new adult book coming out in April called Forest Magic, which is all about inviting the wilderness back into your life! I’m currently at work on a somewhat different project for me, a compendium of fairies from around the world, as they’ve been depicted in art and story, and the ways in which culture influences folklore, and vice-versa. And then I’m so excited to have my first young adult novel come out in 2025—it’s called The Skin of the Ocean, and it’s heavily based on my experiences growing up in Hawai’i.
The Questions with Nikki Van De Car: writer & skittles fan
Posted on October 6, 2012 by dSavannah
Nikki Van De Car's One WeekNikki Van De Car (and yes, that is her real name) is another author who I don’t know personally. I do know her book marketing manager, Christina Esdon, who apparently had so much fun answering The Questions that she decided Nikki should as well.
Nikki didn’t include this in her bio, but turns out she’s written another book too: What to Knit When You’re Expecting. It has 30 projects, from more difficult (first trimester) to easy (last trimester). It sounds adorable, even though I can’t knit. (I crochet. I tried to learn to knit, but I can only handle one needle at a time.)
Interestingly enough, Nikki is the second author to provide the question number from my list with her answers. (Usually I have to add them when I prepare the post.)
Read on:
The Questions
7. What was the name of your first pet and what was it?
I had a cat that I named Euschalina. At least I think that was how it was spelled. I was going through a very, um, creative phase. And to her credit, Euschalina was a sweet little kitty who let me dress her up and dunk her in buckets of water and everything, despite being saddled with such a horrible name.
(dSavannah note: My first cats had the monikers Snowpuff and Twinkle. Not quite as creative. Also, they didn’t allow me to do any of the above. My current cats don’t either, for that matter.)
18. Your work space: neat or messy?
Okay, it’s neat for me though the casual observer may not think so. Other people don’t know that the pile of papers there is in a very specific order, and that the torn scrap of paper with something illegible scribbled on it is really very important to me.
22. Would you rather be lost in the forest, the desert, the ocean, or deep space?
The forest. I have this fantasy of being able to put together a whole wonderful world, à la The Swiss Family Robinson. You know how on Lost, there were all these other people that were on the plane but we never saw them because they were totally useless? I’m convinced I’d have been one of the cool kids.
28. Lara Croft or Wonder Woman? Why?
Normally I’d have to say Lara Croft, because I think it’s important to side with people of your own species, but I feel for Wonder Woman. She’s totally lost, she doesn’t have Superman’s confidence at all, and she’s helping out the world despite her complete lack of understanding of what’s happening in it. She’s just that nice.
29. You have 24 hours left to live. How will you spend it?
I would spend exactly 2 hours saying goodbye over the phone to the people who matter the most, and then I’d take my daughter and my husband, and I would play outside and eat the best food ever and laugh and run and hug.
29a. Turns out you heard the doctor wrong: you actually have 24 years left. How will you spend it?
All of the above, only I’d probably sleep some.
3. If you could trade places with anyone for a week, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I think I would like to be somebody nameless—nobody famous, but doing something really important. Like a medic in WWII, or the guys that got Apollo 13 down safely, or freed the Chilean miners. Somebody competent who works hard in an intense situation and feels that completely deserved sense of pride. I’d like to feel that—and then have it be over in a week because I know I’m not really capable of that kind of greatness.
(dSavannah note: I love this answer. The people we know nothing about did things that helped make famous people who they are/were.)
11. What three items will always be found in your refrigerator?
There will always be apples. There will always be soy milk, because I can’t have cereal with regular milk (I don’t know why. Just one day that happened. It’s not like I’m lactose intolerant or anything). There will always be sriracha. I would include beer, but I tend to finish the last bottle and forget to replenish.
(dSavannah note: Not being a fan of hot sauces, I had to look up ‘sriracha’. Just reading about it made my mouth feel like it’s on fire.)
About Nikki:
Nikki Van De CarNikki Van De Car was born in Hawaii and currently lives in New Jersey. She is addicted to Skittles. She writes Young Adult novels. That is, she’s written one Young Adult novel. She’d like to write more.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Q&A with Nikki Van De Car
Nikki Van De Car is the author of the new young adult novel The Invisible Wild. Her other books include Practical Magic. She lives on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Q: What inspired you to write The Invisible Wild, and how did you create your character Emma?
A: The Invisible Wild is heavily inspired by my own childhood growing up here in Volcano, Hawai'i. I had my own struggles with authenticity and belonging, and while I never did encounter menehune or hide a lost boy in the forest, that sense of magical possibility was always very alive in these woods.
There's a moment in The Invisible Wild when Emma comes to visit the lost boy, Hilo, and he's put a welcome mat out alongside the road - that moment was inspired a man who was living in a makeshift tent alongside the road here in Volcano a couple of years ago. He put a welcome mat alongside the road, and I was so charmed by the incongruity; the novel really grew from that moment.
Q: How did you research the novel, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?
A: When I was casting about for what elements of Hawaiian folklore I wanted to include, I settled on the menehune because I've never been very happy with how they are portrayed in our culture; always jolly, always with a pot belly.
So I knew I wanted to write about them, but I needed to research them, and what surprised me most was how real they were; they were included in a population census on Kaua'i in the early 1800s, and there is also a strong menehune presence on Moloka'i. This "mythical" race of beings is rooted firmly in truth.
Q: The author Keala Kendell called the book a “poignant exploration of forgiveness and making things right from an authentic Hawaiian lens.” What do you think of that description?
A: I was so touched and honored by that! First of all, with my own fears about my own authenticity, that felt extremely validating.
The central problem of the book revolves around a mainland company coming in and building a development in these forests, something that happens here all the time. And the reality is, frequently there is nothing we can do to stop it from happening, and it would be unlikely that 16-year-old Emma would be able to.
And we're all sort of a part of that, you know? Living in a capitalist society means choosing to rank job growth and tourist opportunities over what's right for the land, and that can make us all dismissive over the smaller acts of destruction we all commit from time to time, like littering or carving initials into a tree.
I wanted to explore those nuances, and approach solving the central problem through community rather than something more dramatic. I wanted to talk about how, in Hawaiian culture, forgiveness necessitates making things right; an apology isn't enough.
Q: How was the novel's title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: It was actually originally called The Skin of the Ocean, for the way you look up at the barrier between the sea and the air, and it's so clearly divided, but impossible to feel or demarcate - for me, that's what the line between magical and real is like. It's permeable, and beings like the menehune, who come from folklore but are rooted in fact, are an example of that dichotomy.
But then it was pointed out to me that this is a book that takes place almost entirely in the forests, not by the sea! So I played around for a while trying to find a title that matched what I was trying to say, and it was when I was trying to describe it to myself that I landed on The Invisible Wild.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm working on another book set in Hawai'i, but with a very different feel. Waterlines is a contemporary YA adventure-romance about a fiercely intelligent, autistic, nonbinary (they/them), Native Hawaiian teen who uncovers a dangerous environmental cover-up (based on the environmental disaster at Red Hill in 2021)—and accidentally falls for the charming, infuriating, popular boy who was supposed to be their nemesis.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I think that's it! Folks can always find me on Instagram @nikkivandecar, or on my website, nikkivandecar.com
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
* The Junior Astrologer's Handbook: A Kid's Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More. By Nikki Van De Car. Illus. by Uta Krogmann. July 2021. 168p. Running Press Kids, $14.99 (9780762499557). Gr. 3-6.133.5.
Most kids get into astrology at some point, at least enough to know their astrological sign. This detailed guide goes deeper, using accessible language to explain the zodiac, decans, elemental categories, and more. An introduction offers reassurances that astrology is not a rulebook and that individual signs are not supposed to mandate how people behave. Instead, astrology is offered as a coping aid, and as something to think about when things aren't going quite right. With that in mind, the first half of the book concentrates on how astrological inclinations can help readers navigate everyday situations with family, friends, and school. Perhaps a friendship has gone awry? This book delves into the different personality traits of each sign and how they interact with each other to explore possible reasons, followed by meditation prompts (for compassion, for setting boundaries, etc.) and descriptions of how celestial events (Mercury in retrograde, solar and lunar eclipses) might temporarily affect friendships. The second half of the book considers each sign individually, offering a compatibility overview, craft project, profile of a luminary, and significant dates to watch for. There are very few astrology resources for young readers, and this authoritative and appealing title fills that void.--Kathleen McBroom
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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McBroom, Kathleen. "The Junior Astrologer's Handbook: A Kid's Guide to Astrological Signs, the Zodiac, and More." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 21, 1 July 2021, pp. 65+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A669809452/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=39c19b08. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
Shadow Magic: Unlocking the Whole Witch Within
Nikki Van De Car, illus. by Khoa Le. Running Press, $22 (184p) ISBN 978-0-762-48149-1
In this affirming guide, Van De Car (Practical Magic) encourages readers to explore their shadow side, the "aspect of the self that contains what we're afraid to express." Defined by Carl Jung as existing outside the "light of consciousness," the shadow self can manifest in dreams or unbidden waking moments of anger or anxiety, according to the author. When properly celebrated, however, the shadow self allows for "creativity, imagination, intuition, and wonder." Van De Car outlines ways to connect with one's shadow self, among them dream interpretation to uncover hidden fears; astrology to tap into intuition; spells to guard against negative energy; and tarot reading to reveal inner truths. Scattered throughout are spells for creativity, intuition, and self-love, along with brief profiles of historical and mythical figures who embraced their shadow selves to powerful effect--such as Baba Yaga, a sometimes-good, sometimes-menacing character from Slavic folklore, and 19th-century New Orleans healer and "Voodoo Queen" Marie Laveau, who "mixed Catholic and African spiritual traditions in ways that people continue to practice." While readers might already be familiar with the practices Van De Car discusses, they'll appreciate her message that "we cannot be the fullest expression of ourselves" unless "we embrace... all that we are." Enriched by Le's gorgeous, deep-hued illustrations, this is a valuable addition to any collection on magic and witchcraft. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"Shadow Magic: Unlocking the Whole Witch Within." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 23, 5 June 2023, pp. 74+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A753089088/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=17585b55. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
Van De Car, Nikki (text) & Khoa Le (illus.). Shadow Magic: Unlocking the Whole Witch Within. Running Pr.: Perseus. Sept. 2023. 184p. ISBN 9780762481491. $22. PARAPSYCH
Prolific author of books about witchcraft, the occult, and crafts, Van De Car (Ritual: Magical Celebrations of Nature and Community from Around the World) provides a general exploration of magical practices through the lens of the "shadow" self Based on Jung's theory of individuation, the shadow self is defined as the part of the personality that harbors life traumas and negative emotions, such as anger and sorrow. Often, one tucks these memories and feelings away as uncomfortable, but because the shadow self is also the center of creativity and intuition, Van De Car encourages readers to befriend this aspect of themselves, as that is where their magic resides. Chapters on symbols and sigils, familiars, dream interpretation, lucid dreaming, and various forms of divination begin with a retelling of the stories of famous witches known for their comfort with shadow work or their triumph over hard circumstances. Practical spell work and mindful exercises to increase intuition, creativity, and self-love conclude most chapters. A brief discussion on personal protection wraps up the offerings. VERDICT Readers looking to expand their approach to the practice of witchcraft will appreciate this beautifully illustrated introduction to shadow work. -- Janet Tapper
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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"Shadow Magic: Unlocking the Whole Witch Within." Library Journal, vol. 148, no. 8, Aug. 2023, p. 98. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A759873763/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1efb87a2. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
The Young Witch's Guide to Living Magically: Potions, Lotions, Rituals, and Spells for Kids. By Nikki Van De Car. Illus. by Anisa Makhoul. Nov. 2023. 120p. Running Press Kids, $16.99 (9780762484010). Gr. 4-7.299.94.
This collection of recipes for soothing teas, baked goods, shampoo and conditioners, balms, and other types of lotions and potions is intended for tweens and middle-grade readers. The premise is promising, as the book states that the content is intended to promote physical and emotional wellness by helping kids make their own magic by living in harmony with nature and using the gifts it provides. A major consideration is that acquiring most of these gifts (medicinal plants, herbs, spices, essential oils, etc.) involves substantial adult assistance, and many of the recipes involve special tools (mortar and pestle), ingredients (dried lavender, elderberries), and fairly sophisticated techniques (collecting fresh ingredients by moonlight; sprinkling dry mixtures over semiprecious crystals to enhance their strength). There are sections on the benefits of yoga and meditation that allow for independent implementation, as do simple projects for creating home altars, personal runes, and prayer flags. Youth librarians, school counselors, scout leaders, and leaders of other tween activity groups will find innovative programming ideas, as will parents looking for non-tech-oriented family activities.--Kathleen McBroom
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
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McBroom, Kathleen. "The Young Witch's Guide to Living Magically: Potions, Lotions, Rituals, and Spells for Kids." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 5-6, 1 Nov. 2023, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A774988440/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=37ebf731. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
Forest Magic: Rituals and Spells for Green Witchcraft
Nikki Van De Car, illus. Elin Marion. Running Press, $22 (144p) ISBN 978-0-7624-8533-8
It is "our sacred duty as witches of the woods to serve them in any way we can," writes Van De Car (Shadow Magic) in this slim and appealing compilation of pagan rituals celebrating trees, plants, bushes, and flowers. Cycling through the "Wheel of the Year," Van De Car highlights 12 pagan holidays and the plants associated with each. For example, at Ostara, the spring equinox, readers can fashion a wand out of an alder branch to provide protection, while during Yule, or the winter solstice, aspiring witches might hearken the return of daylight by sweeping away negativity with a pine branch broom, or boiling pine needles for "a good energetic and physical cleaning." The clear instructions and inventive ritual interpretations are suffused with the author's genuine and infectious wonder at the natural world. Of a twilight ritual, she observes, "All things are possible now, when the world is malleable. And remember--this time of promise and potential comes every single day." Enriched by Manon's evocative illustrations, this is an ideal gift for the pagan-curious. (Mar.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
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"Forest Magic: Rituals and Spells for Green Witchcraft." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 2, 15 Jan. 2024, p. 72. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781251467/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=813a82e0. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
Van De Car, Nikki THE INVISIBLE WILD Running Press Kids (Teen None) $19.99 5, 6 ISBN: 9780762487066
After encountering a boy in the woods, a girl on the Big Island of Hawai'i finds that she can once again see a world of spirits.
During frenzied preparations for the upcoming nuptials of her sister, Pu'ulena, to her fiancée, Naomi, small-town Mauna Loa-area girl Emma Arruda almost hits a boy from Hilo with her car. When news arrives that a resort is being built in a pristine nearby area that locals see as an unofficial wildlife reserve, Emma is distraught. Then she discovers the disheveled, confused boy, whom she dubs "Hilo," living in a lean-to in the woods, talking to invisible spirits. Emma recalls childhood memories of playing with these in-between creatures until adults discouraged her from talking about them. She knows that she should bring Hilo home, but she's conflicted, wanting to explore her reawakened abilities to see the spirits, especially after she meets the menehune, a legendary race who originally inhabited Hawai'i and whose lives are under threat from the construction. It turns out that Emma and Hilo committed offenses against nature; they need to make things right before Hilo can return to himself again. Menehune leader Koa charges them with stopping the development. Debut author Van De Car's immersive narrative weaves together issues of identity and authenticity, Native Hawaiian beliefs, environmentalism, and the inequities of economic power and development with a strong sense of place. Although the story drags a bit toward the end, the resolution is satisfying.
Magically real and hopeful. (author's note)(Fiction. 13-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Van De Car, Nikki: THE INVISIBLE WILD." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A830532344/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=afe84933. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.
* The Invisible Wild. By Nikki Van De Car. May 2025. 256p. Running Press Teens, $19.99 (9780762487066). Gr. 9-12.
Emma Arruda's life has been taken over by preparations for her sister Pu'ulena's wedding. She's happy for her sister, of course, but the transition is hard, and there isn't much time or space for Emma. To complicate things, she finds a boy she recognizes in the woods, seemingly lost but not making much sense. The mystery of this boy from Hilo leads to the discovery of a society of very real legendary menehune, small beings renowned for their ability to accomplish impossible tasks overnight. These menehune have a problem, though; a new development that has wiped out a forest is destroying the hidden temple where they reside. Emma and Koa, leader of the menehune, strike a bargain--he will help the boy if she will help the menehune stop the resort development threatening their home. Easier said than done, obviously, especially since she already has a track record of seeing imaginary creatures and the wedding to prepare for. Intensely lush atmospheric descriptions create an immersive and sensory read; an abundance of native Hawaiian plants, animals, cultural anecdotes, and traditions are lovingly rendered. Intersecting topics of nativeness and heritage, self-identification, tourism, environmental justice, folklore, and more are buoyed by a bit of romance, and the sum of all the parts manages to be both starkly realistic and surprisingly hopeful.--Allie Stevens
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 American Library Association
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Stevens, Allie. "The Invisible Wild." Booklist, vol. 121, no. 15-16, Apr. 2025, p. 104. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A847030572/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e4a65b90. Accessed 1 Sept. 2025.