The best children’s books with magical brooms (that aren’t Harry Potter)

It jerked back, and there was a sickening feeling in her stomach as the stick curved away towards the mountains.

There are five books in the Tiffany Aching series, but this one, Book 2, is my favorite because it’s when Tiffany really rolls up her sleeves as a witch—it also marks her first time riding a broom, but, in a delightful twist, Tiffany doesn’t like it. It’s not because she’s afraid of heights, it’s because she’s afraid of falling. Not to worry, even though she’s not an expert broom flyer, Tiffany has plenty of magical friends to rely on throughout the series: a lawyer who has been permanently transformed into a toad and has a penchant for cursing (“croap”), Horace the cheese, Miss Level (a witch of two bodies and one mind), and the ever-delightful Wee Free Men (they can escape from anywhere . . . except a pub). Full of clever language, wit, and social satire, this book is pure joy.

At the touch of the purple juice the little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony.

A classic book, with a voice in the spirit of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, this book triggered the idea for Spell Sweeper because of the image it painted in my mind of a lonely broom sitting there, waiting to spring into action. And spring it does! When young Mary finds a broomstick, she accidentally ends up investing it with magic and it instantly whisks her away across the English countryside to arrive at Endor College, the school of witchcraft. But this is not a lovely school—Mary discovers a menagerie of animals being subjected to evil experiments, including her own cat. With her broomstick as her trusty companion, Mary sets out to free the animals. This book is also the basis of the animated film Mary and the Witch’s Flower.

Following Kokiri, she shyly mounted her broom and kicked off the ground. Instantly, her body grew light—she was floating!

This is the classic book that inspired the beloved film of the same name. Thirteen-year-old Kiki sets off, in the tradition of witches, to find a town to serve for a year. When she arrives at the seaside town of Koriko, she starts her own business—delivering parcels by broomstick. At first, she assumes it will be easy—hey, she’s Kiki!—but she soon discovers that winning over the locals of Koriko is not so easy. Thankfully, she’s got her wise-cracking cat Jiji on her side . . . as well as her magical broom. This book is absolutely charming!

On her first day at the Academy, each pupil was given a broomstick and taught to ride it, which takes quite a long time and isn’t nearly as easy as it looks. 

I love an underdog story, and this certainly fits the bill. Mildred is the worst witch at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches. She can’t seem to do anything right, whether it’s casting a spell or—you guessed it—flying a broom. If she’s going to survive witch school, she’s going to have to do it in a more . . . unconventional way. The first in a series, this enchanting book is perfect for younger readers who aren’t quite ready for Harry Potter but want all of the magical fun. It features beautiful illustrations by the author.

I glanced at my broomstick propped in the corner. I’d told Conroy that I could fly, but that was a bit of a stretch. Like my magic, I’d practiced and practiced but never quite gotten the hang of it.

This book is like a love letter to Kiki’s Delivery Service, striking upon similar themes and notes, but forging its own path with distinctive characters and a strong system of magic. Readers are going to love the flamefox (I did)! There’s also a sequel.