This is a perfectly fine, perfectly safe, perfectly pleasant book that will not blow anyone's mind in 2025. Originally published in 1974, it's the OG young witch at boarding school story—yes, before Harry Potter—and it shows its age.

Mildred Hubble is endearing, the mishaps are genuinely funny for young readers, and the whole thing is wrapped in a cozy British boarding school package with illustrations throughout. It's great for building reading confidence in early chapter book readers (ages 6-8) who want something magical but gentle.

That said, it's not particularly enriching or imaginative by today's standards. School Library Journal called it 'pleasant' and 'undemanding,' which is accurate but not exactly a ringing endorsement. The writing is straightforward, the lessons are surface-level, and the whole vibe feels like something from your parents' childhood (because it is).

If your kid is already reading at a solid second or third grade level and loves fantasy, they'll probably prefer something more modern like Nevermoor or The Girl Who Drank the Moon. But if you need a super-safe, quick, illustrated bridge between Junie B. Jones and Harry Potter? This'll do the job just fine.