The young witch's guide to living magically Potions, lotions, rituals, and spells for kids

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.