What do you think?
Rate this book
The Worst Witch #2
The Worst Witch Strikes Again
Mildred Hubble is a trainee witch at Miss Cackle's Academy and tends to make a mess of it. She can't master the art of riding a broomstick and her spells have a way of going disasterously wrong. Jill Murphy studied at Camberwell Art School and is the author of "Peace at Last" and "Five Minutes Peace". The "Worst Witch" stories reached a large new audience through the 1986 screening of a Hallowe'en film starring Diana Rigg and Tim Curry.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
161 people are currently reading
1662 people want to read
About the author
Jill Murphy
87 books340 followersJill Murphy was a London-born English children's author, best known for The Worst Witch series and the Large Family picture books. She has been described as "one of the most engaging writers and illustrators for children in the land."
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of the material and inspiration Miss Cackle's Academy in the The Worst Witch, which she started when she was 15. She put the book on hold as she attended both Chelsea and Croydon Art Schools, but continued to write it whilst living in a village in Togo, West Africa for a year and then whilst working as a nanny back at home. The book was published when Jill turned 24 and proved an instant success. However, Jill continued working as a nanny until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again prompted her to devote herself to full-time writing. The Worst Witch stories have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 3 million copies. They were also made into a major ITV series. She was also well known for her picture books and was commended in the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last. A Quiet Night In was shortlisted for the same medal in 1994. She was perhaps best known for the very popular Mr and Mrs Large picture books, which detail the domestic chaos of an elephant family. Five Minute's Peace won the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award, as well as being shortlisted for the 1986 Children's Book Award. All in One Piece was highly commended for the 1987 Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the 1987 Children's Book Award. The Last Noo-noo won the 0-5 category of the 1995 Smarties Book Prize and in the same year was shortlisted for the English 4-11 Outstanding Children's Book of the Year, going on to win the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award. It won the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award. In the same year it was adapted as a play and performed at the Polka Theatre, London.
Jill Murphy was born in London and attended the Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon which, together with the boarding school stories she enjoyed reading, provided much of the material and inspiration Miss Cackle's Academy in the The Worst Witch, which she started when she was 15. She put the book on hold as she attended both Chelsea and Croydon Art Schools, but continued to write it whilst living in a village in Togo, West Africa for a year and then whilst working as a nanny back at home. The book was published when Jill turned 24 and proved an instant success. However, Jill continued working as a nanny until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again prompted her to devote herself to full-time writing. The Worst Witch stories have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 3 million copies. They were also made into a major ITV series. She was also well known for her picture books and was commended in the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last. A Quiet Night In was shortlisted for the same medal in 1994. She was perhaps best known for the very popular Mr and Mrs Large picture books, which detail the domestic chaos of an elephant family. Five Minute's Peace won the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award, as well as being shortlisted for the 1986 Children's Book Award. All in One Piece was highly commended for the 1987 Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the 1987 Children's Book Award. The Last Noo-noo won the 0-5 category of the 1995 Smarties Book Prize and in the same year was shortlisted for the English 4-11 Outstanding Children's Book of the Year, going on to win the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award. It won the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award. In the same year it was adapted as a play and performed at the Polka Theatre, London.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
November 1, 2021
More shenanigans neith Mildred and friends. This time, new girl Enid joins Miss Cackle's Academy and she's determined to inject a bit of fun into the dull school day. However, Enid's idea of fun involves a chaotic monkey and off key singing. And getting Mildred into trouble. Again.
This is exactly what I expected it to be. Very accessible language for younger readers, and enough fun and magic to keep them engaged without being overly long. It's exactly like the first in the series essentially.
This is exactly what I expected it to be. Very accessible language for younger readers, and enough fun and magic to keep them engaged without being overly long. It's exactly like the first in the series essentially.
August 30, 2025
2.5
30/8/2025
30/8/2025
November 19, 2015
Cute second installment in the series. It's not so much that Mildred is the "worst" witch, but she's fairly hapless. Also, she has a nemesis. (Shakes fist at Ethel.) Honestly, though, this one was so short it made me wonder why it couldn't have been part of another book.
July 15, 2023
'Monkey?' Thought Mildred. ' I must have misheard.'
But she hadn't. When she pushed open the door, there sat Enid on her narrow bedstead. Perched on her shoulder was a slender grey monkey eating a banana.
"It's to go on the back on my broom," explained Enid, as Mildred hastened inside and closed te door, in case by some mischance Miss Hardbroom should materialize outside.
New witch comes to the Academy and so our
Source: https://www.deviantart.com/misslestra...
Read
February 5, 2023the child in me still loves it
August 29, 2020
Poor unlucky Mildred Hubble cannot catch a break — especially when she’s told to mentor a new unruly and impulsive new student, Enid Nightshade. Not as good as the debut novel nor as good as the television show, but still enjoyable.
August 3, 2023
Great story for children. One of a series by the well-known author/illustrator, Jill Murphy.
Mildred is at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, a la Harry Potter. There's no evil here, though, other than the nasty teacher Miss Hardbroom, and Mildred's nemesis in her year, Ethel. Mildred is always getting into scrapes and mischief, much of it not her own doing, and getting into trouble. In this book she is at risk of expulsion – eek! The book is liberally sprinkled with excellent illustrations which add a lot to the story, and the children will love it.
Mildred is at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, a la Harry Potter. There's no evil here, though, other than the nasty teacher Miss Hardbroom, and Mildred's nemesis in her year, Ethel. Mildred is always getting into scrapes and mischief, much of it not her own doing, and getting into trouble. In this book she is at risk of expulsion – eek! The book is liberally sprinkled with excellent illustrations which add a lot to the story, and the children will love it.
December 30, 2021
There's an interesting coincidence with this review and my review of The Worst Witch. When my dad and I wrote the review of The Worst Witch, it was the day after my second Covid shot. I was kind of tired. Now, writing this review, Dad, today, got his booster shot. He's kind of tired.
We started reading this book over the summer, although, the chapters are really short. Sometimes, it's hard to find good reading times. Especially with Dad's work and my studying for five days of the week, and other plans on the weekends, (usually). Sometimes, those plans just included Dad watching football and me listening to audio books.
As I said before, though, the chapters were really short. That was the one bad thing about the book. I wished the chapters could be longer. However, I still thought it was a good book. Just like the last one, it was a lot like Harry Potter. I'll get back to that later.
This book is about a school for witches called Miss Cackle's Acatemy. At the school, this girl named Mildred gets asked to help a new student named Enid find out what the academy is like. This does not go well. Maud gets mad that Mildred is spending so much time with Enid, and Enid keeps getting Mildred into trouble. Once, she convinces Mildred to charm their brooms so that they will win the Sports Day competition. Once, she gets Mildred to sneak off with her during Miss Cackle's birthday celebration, getting them locked in a cupboard. Both times, Mildred doesn't like Enid's ideai, but she goes along with them anyway.
Now,, back to Harry Potter being like The Worst Witch. The characters were just so similar. Mildred is like Neville and Harry mixed. (I heard about Neville from another review, just so you know.) Maud is like Ron, and Ethel is like Hermione when she first met Harry and Ron and Malfoy mixed. I'm not sure who Enid's like. I just asked my dad what he thought, and he said maybe Luna, but he wasn't sure. I can see that because she does do her own thing. Luna's is just more looks than Enid's if you know what I mean.
I think my favorite parts of the book were when Mildred crashed into random rooms on broomsticks because, even though I can't see, I can still imagine how crazy that would have looked. I also liked the part where Enid, for fun, turned her cat into a monkey. Both my dad and I thought that it would be fun for the cat, although, Enid described it as being ofc-color after being changed back. I was surprised at the time, but now, I'm thinking that it was rf-color because it was so sad about not being a monkey anymore.
Even though the chapters were short, I'm still rating this book five stars because I like to think, even though J. K. Rowling never admits it, that this book inspired Harry Potter. As I used to say when I was little, I recommend this book to people wildly.
We started reading this book over the summer, although, the chapters are really short. Sometimes, it's hard to find good reading times. Especially with Dad's work and my studying for five days of the week, and other plans on the weekends, (usually). Sometimes, those plans just included Dad watching football and me listening to audio books.
As I said before, though, the chapters were really short. That was the one bad thing about the book. I wished the chapters could be longer. However, I still thought it was a good book. Just like the last one, it was a lot like Harry Potter. I'll get back to that later.
This book is about a school for witches called Miss Cackle's Acatemy. At the school, this girl named Mildred gets asked to help a new student named Enid find out what the academy is like. This does not go well. Maud gets mad that Mildred is spending so much time with Enid, and Enid keeps getting Mildred into trouble. Once, she convinces Mildred to charm their brooms so that they will win the Sports Day competition. Once, she gets Mildred to sneak off with her during Miss Cackle's birthday celebration, getting them locked in a cupboard. Both times, Mildred doesn't like Enid's ideai, but she goes along with them anyway.
Now,, back to Harry Potter being like The Worst Witch. The characters were just so similar. Mildred is like Neville and Harry mixed. (I heard about Neville from another review, just so you know.) Maud is like Ron, and Ethel is like Hermione when she first met Harry and Ron and Malfoy mixed. I'm not sure who Enid's like. I just asked my dad what he thought, and he said maybe Luna, but he wasn't sure. I can see that because she does do her own thing. Luna's is just more looks than Enid's if you know what I mean.
I think my favorite parts of the book were when Mildred crashed into random rooms on broomsticks because, even though I can't see, I can still imagine how crazy that would have looked. I also liked the part where Enid, for fun, turned her cat into a monkey. Both my dad and I thought that it would be fun for the cat, although, Enid described it as being ofc-color after being changed back. I was surprised at the time, but now, I'm thinking that it was rf-color because it was so sad about not being a monkey anymore.
Even though the chapters were short, I'm still rating this book five stars because I like to think, even though J. K. Rowling never admits it, that this book inspired Harry Potter. As I used to say when I was little, I recommend this book to people wildly.
November 1, 2017
Cute, but not as cute as the first one, which I love. I actually like the 2017 reincarnation of Enid Nightshade better than her book character.
March 5, 2021
These books are adorable.
January 7, 2018
3.5 stars - This was a trip back to the past for me. Loved reading the whole series when I was younger and love just the same now.
October 21, 2015
This is the second book in The Worst Witch series. It is summer at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches. Although, at the end of the first book, Mildred Hubble had saved the school from disaster, she had a terrible report and is worried about the coming term.
There is a new girl at school – Enid Nightshade – and Mildred is supposed to be looking after her. Mildred’s friend, Maud, feels jealous at being replaced and, even worse, becomes friends with her enemy, Ethel! At first, Enid seems quiet and placid, but all is not what it seems below the surface…
Summer term ends with Sports Day – can Maud avoid the threat of being expelled this term or will there be another disaster? This is a school story with a twist and a series that my daughter is really enjoying. Thankfully, there are more books for her to read after this, and I am also enjoying these excellent books.
There is a new girl at school – Enid Nightshade – and Mildred is supposed to be looking after her. Mildred’s friend, Maud, feels jealous at being replaced and, even worse, becomes friends with her enemy, Ethel! At first, Enid seems quiet and placid, but all is not what it seems below the surface…
Summer term ends with Sports Day – can Maud avoid the threat of being expelled this term or will there be another disaster? This is a school story with a twist and a series that my daughter is really enjoying. Thankfully, there are more books for her to read after this, and I am also enjoying these excellent books.
December 7, 2015
I was so worried; the poor Mildred almost got herself expelled, again! We have a new character that’s even worse than Mil herself, Enid look like an innocent who can give no trouble at all, but it’s only a cover, Maud gets jealous about Enid’s relationship with Mil, and Ethel is just a headache as usual.
December 30, 2021
Eleanor and I finished up this book yesterday. We've been reading it since the summer, but like she says in her review - which you should all read - it was sometimes tough to find reading time. I've got more reasons than the ones she listed, but whatever. Let's not get into that.
I liked the book a lot. It was quick, and fun. It is insane how much it's like a pared-down Harry Potter. I mean, just insane. I think JK Rowling should write a book called, "The Worst Snitch" to troll Jill Murphy, and Jill Murphy should write a book called, "Mildred Hubble and the Chamber of Being Ripped Off by Harry Potter" to troll JK Rowling back. I think it'd be funny and fun, but it probably won't happen.
OH SNAP! I just read that Jill Murphy died this August, while we were in the middle of this book. I'm so sad to have read that. She was only 72. In looking at that, I did see she wrote a book in 2013 called, "The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star" - which I'm taking as a troll on Rowling - with the, "and the" as in "and the Philosopher's Stone," "and the Chamber of Secrets," "and the Prisoner of Azkaban," (...you get the idea) - even if it wasn't. There's something fun about really talented, legitimate authors trolling each other in such juvenile ways.
I'm bringing in El to ask her if I should add anything. Once again, it's super-fun that she's reading to me now, as much as I've read (and am reading) to her.
Dad: What do you think, El?
El: I think that it's a really good book, and can I say something that connects to my review?
D: Of course:
El: Part of the reason I brought up that Neville was like Mildred and that I heard about that from another review is so that people know that I'm not the one who came up with it.
D: So you don't want to rip people off like JK Rowling did?
El: Yeah. Although, probably multiple people have had that same idea, so... It might not be exactly ripping people off, because other people have had the same idea.
D: So you're giving JK Rowling the benefit of a doubt.
El: No... I just think probably a lot of people thought Neville was like Mildred.
D: Got it. Under the bus for Rowling. - Hey, one last thing. My favorite part was when the cat got turned into a monkey. Just thought you should know that.
El: My last thought is - I want to remind Harry Potter fans that Jill Murphy definitely didn't rip off Harry Potter. If anything, it was the other way around.
I liked the book a lot. It was quick, and fun. It is insane how much it's like a pared-down Harry Potter. I mean, just insane. I think JK Rowling should write a book called, "The Worst Snitch" to troll Jill Murphy, and Jill Murphy should write a book called, "Mildred Hubble and the Chamber of Being Ripped Off by Harry Potter" to troll JK Rowling back. I think it'd be funny and fun, but it probably won't happen.
OH SNAP! I just read that Jill Murphy died this August, while we were in the middle of this book. I'm so sad to have read that. She was only 72. In looking at that, I did see she wrote a book in 2013 called, "The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star" - which I'm taking as a troll on Rowling - with the, "and the" as in "and the Philosopher's Stone," "and the Chamber of Secrets," "and the Prisoner of Azkaban," (...you get the idea) - even if it wasn't. There's something fun about really talented, legitimate authors trolling each other in such juvenile ways.
I'm bringing in El to ask her if I should add anything. Once again, it's super-fun that she's reading to me now, as much as I've read (and am reading) to her.
Dad: What do you think, El?
El: I think that it's a really good book, and can I say something that connects to my review?
D: Of course:
El: Part of the reason I brought up that Neville was like Mildred and that I heard about that from another review is so that people know that I'm not the one who came up with it.
D: So you don't want to rip people off like JK Rowling did?
El: Yeah. Although, probably multiple people have had that same idea, so... It might not be exactly ripping people off, because other people have had the same idea.
D: So you're giving JK Rowling the benefit of a doubt.
El: No... I just think probably a lot of people thought Neville was like Mildred.
D: Got it. Under the bus for Rowling. - Hey, one last thing. My favorite part was when the cat got turned into a monkey. Just thought you should know that.
El: My last thought is - I want to remind Harry Potter fans that Jill Murphy definitely didn't rip off Harry Potter. If anything, it was the other way around.
December 24, 2024
Reading my way through books bought for my 7 year old grandson. I was aware of this series but never read any the books so don’t have the nostalgia element. Read in less than 2 hours.
Obviously pre-dates Harry Potter - maybe it was an influence - and aimed at a slightly younger audience.
Not as exciting as I remember Malory Towers or aforementioned Harry Potter in which I guess it falls between but nevertheless an easy-to-read, short naughty girl caper.
Obviously pre-dates Harry Potter - maybe it was an influence - and aimed at a slightly younger audience.
Not as exciting as I remember Malory Towers or aforementioned Harry Potter in which I guess it falls between but nevertheless an easy-to-read, short naughty girl caper.
October 21, 2022
The Worst Witch trikes Again (by Jill Murphy),
Mildred Hubble is forced to take care of Enid, the new girl,
And because Enid was no better than Mildred, Enid followes Mildreds foot-prints.
Miss Hardboom is always on the watch,
How can Mildred escape the trouble?
READ MORE TO FIND OUT...
FREYA
Mildred Hubble is forced to take care of Enid, the new girl,
And because Enid was no better than Mildred, Enid followes Mildreds foot-prints.
Miss Hardboom is always on the watch,
How can Mildred escape the trouble?
READ MORE TO FIND OUT...
FREYA
January 13, 2019
I enjoyed this sequel much more than the first - it had us giggling out loud quite a few times. I can't see these even being a favourite, but they're nice quick reads, in any case. Easy bedtime fodder.
January 15, 2021
I spent a half hour re reading an old childhood fave and I didn’t realised how much I needed it!!
Also fun fact- seven year old me, named my Tabby Cat- who I still have- after the cat in this book!
Also fun fact- seven year old me, named my Tabby Cat- who I still have- after the cat in this book!
March 5, 2018
More interesting then the first in this series.
April 23, 2020
I'd forgotten how much I loved these books. Tabs is the reason I want a grey tabby cat. I only wish they were longer.
June 29, 2020
I found this book a lot more funny than the first one and absolutely love the monkey madness and enids off putting singing. If I were miss Cackle I would never think about expelling Mildred.
October 19, 2020
Cute, but very very short.
November 6, 2020
Got bored page 45 stopped reading.
November 13, 2020
Love it and love Gemma Arterton's narration.
October 31, 2021
Loved this! Short, sweet and very spooky 🧹 ✨
March 28, 2022
Another short and quick read. The introduction of the new girl Enid helped to make Mildred's usual antics just as fun. It was a nice realistic take on friendships in school too, with Maud's reaction to Enid.
Another fun read.
Another fun read.
June 13, 2022
Full of the same loveable characters, not the most interesting of stories but a lovely easy read and great addition to the series.
March 5, 2023
Nice little book, kind of same as the first one but a bit more chill that was nice
August 29, 2023
The ending of this one was not as satisfying as the first book but bonus points for the sick aerial display!
March 25, 2023
Filled with stress but funny nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews