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Table of Contents
About The Book
On the night before Halloween, a new babysitter might be more than she appears. If she wears a black sombrero and cackles like a crow, she might just be a bruja! One little girl is determined not to fall victim to an evil witch or her cats. She knows bath time is really the bruja’s way of putting her in a boiling cauldron, and the only way to keep her at bay is with a magic potion—or is it?
With a boundless imagination and plenty of tricks up her sleeve, the young protagonist may just have the best night ever!
About The Illustrator
Irena Freitas is an award-winning artist and illustrator. She has an MFA in illustration from SCAD and loves illustrating people, funny situations that happen in daily life, and whimsical stories. When she is not reading and illustrating books she likes to travel and visit new places. Irena lives in Manaus, Brazil.
Why We Love It
“Irena Freitas’s joyful, vibrant art is a perfect complement to the adorable, rhythmic text about a very small girl with a very massive imagination! Ana Siqueria’s prose seamlessly incorporates the multicultural protagonist’s natural Spanish-English code-switching in a way that is organic without becoming inaccessible to monolingual audiences, and it is a delight to read out loud in any language.”
—Alyza L., Associate Editor, on If Your Babysitter Is a Bruja
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (August 23, 2022)
- Length: 32 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534488755
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
A young girl’s imagination turns her experience with a new babysitter into something fun and spooky in this bilingual picture book. Halloween approaches, and a young girl gives advice to readers on what to look out for if they’re spending a night with a new babysitter...[t]he fun illustrations are a mix of spooky Halloween colors and bright vibrant shades, and the lyrical text with Spanish words and phrases sprinkled throughout make this a perfect choice for all occasions. VERDICT A fun addition to picture book collections for children, and a perfect choice for October reads.
– School Library Journal
"Freitas’ digital art depicts a colorful house full of Halloween decorations and homey details, and the spreads with the bruja on her broom (or bike) are full of whimsical shapes. The characters’ faces are expressive, and it’s clear the child isn't afraid of the maybe-a-witch babysitter. Of course, the joke is “it’s almost Halloween” and the babysitter could just be wearing a witch costume...but do we know for sure?
A fun tale to share during spooky season."
– Kirkus Reviews
As Halloween approaches, an evening with a new babysitter becomes a high-energy adventure in Siqueria’s seasonal story, which incorporates Spanish phrases. Though the sitter rolls up on a bicycle, the book’s second-person narrator sees things with holiday-colored glasses...final scenes sustain the upbeat tone.
– Publishers Weekly
"Freitas’s cartoonish digital illustrations in mostly cheerful hues show a witch and her babysitting charge in a cat-and-mouse game whose object, ultimately, is friendship and a pleasant bedtime. Baby-Sitters Club members, take note: brujas-in-training make the best sitting charges."
– Horn Book Magazine
Awards and Honors
- Florida Book Award Bronze Medalist
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): If Your Babysitter Is a Bruja Fixed Layout eBook 9781534488755
- Author Photo (jpg): Ana Siqueira Photograph © Neusa Emiliano(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit