Pick Your Favorite Sanderson Sister from Hocus Pocus and We’ll Give You A Book
Hocus Pocus 2 is now out on Disney Plus and Halloween is on the horizon, which has everyone reflecting on one of the most important questions you can ask yourself: Who is my favorite Sanderson sister? It’s been nearly thirty years since the first Hocus Pocus was released, so your favorite Sanderson sister might have changed over the years. But whether you’re more of a Winifred, or a Sarah, or a Mary, here are the books you should read based on your favorite Sanderson sister.
Winifred – Winifred (played by Bette Midler) is the boss and the star of the show when it comes to the Sanderson Sisters. If you love Winifred best, you’re all about the idea of finding empowerment and power and using your strengths to your advantage. These books about using magic (of different kinds) to get what you want and find your best self are going to be perfect for you.
Fans of Winifred will love The Witch’s Kind, a story of family, sacrifice, and (of course) magic. Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always felt like outsiders in their small coastal community. But that’s the price you pay when you’re two women living on the outskirts of town, concealing a dangerous family secret. But then out of nowhere, a baby appears who has powers much like their own. Then Barrie Ann’s long-lost husband appears out of nowhere, but he’s not the man she remembers him to be.
Not all magic is the supernatural kind, but Destiny O. Birdsong’s Nobody’s Magic shows the true empowering nature of magic of all kinds. Suzette, Maple and Agnes are three Black women with albinism who live in Shreveport, Louisiana. Told in three parts focusing on each woman’s story, this story is a meditation on female strength and the power of self-discovery.
Sarah — Sarah (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) is sometimes accused of being a bit of an airhead, but she just wants to have fun. And yeah, she cares a lot about appearances, but who doesn’t? At the end of the day, Sarah’s a romantic who just wants to be loved. So if you love Sarah best, try a fun, romantic witchy book or a light, heartfelt book about friendship.
Freya Grove is a mystical seaside town filled with charms, hexes, and magical creatures. No one loves living in this town more than high school teacher Lucinda Caraway, who spends her days teaching history and her evenings reading tea leaves and tending to her conjure garden. Still, she can’t help but feel like something’s missing from her life. Then one night, her wish for more turns into a spell. Suddenly, Lucy can’t say no to anything. So when her high school crush Alexander Dwyer asks for help unjinxing his new house? She has to say yes.
If you love Sarah Sanderson, you should look for books that don’t just celebrate romantic love. Reach for a book that celebrate female friendship/sisterly love. Serena, Michelle, Kenya, and Lynette are sister friends forever, there for each other through thick and thin. And it’s a good thing they are, because this year is especially difficult for all four women: new relationships, divorce, old flames resurfacing. Thankfully, through it all, these women have each other’s backs.
Mary — Mary (and the actress who plays her, Kathy Najimy) is all about that witchy life. So dark fantasy books filled with magic are going to be great for fans of Mary. Or try a nonfiction book about making your real life a little bit witchier. Mary would absolutely approve of these books.
Crow Island is the magical setting of the novel Wild and Wicked Things. Annie Mason doesn’t come to the island to connect to its magic. She just wants to settle her father’s estate and reconnect with her friend Beatrice. Annie hadn’t planned for the temptation of a mysterious new neighbor, Emmeline Delacroix, who is rumored to practice witchcraft. After Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline, she’s drawn into a glamorous and dangerous world of magic.
The Witchy Homestead is your guide to living a more magical life, from the bestselling author of Practical Magic. Whether you live in the city or the country, you can always live a life that’s more connected to the natural world. This guide will help you become more entwined with the essential elements of fire, water, air, and earth by finding your own food no matter where you live, engaging in natural healing practices, and much more.
Emily Martin has a PhD in English from the University of Southern Mississippi. She’s a contributing editor at Book Riot and blogs/podcasts at Book Squad Goals.