Wicked Never Waits

The School for Wicked Witches #2

by Will Taylor

Perfect for fans of WICKED, WITCHLINGS, and THE WIZARD OF OZ, this magical series returns with magical adventures, friendship feuds, and a whole lot more.

After making her escape from the School for Wicked Witches, Ava has realized that it might be the right place for her, after all. But her return isn't triumphant -- if anything, she's more behind than ever. When things start to go very wrong at the school, Ava discovers she may be able to save the day... but only if she pairs up with Tinabella, her friend-turned-enemy. What's a young witch to do?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Witches, Childrens

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2025

About the author

Will Taylor (he/they) is an award-winning author, freelance marketing copywriter, and honeybee fan. He lives in the heart of Seattle surrounded by all the seagulls and not quite too many teacups, and when not writing can be found searching for the perfect bakery, talking to trees in parks, and completely losing his cool when he meets longhaired dachshunds. His books include The Language of Seabirds; The School for Wicked Witches series; Maggie & Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort; Maggie & Abby and the Shipwreck Treehouse; Slimed (as Liam Gray); and Catch That Dog!

Reviews

[Ali]

This one was just as cute as the first, and gave an extra quest-y vibe (think Philosopher's Stone, for want of a better example)

[Deke Moulton]

Such a fun follow up to the first!!

I adore how Will Taylor writes preteen girlhood, with all its complexities and challenges and fun, and this is a perfect series for typing Wicked/Oz fans who may be too young to enjoy the canon books!!!

[T.P. Jagger]

This was another wonderful installment in Will Taylor's School for Wicked Witches series with plenty of humor, action, and plot twists. I was excited to recently learn that not only will there be a book #3 but #4 & 5, as well. I will definitely be reading each one!

[Mark Buxton]

What worked:
This book has a different feel from the first book due to Ava’s wishy-washy decisions. She ran away from the Swickwit and the School for Wicked Witches last time but this book opens with her trying to return. She’s still accompanied by Crow, an underperforming student, and Henry, a giant who shrank to human size from a curse. They’re welcomed back by the headmaster but there are consequences for running away last month. Ava feels overwhelmed from trying to catch up on lessons she’s missed but the punishment is taking up all the time she might have to study. She thinks it isn’t fair but rule breakers don’t get to complain about the penalties they must pay. Ava is back at the academy but doesn’t have the same feeling.
Vivienne Morderay is the villain as she tries to become the most powerful, evil witch ever. Tinabella, Ava’s roommate, has the same goal so she idolizes Vivienne. Vivienne wants revenge against the school’s headmaster but she can’t penetrate its protective wards. Readers were introduced to her character in the first book when Ava made a deal to free a gargoyle. However, Vivienne always plans ahead and figuratively plants seeds through Ava to attack the school. She hopes to get her hands on a book in the school library that may be just what she needs to make her powers unbeatable.
Ava, Henry, Crow, and Tinabella must work together to save the school. Warden Pike and the other teachers guarding the school are trapped by Vivienne and will soon die if she doesn’t receive the magic book. Ava and her friends must use their individual talents to venture into unexplored areas of the school where they’ll new, quirky characters. They must solve cryptic clues to find the elusive book. Readers will wonder about Tinabella since she seems to have mixed motives. Help her friends save the school or impress her idol, Vivienne Morderay?
What didn’t work as well:
Readers may want to see Crow and Henry play a bigger role especially since little was known about Crow in the first book. He’s finally discovered his magic so it would be nice to see it incorporated more. The book also makes references to the land of Oz so readers might be searching for more from that story.
The final verdict:
This book shares a fun twist on what it means to be a wicked witch. Ava and her friends won’t be able to overpower Vivienne’s magic so they must use their teamwork and wits. You can still enjoy this book without reading the first one and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Donna Metler]

I recieved a free eARC of this book

“We did know each other…I mean, our paths did cross…at school” (Galinda, Wicked)

Return to Oz and to Swickwit, the school for Wicked Witches, in the second book in this series which is perfect for young Wicked fans who aren’t quite ready for Gregory McGuire yet, or anyone who enjoys a look behind Oz.

West Oz Witch Academy isn’t quite what Ava, Crow, and Henry really expected. While they’d made their escape from Swickwit and gotten back into WOW, it seems…boring. So, of course, the answer is to, somehow, escape BACK to Swickwit. But, there are a few….loose threads from their past adventures that might just interfere a bit. Including Ava’s former friend and roommate, turned enemy Tinabella.

This is an enjoyable book and would probably make sense read out of sequence, but will be best enjoyed by people who have read both the first book in the series and are familiar with the original Wizard of Oz.

[Ashley Urquhart]

3.5/5 - I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first one. I found Ava to be slightly less sympathetic and there was a lot less collaboration between her and the other students. It’s definitely an interesting continuation of the story, however, and I’m invested in seeing where it goes next.

Note: I received an early finished copy from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura M]

A solid sequel to the first book, I like that we didn't spend too long getting back to the school and I like that the rest of the classmates get some personality with the clubs. I appreciate that there are consequences to Ava and her friends after the first book with the yellow brink road incident.

[Shireen Hakim]

I'm glad the witch Morderay (a female Voldemort) was heavily featured in this book, she was hilarious and well-developed, although the book cover illustrator did her dirty. I was excited to read this sequel but it was slow paced, long-winded and anti-climactic compared to the first. It ends on a good cliffhanger but I don't plan to read the third. Thank you Scholastic for the physical copy.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Minor fantasy violence including magical animal attacks (spider, bugs)
Bullying

[Judy Jackson]

The writing in this book got better and better. We can’t wait for there to be more!
My oldest daughter and I agree that Crow is the best character.

[Laura]

I like the elimination and how they need everyone to fulfill the mission. I think Vivienne is a good villain.

[Megan]

The second book in this series was just as enjoyable as the first for both my mini and myself. A few twists we saw coming but a few we did not!
And it ended with a huge cliff hanger....

[Kathy]

Loved it again! Can't wait for the 3rd!!

[Missfit Librarian]

Loved this solid continuation. Solid villain build and the questioning of what makes one wicked.

[Robin]

The school is threatened by a powerful evil witch and the gang works together to save everything... including another volume in the series.

[Degan Walters]

Ok, not as good as the first

[Larissa]

I requested this book because my daughter got the first one at her school’s book fair and I am enjoying reading it with her. This book is just as good as the first one. I enjoyed Ava and her journey back to Swickwit. This book, while it does have refences that allude to the first book, is written well enough so that you can read the books out of order and not get lost. This is extremely important for a kid’s book. I love the references to Oz lore even though it is written during a different time than the original Oz stories. Overall, just a great quick read that keeps kids wanting to read more.
Thank you so much to Scholastic Inc and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

[Poe]

📚 marked and marginalia: 8.26.2026
- Book Review: The School for Wicked Witches, Book #1 by Will Taylor

‼️ STOP!!! DO NOT PROCEED... unless you are OK with spoilers. All of my book reviews contain spoilers as well as personal commentary. You were warned. ‼️

As a Wizard of Oz fan(atic) AND a Wicked fan, I realize I may be a little biased writing this review 🤣🤣🤣 The Wizard of Oz universe is perfect & can do no wrong in my sight. Argue with someone else 😁

I actually purchased this book--as well as Book #2--at a book fair I attended with my youngest niece, Emerson, & I am VERY happy to say it did not disappoint!

The story follows Ava, a young girl with magical abilities who doesn't really know what to do with them yet. She takes an entrance exam to determine which witch academy she'll attend because, apparently, even witches have to take standardized tests 😩

[Post: 🐇 DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: Test Optional, Test Blind... or Test Required?
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DXe...]

Ava is hoping to attend West Oz Witch Academy, but after completely bombing her entrance exam, she's sent to The School for Wicked Witches instead--essentially a school for children who are believed to possess dark or dangerous magic. It's the school nobody wants to attend, partly because of its reputation & partly because, according to what everyone has heard, nobody ever leaves.

But once Ava gets there, she discovers that the school isn't quite what she expected. She meets other kids with magical abilities, develops friendships, & realizes that being labeled "wicked" doesn't necessarily mean you're bad. The students are learning how to understand their powers, how to control them, & ultimately how to decide what kind of witches they want to become.

And THAT is what makes the story relatable because who hasn't felt awkward, out of place, unwelcome, or like somebody has played a giant practical joke on you? Ava & the other students are dealing with something that a lot of kids--& honestly, plenty of adults, too--understand: the feeling that everyone else knows where they belong except you.

And always trying to return to familiarity, to where you belong.

(There's no place like home 👠)

There are plenty of adventures along the way, including challenges that require the students to use their abilities to help themselves AND other people.

Overall, this is a solid read. The vocabulary isn't difficult, the storyline is easy to follow, & I think middle-schoolers (roughly ages 11-13, possibly younger depending on the child's reading level) will enjoy it.

But let's be honest...

The Wizard of Oz references are what really got me 💚🧹 There are callbacks to the original 1939 movie, L. Frank Baum's Oz books, and the Wicked universe created by Gregory Maguire. As an Oz fanatic, I absolutely loved recognizing those little connections & seeing familiar elements woven into a story about a completely different group of characters.

And I think that's what makes this book work. It's not simply riding on the Wicked name. It takes the familiar Oz universe we've come to love--the magic, witches, sense of good versus evil, being judged by appearances--& gives younger readers a story about friendship, identity, belonging, & figuring out what to do with the abilities you've been given.

Would I give it five stars?

AbsOZlutely! 😂 My objective reviewer brain, however, says calm down, Dorothy. So I'm going with 4.7/5 ✨

It's a fun, accessible, relatable middle-grade fantasy with plenty of Oz magic sprinkled throughout. And if you're already a Wizard of Oz or Wicked fan? Well...you're probably going to be just as biased as I am. 💚🩷

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