What do you think?
Rate this book
Witchward Bound: A Butter and Owl Adventure
From Newbery Honor–winning author Erin Bow, a timeless tale of friendship and magic, delivered in a stunning, collectible package—first in a new series.
Homeward Bound meets The Odyssey with the charm of Studio Ghibli in this instant classic for 8-to-12-year-olds about magical animals on a quest to find their lost witch.
Once upon a time there was a pair of witch's helpers: a cat named Butter and a raven named Owl. The cat knows he is destined to be a great hero—just ask him. The raven wouldn’t recognize destiny if she flew into it beak-first. They do not get along.
But then their witch vanishes, and Butter and Owl must quest to find her. To reunite their family, they’ll have to outwit sirens and cyclops, gods and ghosts—and hardest of all, they’ll have to learn to work together.
Humorous and heartfelt, the story of Butter and Owl’s first adventure shows what it means to be a great hero—and what it takes to be a good friend. With enchanting illustrations by New York Times best-seller Kelly Murphy and sparkling words written by beloved, Newbery Honor–winning author Erin Bow, this tale is a classic in the making—a whimsical, witty, and warm story worthy of reading again and again.
Homeward Bound meets The Odyssey with the charm of Studio Ghibli in this instant classic for 8-to-12-year-olds about magical animals on a quest to find their lost witch.
Once upon a time there was a pair of witch's helpers: a cat named Butter and a raven named Owl. The cat knows he is destined to be a great hero—just ask him. The raven wouldn’t recognize destiny if she flew into it beak-first. They do not get along.
But then their witch vanishes, and Butter and Owl must quest to find her. To reunite their family, they’ll have to outwit sirens and cyclops, gods and ghosts—and hardest of all, they’ll have to learn to work together.
Humorous and heartfelt, the story of Butter and Owl’s first adventure shows what it means to be a great hero—and what it takes to be a good friend. With enchanting illustrations by New York Times best-seller Kelly Murphy and sparkling words written by beloved, Newbery Honor–winning author Erin Bow, this tale is a classic in the making—a whimsical, witty, and warm story worthy of reading again and again.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Erin Bow
12 books810 followersTEN THINGS ABOUT ME:
1. I'm a physicist turned poet turned YA novelist.
2. I am world-famous in Canada, which is kind of like being world-famous in real life.
3. I write books for young readers and people like me who didn't grow up. All my books will either will make you either cry on the bus or snort milk out your nose. I am dangerous to your dignity and should be stopped.
4. I needed WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS to have a happy ending, so I wrote a middle-grade book called STAND ON THE SKY
5. I needed a book with a Spock-like hero who was also a queer girl, so I wrote THE SCORPION RULES, and its sequel THE SWAN RIDERS.
6. I think cats can actually talk, but don't find us worthy, hence PLAIN KATE.
7. I hate horror, so I wrote a horror: SORROW'S KNOT,
7. I think Hufflepuff is the best house, Xander was the best Scoobie, Five was the best Doctor, and Spock was the best everything.
8. I am married to another novelist, and we can actually pay our bills. Our daughters want to be scientists.
10. My bookshelves will always be full.
1. I'm a physicist turned poet turned YA novelist.
2. I am world-famous in Canada, which is kind of like being world-famous in real life.
3. I write books for young readers and people like me who didn't grow up. All my books will either will make you either cry on the bus or snort milk out your nose. I am dangerous to your dignity and should be stopped.
4. I needed WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS to have a happy ending, so I wrote a middle-grade book called STAND ON THE SKY
5. I needed a book with a Spock-like hero who was also a queer girl, so I wrote THE SCORPION RULES, and its sequel THE SWAN RIDERS.
6. I think cats can actually talk, but don't find us worthy, hence PLAIN KATE.
7. I hate horror, so I wrote a horror: SORROW'S KNOT,
7. I think Hufflepuff is the best house, Xander was the best Scoobie, Five was the best Doctor, and Spock was the best everything.
8. I am married to another novelist, and we can actually pay our bills. Our daughters want to be scientists.
10. My bookshelves will always be full.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 27, 2026
I was lucky enough to receive an Early Review ARC of Witchward Bound: A Butter and Owl Book from NetGalley. As an educator and a parent with daughters in the target age range, we decided to make it our nightly read-aloud. It quickly became a favorite.
Butter and Owl are wonderfully charming characters, and their quest to find their missing witch makes for a cute twist on the classic hero’s journey. As an educator, I especially appreciated how the story incorporated rich vocabulary. Butter’s word choices and Owl's confusion sparked great conversations, and my daughters and I often paused to talk about the memorable quotes and ideas woven throughout the book from the different characters.
The blend of adventure, imaginative creatures, and thoughtful language made this story both entertaining and meaningful. I would love the opportunity to share it with a 4th or 5th grade class because it offers the perfect mix of fun storytelling and educational value. I will be looking for other books by Erin Bow.
Butter and Owl are wonderfully charming characters, and their quest to find their missing witch makes for a cute twist on the classic hero’s journey. As an educator, I especially appreciated how the story incorporated rich vocabulary. Butter’s word choices and Owl's confusion sparked great conversations, and my daughters and I often paused to talk about the memorable quotes and ideas woven throughout the book from the different characters.
The blend of adventure, imaginative creatures, and thoughtful language made this story both entertaining and meaningful. I would love the opportunity to share it with a 4th or 5th grade class because it offers the perfect mix of fun storytelling and educational value. I will be looking for other books by Erin Bow.
June 1, 2026
I received this ARC from @NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This was a cute little story about a Cat named Butter and a Rave named Owl who have lost their Witch. So they do what every good sidekick does, they go off and a hero’s adventure to find their Witch and bring her home.
I read this story with my 9 year old at bedtime each night. This book is intended for ages 8-12 and at times I felt it leaned more towards the older age.
At different times in the book the characters use fairly complex words for this age group. However, what I love is that after the characters use these words they explain what they mean.
Overall it was a cute book full of fun and adventure and I really enjoyed spending time with my kiddo reading it together.
This was a cute little story about a Cat named Butter and a Rave named Owl who have lost their Witch. So they do what every good sidekick does, they go off and a hero’s adventure to find their Witch and bring her home.
I read this story with my 9 year old at bedtime each night. This book is intended for ages 8-12 and at times I felt it leaned more towards the older age.
At different times in the book the characters use fairly complex words for this age group. However, what I love is that after the characters use these words they explain what they mean.
Overall it was a cute book full of fun and adventure and I really enjoyed spending time with my kiddo reading it together.
Read
February 18, 2026This was delightful! Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC. I will post a more extensive review closer to publication date - but I loved the Odyssey elements that were woven into this magical tale. Butter is a cat and Owl is a Raven. They are familiars to a witch named Penelope. One day, Penelope vanishes. Butter and Owl realize they must go find her -- they are her familiars. They ground her. She needs them! They consult with the goats and receive a Canny Bell which, when sounded, will help guide them. The bell leads them to a boat - the Bright Idea - and so we are off on quite the adventure - a true heroes' quest. I am looking forward to seeing the illustrations!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
A delightful introduction to Homer's The Odyssey with an animal twist, the musical cadence in the sentence structure demands that Witchward Bound be read aloud, as it's full of entertaining exchanges and narration. Wordplay abounds, sometimes falling flat, but it usually succeeds; at times, there's awkward phrasing, which can muddle the suspense, one example being the chapter involving the riff on Odysseus's run-in with the Cyclops. However, running jokes keep the pace fast and fun. Owl lives up to her oxymoronic name and I loved her earnestness and canny, can-do attitude as a foil to Butter's often pompous character (befitting of a cat, of course).
I love the twist on the usual Odyssey, which portrays Penelope as a lone wife at home fending off persistent suitors in her husband's absence. Here, she is a lone witch who nevertheless belongs to a thriving community. Having watched Homeward Bound as a child, it'd have been wonderful to have the third protagonist round off the other two as that film did with Sassy, Chance, and Shadow.
Overall, the book balances a mythic yet humorous tone throughout. There's rarely a lull in the action, which will definitely keep the target audience engaged. I especially loved the whimsicality of the boat, Bright Idea, and the bits explaining its structure as Butter and Owl struggle to sail it.
A delightful introduction to Homer's The Odyssey with an animal twist, the musical cadence in the sentence structure demands that Witchward Bound be read aloud, as it's full of entertaining exchanges and narration. Wordplay abounds, sometimes falling flat, but it usually succeeds; at times, there's awkward phrasing, which can muddle the suspense, one example being the chapter involving the riff on Odysseus's run-in with the Cyclops. However, running jokes keep the pace fast and fun. Owl lives up to her oxymoronic name and I loved her earnestness and canny, can-do attitude as a foil to Butter's often pompous character (befitting of a cat, of course).
I love the twist on the usual Odyssey, which portrays Penelope as a lone wife at home fending off persistent suitors in her husband's absence. Here, she is a lone witch who nevertheless belongs to a thriving community. Having watched Homeward Bound as a child, it'd have been wonderful to have the third protagonist round off the other two as that film did with Sassy, Chance, and Shadow.
Overall, the book balances a mythic yet humorous tone throughout. There's rarely a lull in the action, which will definitely keep the target audience engaged. I especially loved the whimsicality of the boat, Bright Idea, and the bits explaining its structure as Butter and Owl struggle to sail it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Witchward Bound was such a fun and clever read! It's so hard to find children's books for our kids' specific age group (comprehensible enough for 5, but interesting enough for 8), with few enough characters that I don't overwhelm myself while voice acting. And while I did have to read around some of the more punny or technical parts for the sake of the younger one, this was a solid Hi/Lo middle grade read.
If that last sentence was gibberish, I sympathize with you. I've had to learn a whole new language for finding the right kids books. "Middle grade" is the weird place where kids are ready for chapter books and big ideas, but not the language or complexity of YA, while Hi/Lo implies high interest plot for older children, with language and ideas that are accessible to younger ones.
Butter and Owl were both such good characters, with such easily relatable humor and personalities; A neurotic, happy-go-lucky raven, and a fat cat who thinks that while they're equals...he's *slightly* more equal than than she is. Butter's false sense of superiority causes exactly as many issues as one would expect of a cat, while Owl's stark honesty and acceptance both infuriates Butter and helps keep the quest moving along.
Thank you NetGalley and everyone involved for the advance copy, it was a pleasure.
If that last sentence was gibberish, I sympathize with you. I've had to learn a whole new language for finding the right kids books. "Middle grade" is the weird place where kids are ready for chapter books and big ideas, but not the language or complexity of YA, while Hi/Lo implies high interest plot for older children, with language and ideas that are accessible to younger ones.
Butter and Owl were both such good characters, with such easily relatable humor and personalities; A neurotic, happy-go-lucky raven, and a fat cat who thinks that while they're equals...he's *slightly* more equal than than she is. Butter's false sense of superiority causes exactly as many issues as one would expect of a cat, while Owl's stark honesty and acceptance both infuriates Butter and helps keep the quest moving along.
Thank you NetGalley and everyone involved for the advance copy, it was a pleasure.
October 10, 2026
(I need someone who hasn't obsessively read the Odyssey for their degree to read this and tell me if I'm crazy) I love an author willing to go back to the very source material for fantasy tropes and putting them in their stories. Bow plays with the definition of "home" really well - home isn't a place it's people. Which, at the heart of the Odyssey and Odysseus' journey is exactly the message but with more murder. The prose is very on brand for what young-me would have enjoyed reading but I do wonder, with shifting lexicon markers for today's kids, if it's almost too advanced even with the explanations.
I do kind of pity some school librarians getting kids to read this book... how do you explain the ancient Greek system of describing colour to an 8-12 year old? How do you explain "wine-dark sea" and the NoBody/Nothing thing... and the otter as Deus Ex Machina... It's all exceptionally entertaining though! I really enjoyed it!
I do kind of pity some school librarians getting kids to read this book... how do you explain the ancient Greek system of describing colour to an 8-12 year old? How do you explain "wine-dark sea" and the NoBody/Nothing thing... and the otter as Deus Ex Machina... It's all exceptionally entertaining though! I really enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My rating: 3.5
When pompous cat Butter wakes one morning to find his witch gone, he panics warns his fellow familiar, Owl the raven. Soon they set off on a quest across the sea to find their witch and bring her home. But the duo encounter various challenges along the way.
The magic and whimsy of Witchward Bound never fully clicked for me. The parallels to The Odyssey were too spot on for my liking. I would’ve preferred something a bit more specific to these two characters and perhaps more witchy. Butter and Owl were enjoyable and their dynamic was fun, especially for the younger end of MG readers. On their journey, they learned to get along and respect what each brings to the relationship. It was a lovely message, I just wish it had been delivered in a slightly more meaningful way.
Thank you to Disney Publishing and NetGalley for providing the e-arc for my honest review.
When pompous cat Butter wakes one morning to find his witch gone, he panics warns his fellow familiar, Owl the raven. Soon they set off on a quest across the sea to find their witch and bring her home. But the duo encounter various challenges along the way.
The magic and whimsy of Witchward Bound never fully clicked for me. The parallels to The Odyssey were too spot on for my liking. I would’ve preferred something a bit more specific to these two characters and perhaps more witchy. Butter and Owl were enjoyable and their dynamic was fun, especially for the younger end of MG readers. On their journey, they learned to get along and respect what each brings to the relationship. It was a lovely message, I just wish it had been delivered in a slightly more meaningful way.
Thank you to Disney Publishing and NetGalley for providing the e-arc for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of WitchWard Bound from NetGalley.
This is a warm, whimsical story for young readers about unlikely friends discovering what it means to be brave. Butter and Owl set off on a gentle adventure filled with humour, small surprises, and light challenges along the way.
The pacing is easy to follow and well suited to children, giving space for the story’s charm and character moments to shine without feeling rushed or overwhelming. At its heart, it’s a story about friendship, courage, and kindness.
Overall, Witchward Bound is a lovely choice for young readers who enjoy gentle fantasy, fun characters, and comforting adventure stories
This is a warm, whimsical story for young readers about unlikely friends discovering what it means to be brave. Butter and Owl set off on a gentle adventure filled with humour, small surprises, and light challenges along the way.
The pacing is easy to follow and well suited to children, giving space for the story’s charm and character moments to shine without feeling rushed or overwhelming. At its heart, it’s a story about friendship, courage, and kindness.
Overall, Witchward Bound is a lovely choice for young readers who enjoy gentle fantasy, fun characters, and comforting adventure stories
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
This was a very enjoyable story which I highly recommend for middle grade readers. It offers adventure, mystery, and humor throughout the entire story. I really enjoy word-play and there is also plenty of that in the story. What the story does really well is reimagine Greek stories with new characters and situations. Butter and Owl are loyal and, although they do not always see eye-to-eye on things, have one another's back when things start to go wrong. This is a great start to what is going to be a great series!
This was a very enjoyable story which I highly recommend for middle grade readers. It offers adventure, mystery, and humor throughout the entire story. I really enjoy word-play and there is also plenty of that in the story. What the story does really well is reimagine Greek stories with new characters and situations. Butter and Owl are loyal and, although they do not always see eye-to-eye on things, have one another's back when things start to go wrong. This is a great start to what is going to be a great series!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to netgally and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this book, I love the fact that it is entertaining and educational simultaneous. Even I learned things from this book, so you know that it'll help the elementary/middle school aged children that wind up reading this book feel like they aren't being pandered to while they read a fun adventure! Despite the fact that it is educational, there might be a few words that could be a little challenging for the younger end of the age group this novel is intended for.
Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would recommend this to any of the parent of younger children that are in my life.
Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would recommend this to any of the parent of younger children that are in my life.
October 3, 2026
This is such a delight! A cat and a raven, who are a witch's familiars, are looking for the witch to bring her back home. And on the way, they have an adventure quite similar in a cat and raven sort of way to Homer's Odyssey. There are more elements from Ancient Greece, too.; one character is called Hest; Hestia is the Greek goddess of hearth and home. More poignant is that this book wasn't originally written for publication, but as a personal story for the author as she recovered from illness and loss. But so many of her friends loved the story and that is why we have it in publication form! Lovely story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rated 4.5 stars (I couldn’t add the half-star here).
This story is so cute, heartwarming and has hints of well-known mythology references. I loved the writing style, which might cause some issues for younger readers, but my well-read 4th grader could easily follow along (the parenthetical breaks to add additional insight is pretty much the way my own brain works). The characters learn important lessons on what it means to work together, how to handle self-doubt and self-criticism in the most wholesome of ways.
This story is so cute, heartwarming and has hints of well-known mythology references. I loved the writing style, which might cause some issues for younger readers, but my well-read 4th grader could easily follow along (the parenthetical breaks to add additional insight is pretty much the way my own brain works). The characters learn important lessons on what it means to work together, how to handle self-doubt and self-criticism in the most wholesome of ways.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Homeward Bound meets the Odyssey in a magical world of witches and familiars. This was such a fun, quick read with cute characters that bring the world to life!
As a teacher I really appreciated the vocabulary that was built into the whole book! There were also some great opportunities for discussing problem solving and social emotional learning as Butter and Owl work through their differences and help each other. This book would make a fantastic read aloud at the elementary level for 3-5th grades and an independent read for students at a higher reading level.
As a teacher I really appreciated the vocabulary that was built into the whole book! There were also some great opportunities for discussing problem solving and social emotional learning as Butter and Owl work through their differences and help each other. This book would make a fantastic read aloud at the elementary level for 3-5th grades and an independent read for students at a higher reading level.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
When a witch leaves her home and doesn't tell her two familiars where she is heading, the two set off on an Odyssey inspired adventure to find her and bring her home. This reminded me a bit of Avi's Poppy and Rye books, but is probably best for elementary school students who enjoyed books like DiCamillo's The Norendy Tales. I did love Bow's Stand on the Sky but will pass on this one for middle school (grades 6-8).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Witchward Bound is a warm and cozy adventure with occasional flashes of brilliant dialogue and laugh-out-loud humor. It is like good bread, leavened with laughter, friendship, and learning. And even though it's a small book (more snack sized for me), it feels like a complete, satisfying meal.
The literary allusions and sly humor made this enjoyable for me as an adult, but I think it will be deeply appealing to children, too. It's one that I will recommend to our library for purchase.
The literary allusions and sly humor made this enjoyable for me as an adult, but I think it will be deeply appealing to children, too. It's one that I will recommend to our library for purchase.
September 7, 2026
Butter the cat and Owl the raven are devastated with their Witch disappears. They are her familiars and don't understand why she left and they were left behind. They set off with a sailboat and a bell that shows them her travels. Along the way they face sirens, monsters, gods and ghosts. With additional black and white sketches throughout the book we get to follow them and witness their survival through courage and perseverance. A fun fantasy story about love and home.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a lot of fun and has occasional funny bits that my daughter, age 12, particularly enjoyed. We tried to read a chapter most nights. It is a retelling of The Odyssey in which the main characters are a talking cat and owl. I thought the introduction of new vocabulary words was very skillful; the cat uses large words and has to explain them to the owl.
Read
August 18, 2026Witchward Bound by Erin Bow is a middle-grade fantasy book that takes inspiration from the Odyssey for the characters' adventures. A clever cat and a busy crow are familiars to a witch. When their witch disappears, these two rivals sail off in pursuit and learn to work together to survive the journey. This is a great taste of classic adventure for young readers ready to step beyond chapter books
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I saw there was a snarky cat in this book, and that's all I needed. Butter is full of personality! He and Owl are familiars of a witch who has gone missing. They set out on a quest to find her, vastly over-estimating their skills to do so. They encounter sirens, and a stone monster, in addition to helpful creatures that assist them on their journey.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An adorable middle grade Odyssey inspired story where a witch goes missing and her familiars go on an adventure to find her! Great vocabulary and wide interest level!
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for the eARC!
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for the eARC!
September 12, 2026
Chock full of wonderful wordplay and endearing messages, this will be a delightful family read aloud. It also has the lovely humor we all loved in Simon Sort of Says. Not sure it will work as well as a read alone - the language is fairly elevated for he audience who will enjoy the story.
September 12, 2026
Very funny, tongue-in-cheek story about an excitable raven and a fat cat who lose their witch (they're her familiars) and must go on an odyssey-inspired adventure (quest) to find her and re-unite their little family.
July 11, 2026
cute in theory, but I really didn’t connect with the writing style unfortunately..
September 15, 2026
Ish ish. Lots of play on words but not captivating enough for a read-aloud.
October 5, 2026
A perfect gem.
October 6, 2026
With wordplay, humor, and adventure this tale of odd buddies on a Heroic Quest will appeal to younger middle-grade readers (grades 3-4) who enjoy animal tales. Butter the cat and Owl the raven are familiars of a young witch. When their witch unexpectedly leaves, they set off on their Heroic Quest to find her and bring her home. Older readers will recognize some allusions to The Odyssey in their journey upon the wine-dark sea but that knowledge, which might enhance a grown-up’s enjoyment of the story as a read-aloud. Younger readers will delight in the characters and in the journey towards friendship and finding home.
Book Pairings:
Younger readers who enjoyed the Murry and Bun! series will find this a fun next step-up.
Book Pairings:
Younger readers who enjoyed the Murry and Bun! series will find this a fun next step-up.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews