Do not be put off by the title of the book. Grady Hendrix is known for teen horror books, and by incorporating witchcraft into a story of pregnant girls at the end of the 1960’s in this book, I believe she was trying to establish a metaphor for how women who don’t conform to expectations of men are considered evil or bad. At the end of the 1960’s and increasingly in certain facets of our own lives, this message seems to be one close to her heart as she crafted the narrative. In the story, “Fern” as she is dubbed at Wellwood Home, is pregnant and being sent away from her town to hide with other “Wayward Girls” to avoid shame. Here, the girls are forced to work for their keep until the doctor deems it too hard—despite their parents paying for them to stay there.  Each girl comes with her own tale of how she became wayward…down to the youngest…just 13 years old. Little Holly was abused by her pastor who is waiting to adopt the baby after its birth. Each tale indicates the manipulation and abandonment of these girls in a time of little autonomy for women. However, once a week, Fern finds refuge in the books of the traveling library that comes. To her frustration, everything she chooses to read is nixed by those in charge and finally the mysterious librarian slips her a book titled The Groovy Witch’s Guide to Magic. Though not enthused at the gift, Fern is urged to open and try it by the other girls, and they unleash a power they have never known as teen girls. Intoxicated by their newfound ability, they find themselves embroiled in more than illegitimate babies. They find everything that feels good comes with responsibilities. As I said, I am not into witchcraft, but the extended metaphor for female empowerment in the current political climate is even more haunting than the evil they unleash.

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