In the next chapter, Mildred and Maud inadvertently make an invisibility potion instead of a laughing potion in their class test. Steinberg, Brian (31 August 2016). "Netflix Sets Tween Series 'Worst Witch,' 'Horse Mystery Project' For 2017". Variety . Retrieved 9 July 2018.

Each book covers one term at the school. There are two terms each year: the Winter term, from September to January, and the Summer term, from March to July. In First Prize for the Worst Witch, the most recent book, Mildred is in the Summer term of her fourth year. Jill Murphy: Biography". Images of Delight: Original artwork from children's book illustrators. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007 . Retrieved 17 April 2008. Publication of The Worst Witch finally came about, as Jill Murphy recalled, "thanks to a series of coincidences involving me spending time in Ghana, and a friend meeting Margaret Busby (Ghanaian herself, and considering starting a children's list for her imprint) at a publishers' party in London". [6] [8] [10] The Worst Witch was finally published in 1974, when Murphy was 24, by the small independent company Allison and Busby. Jill Murphy was born in London in 1949. From a very early age she was drawing and writing stories, and was already putting books together (literally, with a stapler) by the time she was six. She went on to study at Chelsea, Croydon and Camberwell Schools of Art. Jill worked in a children's home for four years and as a nanny for a year, before becoming a freelance writer and illustrator.Wild, Stephi (3 April 2019). "THE WORST WITCH Flies Into The West End For A Strictly Limited Season". Broadway World . Retrieved 22 August 2021. Mildred, much to her disappointment, has been chosen to work lantern monitor along with Drusilla and Ethel. On that first night, Maud spots a shooting star, and Mildred makes a wish, followed by Miss Hardbroom, who does the same reluctantly. On the first lantern monitor shift, Mildred is given a holdall containing safety objects in it. When she reaches the gates to finish the job, Mildred spots a stray dog, who she names Star. She takes him to her bedroom as a secret pet, much to the disapproval of Tabby.

The book is set in the summer term of the fourth year, where Mildred is competing with Ethel for who will be Head Girl in the fifth year. Its writing was delayed when Murphy underwent cancer treatment. [9] Setting [ edit ] a b c Flood, Alison (25 January 2017). "Jill Murphy: 'I just wanted to have a book on the shelf' ". The Guardian. Mildred is awoken by her bedroom door shutting, only to find that everything looks giant-sized, even Tabby. Peeking in the mirror, she finds that somebody has turned her into a frog. When jumping onto her bed, the frog-Mildred notices a tatty handful of weeds on her pillow, no doubt left by Ethel as a reference to her family's insult and why she turned her into the frog. The Worst Witch books are also availible in Dutch: “De Hopeloze Heks” (The Hopeless Witch), “De hopeless Heks slaat opnieuw toe” (The Hopeless Witch Strikes Again), “De Hopeloze Heks zit in de Knoei” (The Hopeless Witch is in Trouble), "De Hopeloze Heks Gaat naar zee" (The Hopeless Witch Goes to Sea), "The Hopeloze Heks Redt de School" (The Hopeless Witch Saves the School), and "De Hopeloze Heks weet het beter" (The Hopeless Witch Knows Best). When I was eighteen, I knew I wanted to write a book about a hopeless case at school (based on me being a hopeless case in my first term at 'big' school!) but there were hundreds of school stories, so it needed to be different. My two friends and I used to come home in our dark uniforms, looking very scruffy at the end of the day - my dark plaits sprouting tufts, with lost hair ribbons. My Mum used to say "Look at you all. You look like the three witches!" and it gave me the idea for a witch's school - so that it was exactly like my school, but with a subtle touch of magic. All the characters are based on my school friends (and enemies) and teachers." [5]Jill Murphy is a London-born English children's author, best known for The Worst Witch series and the Large Family picture books. She has been described as "one of the most engaging writers and illustrators for children in the land." Murphy began writing The Worst Witch at the age of 15, and based the Worst Witch books on her own experiences of school at Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon, England, [3] with Singing becoming Chanting, Chemistry becoming Potions and so on. The books have been released as audio books on CD and cassette, with books 1-5 read by Miriam Margolyes, and books 6 and 7 read by Gemma Arterton. The first five books have been re-released read by Gemma Arterton, and Barbara Flynn has also recorded Worst Witch audio books. a b c Vincent, Alice (31 October 2014). "An oral history of The Worst Witch....The Worst Witch was only published because of a party". The Telegraph.