🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Jill Murphy
Jill Murphy is children’s fiction author best known for “The Worst Witch” series of novels. Murphy has been called one of the most engaging illustrators and writers of children’s books in the United Kingdom. Jill was born to an Irish engineer and a book maniac mother who had books all over the house. Growing up in London, she was interested in storytelling and illustrating right from the time she could hold a pen and pencil in hand. By the time she was two years old, she was playing with pens drawing odd shapes on sheets of drawing her mother had. Her mother supported her creativity and kept all her scrapbooks which she still has to this day. She is one of those people that are very fortunate to see how her drawing and handwriting have grown in leaps and bounds over time.
All Book Series by Jill Murphy
The Worst Witch All at Sea / The Worst Witch at Sea
Book 4 of 9 · published 1995
First Prize for the Worst Witch
Latest in the series · book 9 of 9 · published 2018
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jill Murphy?
Jill Murphy is children's fiction author best known for “The Worst Witch” series of novels. Murphy has been called one of the most engaging illustrators and writers of children's books in the United Kingdom. Jill was born to an Irish engineer and a book maniac mother who had books all over the house.
Which Jill Murphy series should I start with?
The best place to start is The Worst Witch series, the earliest of Jill Murphy's multi-book series: it opens with The Worst Witch (1974) and runs to 9 books across 1974–2018, ending with First Prize for the Worst Witch (2018). Jill Murphy's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Jill Murphy written?
Jill Murphy has 34 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1973 and 2020. 22 of them belong to 2 named series — the largest being The Large Family series with 13 books — and 12 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Jill Murphy's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Jill Murphy's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are The Worst Witch (1974–2018, 9 books) and The Large Family (1980–2017, 13 books).
How are Jill Murphy's books organised into series?
This guide splits Jill Murphy's 34 books into 2 named series and 12 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: The Large Family (13 books, 1980–2017); The Worst Witch (9 books, 1974–2018).