• Author: Dodie Graham McKay (Dodie Graham McKay)
• Artist: Laura Tempest Zakroff (Laura Tempest Zakroff – Artist – Author – Witch)
• Publisher: Llewellyn (A Witch’s Ally Oracle | Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.)
• Date of Publication: January 2026
• RRP: US$24.99 / GB£27.00
• ISBN-13: 9780738779980
• Reviewer: Cadence (IG: @temperanceandtruth)

A Witch’s Ally Oracle is an upcoming deck by Canada-based author and green witch, Dodie Graham McKay, with illustrations by US-based artist, Laura Tempest Zakroff. McKay is a filmmaker as well as an author of other books, including a separate companion book called A Witch’s Ally. Zakroff is an author and deck creator herself, with familiar titles such as The Anatomy of a Witch Oracle and the Liminal Spirits Oracle. A Witch’s Ally Oracle is meant to provide a means of connecting to species in the animal kingdom, and to perceive the particular energy each species offers the world as part of their natural history and innate abilities. The deck comprises 48 cards featuring species the author considers to be especially magical.

The reader is asked to rely primarily on their intuition to read the deck, using the imagery before consulting the guidebook. The hand-painted art is stunning, with a close perspective of each animal. In addition, the artist has created a sigil for each card; sigil witchery is one of the artist’s specialties. The sigils are a symbolic representation of each species, and most are visually similar to each animal. While it is neat to see the symbol, it also feels a bit redundant. With the artist’s strong background in sigil creation and methodology, it would have been interesting to see a more abstract sigil for each species.

Each card is titled solely with the species’ name. When I first opened the deck, it reminded me immediately of the reference card sets my daughter and I played with ad infinitum when she was very young…and therein lies the problem for me. Each card is labeled with the umbrella name of the species; that is, the name that we casually use when referring to a member of a particular family or order of each animal: Cow, Dog, Turtle, Owl, Frog, Snake, Hawk, etc. Had a particular species of all of these animals been portrayed and identified (for instance: Holstein Cow, Red-tailed Hawk, Barn Owl, or Corn Snake), the titles would make sense. I would venture to say that almost every adult looking at this deck could easily identify each animal with their commonly used name, so this is another aspect that feels redundant to me. While I’m guessing the author chose to maintain simplicity in the names/titles in order to allow the reader to stretch their intuition, I think it would have been better to use some of the wonderful information provided in the guidebook.

Let’s look at the entry for Mouse. A single keyword, “Detail”, is provided as a broad meaning along with the sigil; in this case, the sigil looks like a rudimentary outline of a mouse. Next, four keywords are given: “Quietness, fastidiousness, mildness, homebody.” A description follows: “Through dark tunnels and dim passages, Mouse knows every nook and cranny of their limited world. Mouse is cautious, alert, and aware.” A wonderful section detailing the natural history of mice is provided which explains their habits, habitats, and characteristics. A folklore section follows with selected myths, superstitions, and magical correspondences. In this case, the association between mice and witches in British lore is described, as well as the common signs or omens that mice may portend. Lastly, is a section called Messages. For the mouse, the messages are: “Look at the bigger picture. You are getting lost in the details”; “Maintaining a quiet background presence shows consistency and support”; and “Careful planning and more information are needed”. The guidebook entries are so rich with information and guidance that it feels like such a missed opportunity, as any portion of the entry would have been a fantastic addition to the card imagery.  In addition, I think that the keywords and/or one of the messages would have been particularly useful.

The production, however, is fantastic. The set is in Llewellyn’s new smaller format, with a magnetic box and a ribbon for ease of access. The borderless cards are glossy, flexible, and easy to shuffle, despite the size (approximately 95 x 140mm). The guidebook is full color and a few spreads are included in the back. The lovely card backs feature a witch dancing with several animals around a fire.

I can see this oracle working great as a pairing with a tarot deck in a similar art style. Despite my feelings around the titles and the sigils, there is no doubt that this deck is beautiful. The guidebook provides anyone interested in animal familiars with a wealth of information and excellent messages. This deck would appeal to those who prefer a scaled-back oracle card, to those seeking to work with animal spirit energy, and to those just getting into tarot and oracle card pairings.

Author bios taken from their respective websites:

https://www.dodiegrahammckay.com

Hi, I’m Dodie Graham McKay. I’m a writer, green witch, and filmmaker. I’m inspired to document and share stories that capture the beauty of nature and the visible and invisible realms of magic and witchcraft. I’m the author of Earth Magic: The Elements of Witchcraft (Llewellyn, 2021) and A Witch’s Ally: Building a Magical Relationship with Animal Familiars & Companions (Llewellyn, 2024). My documentary films include The WinniPagans, Starry Nights, and the four-part Fibe TV series Exploring the Sacred. I spend my spare time walking my dogs and facilitating a busy coven. I live in Treaty One Territory, Homeland of the Métis Nation—Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. https://lauratempestzakroff.com/

Laura Temptest Zakroff is a professionally trained visual artist and designer, receiving her BFA in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and having trained at Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts. Her artwork has received awards and honors worldwide, and has been published in numerous books and magazines. Her work embodies myth and the esoteric through her drawings and paintings, jewelry, talismans, and other designs. Coming from a long line of diverging cultures, she is most at ease in blending her skills and inspirations throughout all of her work.

This deck will be available for purchase in the USA January 2026 at the link below:

https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738779980

The title will be released in the UK on 8 February 2026