Quirky, fresh, and full of humor.
A girl comes of age in a Britain that’s devoid of magic in this graphic novel retelling of Arthurian legend in which the tales of the past have a bearing on the protagonist’s destiny.
After she’s named Young Hag by her grandmother, Ancient Crone, the girl learns that she, her grandmother, and her mother (Nearly Wizened One) are “the last real witches in Britain.” They have been without magic, however, ever since the paths between the Otherworld, or the Land of Faerie, and the human world were blocked long ago by the Lady of the Lake. But when they come across a changeling baby, Ancient Crone knows it means that a door somewhere has been opened. Thus begins a quest to find the door, restore the balance between the worlds, right certain wrongs that Ancient Crone is responsible for, and exchange the changeling for the missing baby sister of Tom, a human boy. As they journey on their quest, Ancient Crone tells them tales of Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, King Arthur, Morgan le Fay, and Lancelot, as well as other legends that have a direct bearing on their family and quest. The storytelling sparkles with irreverent humor, and the characters’ irrepressible personalities jump off the pages with joyful visual flourishes. Greenberg’s characters are diverse in skin tone, one of the many refreshing touches to this charming story within a story.
Quirky, fresh, and full of humor. (cast of characters, maps, author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9781419765117
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Flipping awesome.
After a wish goes wrong, a girl and her crush must figure out how to break a body-switching curse.
Chi-Chi Ekeh feels invisible. Like her previous crushes, hot varsity swimmer Flip Henderson—yet another rich white boy at her Texas boarding school—seems unaware of her existence. With only weeks until graduation, Nigerian American Chi-Chi’s friends Esther and Yesenia dare her to ask Flip to Senior Festival. But Flip accidentally shows her promposal video to the whole class—and immediately turns her down. Embarrassed, Chi-Chi flees, but her innocent remark—“I just wish Flip Henderson liked me”—has unexpected consequences. After falling and hitting her head, Chi-Chi wakes up in Flip’s body, and he in hers. Freaked out beyond belief and regularly switching bodies, Chi-Chi and Flip work with Esther and Yesenia to break the curse. Meanwhile, forced to see herself through someone else’s eyes, Chi-Chi must confront uncomfortable feelings. There’s much to love about this book. The fully realized and sympathetic characters, sincere and humorous development of friendships, and protagonist’s relatable and bittersweet emotional journey will keep readers engaged, eager to reach the resolution. Ukazu carefully balances tough topics like self-hatred, depression, and suicidal ideation with funny feel-good moments, deftly rendered in her characteristically expressive style. The dynamic and engaging illustrations bring to life a heartwarming story of self-love, acceptance, and true connection.
Flipping awesome. (author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781250179517
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Hinds adds another magnificent adaptation to his oeuvre (King Lear, 2009, etc.) with this stunning graphic retelling of Homer’s epic. Following Odysseus’s journey to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, readers are transported into a world that easily combines the realistic and the fantastic. Gods mingle with the mortals, and not heeding their warnings could lead to quick danger; being mere men, Odysseus and his crew often make hasty errors in judgment and must face challenging consequences. Lush watercolors move with fluid lines throughout this reimagining. The artist’s use of color is especially striking: His battle scenes are ample, bloodily scarlet affairs, and Polyphemus’s cave is a stifling orange; he depicts the underworld as a colorless, mirthless void, domestic spaces in warm tans, the all-encircling sea in a light Mediterranean blue and some of the far-away islands in almost tangibly growing greens. Don’t confuse this hefty, respectful adaptation with some of the other recent ones; this one holds nothing back and is proudly, grittily realistic rather than cheerfully cartoonish. Big, bold, beautiful. (notes) (Graphic classic. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4266-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
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