An absolutely bewitching sequel.
After fighting the darkness that consumed his great-uncle, young witch Aster must now help him heal.
In this sequel to Witch Boy (2017), Aster’s family has agreed to let him become a witch and take classes with the girls. His grandmother offers to help him with his studies in return for a favor: He must help remove the dark magic from her brother, the evil Mikasi, who has transformed into the beast who nearly destroyed Aster’s family. Outside Aster’s magical compound, his friend Charlie is trying to befriend the new girl at school, Ariel. Living with a foster family, Ariel has been bullied in the past and harbors deep distrust and resentment. When a darkness similar to Mikasi’s begins to overtake her, will Charlie and Aster be able to help Ariel in time? Although Aster has gained his family’s acceptance to learn magic forbidden for boys, his defiance of gender and social constraints is still in the forefront here; along a similar vein, his cousin decides that he wants to stop practicing shape-shifting altogether, defying the familial dynamic. Themes of bullying are also deftly explored, with Ariel both a victim and a bully. Ostertag’s sophomore effort is every bit as wonderful as its predecessor, with continued strong worldbuilding, lovely large and bright illustrations, and its approachable and diverse cast that runs a true-to-life spectrum encompassing white-, tan-, and dark-skinned characters as well as same-sex relationships. Aster’s biracial (black/white), Charlie’s black, and Ariel’s Latinx.
An absolutely bewitching sequel. (Graphic fantasy. 7-12)Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-25376-4
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
One rotten apple aside, a second helping of tasty treats.
The Comics Squad moves from Recess! (2014) to an even more popular theme with a fresh set of minicomics created by a (mostly) fresh slate of artists.
Most of the eight entries at least start in the lunchroom: the Holms’ Babymouse and friends defend their accustomed table (unsuccessfully) against rivals in a dodgeball duel; Cece Bell’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Lunch” features a boy-dazzled picky eater whose courage is goosed by a hallucinatory episode; Krosoczka dishes up a Lunch Lady origin story with “Lunch Girl” battling a bully. Further afield, Nathan Hale retells a true World War II battle tale involving a Japanese submarine and hurled potatoes, and Jeffrey Brown follows a pair of adolescent Neanderthals gathering ingredients for “Cave Soup.” A multistranded detective tale by Jason Shiga is hard to digest, as it is presented in many small, out-of-order panels linked by arrows and so requires much flipping back and forth. But the real bomb comes from “Peanuts Worldwide LLC” (the actual creators are named only in the closing author notes). Reading like a clumsy sendup, it features Snoopy creating lunchroom chaos with a mop while making silent comments like “The Head Beagle values cleanliness… / but won’t cross the unions!” One can imagine what Charles Schulz would say.
One rotten apple aside, a second helping of tasty treats. (Graphic anthology. 7-12)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-51264-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
With school giving way to summer, precocious Phoebe and her utterly narcissistic unicorn best friend, Marigold Heavenly...
In this third installment, Phoebe and her unicorn find themselves encountering yet more whimsical hilarity.
With school giving way to summer, precocious Phoebe and her utterly narcissistic unicorn best friend, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, learn they will be attending music camp. At Camp Wolfgang, Phoebe meets Sue, who may—or may not—be perkily homicidal and who ultimately becomes her new best (human) friend. Phoebe also meets Marigold's sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils, so named for her ability to sneeze spiders. In the titular episode, Phoebe must rescue her frenemy, Dakota, when she’s kidnapped by goblins attracted to her enchanted hair. Throughout all their adventures, Phoebe maintains her wide-eyed innocence as a foil to Marigold's snarky arrogance. While the volume covers a specific linear time period, from summer to fall, the vignettes feel loose and disjointed, and they are often punctuated by shorter interstitials; the extended antics aren't enough to provide cohesion. However, the dreamy candy-colored sparkle-filled panels starring a giggle-worthy, pompous unicorn may be too much for some to resist. Fans of the series may appreciate its untiring comedic banter, but the endless sparkles and running jokes start to lose a bit of their luster, making this feel a bit like a one-trick pony—er, unicorn. (Graphic fantasy. 7-12)Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4494-7628-1
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
