Witch Hat Atelier 1 by Kamome Shirahama

I've packed in more graphic novels/mangas than usual this month, simply because they are always happily seen by young readers. Plus, I enjoy them, too. Today's read hits a series which has existed for several years already, but it's one I haven't had a chance to pick up yet. I'm betting, at least, some of you have already read or heard about this one. And if so, feel free to leave your thoughts below! I love hearing what others think of the reads I present but don't get much exchange on that front.

Anyway, let's settle into our chairs and take a look at this one!

WITCH HAT ATELIER 1

by Kamome Shirahama

Kodansha Comics

YA Fantasy    /   Manga

208 pages

A TOUCH OF MAGIC

In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch…until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem…

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

With a dash of Howl's Moving Castle, this adventure opens up to magic, friendship, and learning to chase possibilities.

Coco would love to be a witch ever since she saw magic for the first time. Unfortunately, witches are born to be witches, and she wasn't. Still, she loves her mother and doesn't mind working in the shop. When a magical carriage appears, she can't believe that such magic has arrived in their village, but that is nothing compared to the strange man, who wants to buy cloth from their store. He seems to watch Coco closely, especially when his identity as a witch is made known, and she tells him about her own, silly dream. However, when she mentions that a man once gave her a picture book and a pen in the form of a wand, his interest increases tenfold. By accident, she learns that witches draw spells; they don't cast them. And the book she received is full of all sorts of spells. So, she tries them on her own and, unknowingly, releases a forbidden spell which traps her mother. Unfortunately, the book disappears in the chaos, so the witch can't help. But he has another proposal... to save her mother, she needs to become one of his apprentices, and then, she'll gain access to a place which might hold the key to saving her mother.

This is a delightful tale, and it's no surprise that it's as popular as it is. Coco is a simple girl with big wishes and a heart of gold. She's humble and kind, and carries just the right amount of naiveness to step into all sorts of adventures and learn along the way. The world is well laid out and the magical rules are nicely set and explained. Add that her mother and her have a wonderful relationship, and there's tons of heart and goodness. This, then, clashes nicely as Coco steps into the witch's world and joins his handful of apprentices. Each of the three girls carries a very different personality and there's friction right away. Danger and tension slide right in to keep the pages turning while the wonder and mystery and enjoyable suspense and expectations. All along, Coco's beaming personality and heart keep everything wholesome and even add a dash of humor.

The artwork is so easy to get lost in and enjoy each scene. This is a manga and needs to be read as such, but this aspect flows seamlessly. It's an inviting tale and I can't wait to jump into the next volume and see what Coco is up to next because she has quite the journey ahead of her.

Aiko and the Planet of Dogs by Ainhoa Cayuso and Christoffer Ellegaard

Today's read greets from France and was translated into English, hitting the market about two years ago. I'm a little late with taking a look at it, but couldn't pass by. First, I have a soft spot for works from other countries. Second, the cover is eye-catching with the wide-eyed girl in the middle of brightly colored dogs...all watching her. Lastly, it's a scifi picture book! I'm ready to fly to the stars to see what a planet of dogs looks like. I do expect interesting illustrations, since this does come from a more known illustrator...and what else? Honestly, that's why I picked it up...to find out.

So, let's do just that!

AIKO AND THE PLANET OF DOGS

by Ainhoa Cayuso

Translated by Irene Vazquez

Illustrated by Christoffer Ellegaard

Levine Querdo

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Talking space dogs + courageous girl astronaut + giant hungry catfish = one fun picture book

Aiko is a courageous astronaut, specially trained to brave the extremes of space. The whole of humanity is counting on her success. But on a planet that shows signs of life, something goes awry, and when she wakes up, she finds . . . a pack of dogs? And . . . they can talk?

Descended from the valiant astro-dogs who first traveled in space, these canines have cut off all contact with Earth. They’ve found a new planet where they can live, far from humanity and their former masters. (Yes, that doesn’t explain how they can talk, but that’s a little complicated, so let’s move on.)

Aiko is delighted. This discovery will make her the most famous astronaut on Earth! The dogs are . . . less delighted. “Finish your lunch,” they say. “We need to walk you before your bedtime.” They're going to keep her prisoner on their planet rather than let humanity find them again.

Can Aiko find her way home? Can the dogs protect THEIR home? Dear reader, we think you’ll enjoy finding out!

GOODREADS    /   PUBLISHER    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

It's off to space as these pages follow a young girl's exploration of the great beyond and her visit to a planet full of dogs.

Aiko travels through space on a mission to discover what the vast universe holds. When she sees a planet which looks promising for life, she decides to take a closer look, but things don't go quite as planned and her ship is ruined. But Aiko is not one to easily give up...after all, she's highly trained. But she's finding nothing and soon falls asleep on the barren planet's terrain. When she wakes up, she's in a big bed and surrounded by dogs. Weirder yet, they speak. When they explain that they are the descendents of the dogs, which humans sent into space many years earlier for exploration purposes, things make sense. She can't wait to tell Earth about her huge discovery, but this is exactly what the dogs don't want to have happen.

This is an imagination packed read, which sends readers on a delightful journey into space. Aiko's level-head decisions and kind heart make her easy to root for and allow readers/listeners to sink into her journey. The dogs are fun to meet, and the addition of these animals evolving from earlier sent spacecraft from Earth adds a clever twist. That said, this isn't a read for the youngest listeners out there, since the plot is engaging and leans to a bit more weaving. Tension mounts as Aiko is taken prisoner, and the hostile atmosphere is palpable even if staying completely age appropriate. It delivers food for thought. I'd recommend this one to readers five and up...if not a little older even than that. But as said, the material is completely age appropriate, and even the tension stays within the age group's range. The ending rounds everything off nicely, letting dreams expand and adding some material to think about...just a bit.

The illustrations are bright and bold and make each scene pop without shame. Pinks and blues blast from every page to form a very colorful world. It melds right into the fantasy end and lets the tale pull away from the familiar, while the details pull back in with things from everyday life with the dogs, bedroom, and more. Add a teeny dash of humor, here and there, and it's a well-rounded tale. It creates an original read with depth and excitement to sink into, while working nicely for story time.

Dangerous Influence by Sally Nicholls

Today's read caught my attention due to the subject matter. It heads into the world of influencers and takes a look at what happens when their children get older. This should be told from the viewpoint of a teen girl, and I'm curious how it goes. I also appreciate the shorter length of this one and am curious to see how the tale slides into a book, which is less than 130 pages. This doesn't hit the shelves until January, so there's a longer wait, but I couldn't help but take an early peek.

Let's open it up and see what it holds, shall we?

DANGEROUS INFLUENCE

by Sally Nicholls

Barrington Stoke

YA Contemporary

128 pages

COMING JANUARY 26th, 2027!!!

Acclaimed author Sally Nicholls delivers a gripping yet sensitive portrayal of the complex dynamics of influencer culture and the dangers of oversharing online.

Ever since she was little, Anna and her sister Josie have been the main feature of her mum’s vlogs and social media posts, which have documented every moment of their lives, from family dinners to temper tantrums. While Josie seems to enjoy the attention, Anna has always felt uncomfortable with her entire life being laid bare online.

But then it becomes clear that Josie is being stalked by one of her followers, and both girls decide that enough is enough. They refuse to allow their mum to film them any more, but will she finally take them seriously when her entire livelihood depends on Anna and Josie being content for her followers?

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

With a bit of tension and a lot of thought, these pages dive into the problem of influencers' children as they are now growing up.

Anna is now a teen, and for as long as she can remember, her mother has incorporated her and her sister's lives into social media posts. While her mother became famous as a mother-vlogger, Anna doesn't want to be involved anymore, since it's seriously hampering her social life in the most awkward of ways. But then, she's never been happy about the constant video life. Her sister, however, has always shined and has even started her own social media presence. When Anna meets a new friend at school who explains that Anna should be getting paid for her participation in her mother's success, Anna finally sees a possible out. But then, a more unpleasant side-effect of the constant social media presence seeps in. Her sister is being stalked.

The theme of this read hits a modern day issue spot-on...and one that isn't often mentioned. This book takes a look at the problems influencers' children, who have been featured in their videos while younger, can face when hitting their teenage years. Videos don't always age well, especially when placed against normal teen problems of insecurity, peer scrutiny, and the like. The author works this aspect in nicely as Anna faces videos of her toilet training years and such. Then, there's the problem of these teens simply trying to find their own place in the world, and Anna and her sister need to battle against the social media presence which has defined their complete lives until that point. Also, the author hits upon the problem of predators, and how this can infiltrate in horrible ways...although the author does keep this aspect on the tamer end to keep this friendly for upper middle graders and lower teen readers, too.

Anna's perspective defines this read. It's easy to sympathize with Anna and understand her issues. It's also clear that things need to change. Still, some of Anna's actions aren't well thought out or the best plan of action. This fits her age group wonderfully and makes her realistic. At the same time, the consequences aren't really there, either. I was glad to see that the mother's reasons for her actions aren't forgotten, although Anna never seems to truly understand it even at the end. There's also a side-plot with their 'never seen' grandmother and a relationship gone bad between her and the mother, which works to define some of the reasons behind the mother's behavior. The stalker side adds tension but is kept light. Everything works, but I think that's where the short length of the book exposes weaknesses over a slightly longer read, which can bring in more richness.

That said, I do appreciate the shortness of the read, especially since the author, obviously, wrote this with weaker readers in mind. The sentence structure, sentence length, and vocabulary head toward a slightly lower reading level than usual young adult books. So, this one is good for those readers, who aren't avid word masters. It also works nicely for slightly younger readers, since the material is never inappropriate. 

And here she is...

Sally Nicholls is a highly acclaimed writer for children, best known for her sensitive portrayal of difficult subjects for a younger age group. Her debut novel,Ways to Live Forever, won the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize and was made into a film. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages and her YA novel about the suffrage movement,Things a Bright Girl Can Dowas shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.

Happy Book Birthday, 13 Demons Dead by Adam Tierney and Saspy!

This month, I have several graphic  novels on my pile...which is perfect, especially since they go in all sorts of directions and for different audiences. Today's read hits paranormal with adventure and action for the young adult audience. I'm pretty sure this one heads into the demon-slaying direction, but I'm not sure if it will be spookier or packed with adventure. Maybe both?

Snuggle down into that chair because we're about to find out.

13 DEMONS DEAD

by Adam Tierney and Saspy

Illustrated by Neil Uyetake

IDW Publishing

YA Fantasy   /   Graphic Novels

264 pages

This teenage girl has just one year to defeat thirteen invisible demons…without flunking out of high school!

Fourteen-year-old Everly “Ev” Espada is walking home one night when she spots her favorite teacher, Father Serrano, suspended in midair, choking and being ripped apart by something she can’t see. Acting on pure instinct, Ev swings a nearby pipe and shatters the illusion, exposing a monstrous demon in the middle of her school. With one lucky shot, the creature is dead. And so is Ev’s normal life.

By killing one of Earth’s Thirteen Hidden Demons, Ev has unknowingly triggered an ancient covenant. She’s been marked as the latest demon hunter, and the remaining twelve demons are already coming for her. The rules are simple and merciless: slay all thirteen within one year… or they will return more powerful, more vicious, and utterly unstoppable.

This high-octane, black-and-white, manga-inspired graphic novel comes from writer Adam Tierney (Teen Titans Go!) and artist Saspy, delivering brutal action, emotional stakes, and cinematic monster-slaying on every page.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Dangerous demon-hunting mixes with teen problems to create a quick-paced read with tons of surprises.

Everly isn't sure about much in life, except that she wants to avoid the school's mean girl and not necessarily celebrate her 14th birthday with a surprise party...which happens anyway and isn't so surprising thanks to her predictable family. After walking her best friend home after the party, Everly hears a cry for help and finds one of the teachers, Father Serrano, being brutally hoisted through the air by nothing. Determined to help, she grabs a broken piece of pipe and swings it at the air below him and kills a demon. Father Serrano claims she's now the new demon hunter and must kill thirteen demons by the year's end...or rather nine, since he already defeated five and she took out one herself. Everly wants nothing to do with any of this and hopes it just goes away, but soon she's confronted with the next demon. One after the other, they are coming for her, and if she doesn't figure out how to defeat them, they will destroy her.

In these pages, demon hunting is tied together with the Catholic church, heaven, and hell. While Father Serrano, at first, is the only one who seems to see demons outside of her, she does find unexpected help along the way. Somewhat, anyway. Plus, her best friend completely has her back even if the girl is unable to see the demons and isn't really a fighter. But then, neither is Everly. Everly has quite the task in front of her and isn't given much help when it comes to figuring everything out. That adds mystery and a grabbing level of uncertainty to the story. Add the very different demons and the danger they pose, and there's never a boring moment. 

But this isn't only about demon hunting. Everly also is trying to balance school work, family, and social issues at the same time. The demon hunting end doesn't help on any of these fronts, and she soon finds everything imploding around her. Still, there are nods at family goodness despite issues, golden friendships, and learning to go beyond the comfort zone. All of this weaves right into the main plot to create even more chaos for Everly. 

There is violence, but thanks to the black and white illustrations and style, this isn't presented with too much gore, either. It works well for the young adult level, keeping the action engaging and the moments dangerous. There is a dusting of situation humor, every now and then, to add a bit of lightness, but it's the mystery mixed with Everly's battle to figure out how to keep all aspects of her life together, which really make this an enjoyable read.

Happy Book Birthday, I Am Rare by Melissa White Boyer!

 

It's been a bit since I shouted out a book birthday. Summers tend to be slow in the publishing world, but things should be picking up here again soon. Still, I'm thrilled to celebrate another book birthday with everyone. 

Today's read should be uplifting and inspiring. It's written to let young listeners know how special each one is. In this case, it centers on those kids, who have rare conditions. I'm looking forward to seeing how the author does this. The cover looks very promising and cheerful...and good vibes are a definite must in this category.

So, let's see if this one deserves a thumbs up or not!

I AM RARE

by Melissa White Boyer

Illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski

Yuni Press

Picture Book

42 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING AUGUST 4th!!!

I Am Rare is a lyrical picture book told in the voice of a boy with an ultra-rare genetic condition. As he explores what makes him unique, he discovers that rare doesn’t mean wrong — it just means few — and that even superheroes draw their powers from what makes them different. A heartfelt story about identity, belonging, and the light within us all.

GOODREADS 

MY TIDBITS

With colorful illustrations and a positive atmosphere, this read inpsiress those with rare genetic diseases and awakens awareness for those around them.

This is a niche read, which does a lovely job at encouraging those young listeners, who suffer from rare genetic diseases. With flowing rhyme and a hint of playfulness, it begins with a very superficial look at genetics and how they form each individual. Then, it slides into the inspiring message surrounding being special and rare. Each page remains cheerful and embraces a child-centered direction to keep things light and fun. Still, the message is loud and clear, making sure that young listeners leave with an uplifted feeling. 

The very slight dive into genetics does a nice job at explaining how they make each person different without going more in depth. There are a few more difficult terms, and these are added to a glossary at the end of the book. There are also discussion questions at the end to help develop conversations and ensure understanding. So, it makes a well-rounded, positive read for those with these types of conditions and those around them.

And here she is...

Melissa White Boyer is an author and advocate whose work explores identity, empathy, and belonging through storytelling. Inspired by her family’s journey navigating a rare genetic diagnosis, she wrote I Am Rare to help children understand that what makes them different can also be a source of strength. She is a co-founder of a nonprofit supporting families affected by rare diseases. At home, her favorite moments are the simple ones, like dancing in the kitchen with her husband and their three children.
You can read more about her on her website.

Instagram: @melissawhiteboyer
Facebook: @melissawhiteboyer

INTERVIEW

1. What inspired you to write “I Am Rare”, and how did your experience as a parent shape the story?

The inspiration for I Am Rare came as I sought the words to help my own child understand his rare diagnosis. I wanted to give him words that he could hold on to; words that were simple enough for him to understand, but empowering in the metaphor of superheroes deriving their powers from their mutations also. I imagined him explaining this to his peers with pride in his differences rather than embarrassment. As I wrote this for him, I just knew there were so many other families also struggling to find the words to help their child understand their differences, regardless of their rare diagnosis. This is when I Am Rare was born. 

2. Why was it important for the book not to focus on a single diagnosis?

The heart of I Am Rare is about understanding where genetic differences come from and discovering the light and power that come from truly accepting oneself. It also gives a superhero metaphor that children can hold onto with pride. The need and desire for a child to understand themself, to feel a sense of belonging, and to see themselves represented in the books they read are not unique to my son’s specific condition, but universal among the 150 million children affected by rare genetic conditions. This story is both educational and empowering, and it is needed in children’s literature for children, their families, peers, and educators. 

3. How does the superhero metaphor help children understand difference and identity?

The superhero metaphor allows a child to understand that even superheroes derive their power from their mutations. When a superhero's difference gives them their power and is seen as a positive figure, a child can find their own strength in their differences, accepting themselves for exactly who they are and who they were always meant to be. 

4. How can parents use this book to start meaningful conversations with their children?

Parents can use this story to ask their child about their feelings, differences, big and small, and to better explain where those differences come from. They can also utilize the questions and glossary at the back of the book to help promote conversation and better understanding. I have read this story to my own son many times and have watched him grow in both his understanding and acceptance over time as he continues to evolve.

5. In what ways can I Am Rare be used in classrooms, libraries, or therapy settings?

I Am Rare can help children understand the differences among those around them and where their own differences come from. Providing a metaphor, such as a superhero, as a tangible figure helps them view differences in a positive light. The story also holds space for children to reflect on their sense of belonging. The questions and glossary at the end of the book promote conversation and deepen understanding of genetics, differences, and identity. It also promotes awareness and kindness for those around us and an acceptance of ourselves. 

6. How do you hope children feel after reading this book?

I hope children feel understood and experience a sense of acceptance and belonging, opening the door to pride.

7. Why is it important to talk about identity and difference at an early age?

Children begin developing self-esteem, confidence, and identity in early childhood, and books play a significant role in that process. Seeing themselves reflected in stories and portrayed with dignity reinforces a sense of belonging and acceptance. When they don’t, it can lead to feelings of isolation and diminished self-worth. By discussing identity and differences early, children learn to accept themselves and others for who they are, fostering kindness and inclusion in their communities.

8. How has your work with the Rare Genes Movement influenced the way you think about language, storytelling, and advocacy?

My work with Rare Genes Movement has deepened my understanding of the many families navigating different rare conditions, all living and breathing to simply give their children the best possible lives. It has reinforced how delicate the balance can be between advocating for a child’s medical needs and protecting their self-esteem, confidence, and sense of identity. I’ve experienced firsthand the power of storytelling, both by sharing my own story and by hearing the stories other families have shared with me. Sometimes, hearing a story that hits home can change the trajectory of someone’s day, or even their life. It has also taught me how important language is in finding the words to honestly acknowledge reality while still leaving room for hope, dignity, and possibility.

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