Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom by Jessixa Bagley

Ready for some creepy fun? Today's read is the first in a brand new series for the middle grade audience. While it, obviously, takes a slightly dark twist, I have a sneaking suspicion that this one will be more humor and fun than spooks and scares. 

Let's see how it does!

JAZZY THE WITCH IN BROOM DOOM

Jazzy the Witch #1

by Jessixa Bagley

Simon & Schuster

Middle Grade Graphic Novel

232 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

JULY 15th!!!

In her town full of witches, Jazzy’s always been a little bit different. She’s not excited about magic. She forgets the steps to spells. And even though her parents run the town’s broom shop, she doesn’t want to fly.

Then, one day, she discovers what she was born to do: cycling! Now she just has to find a way to get a bicycle…and learn how to ride it. But will her new passion come between her and her best friend—and possibly get her in big trouble?

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Witchy drama hits middle school halls with broomsticks, magic, and a bicycle.

Jazzy isn't sure what to do. While every part of her and her family are witch, she can't seem to do anything right. Not only is this affecting her grades at school, but now, she has to ride a broom. It's clear that's going to be a disaster, but worse yet, her family makes the brooms for generations! She's even going to inherit the business someday. Try as she might, her and brooms don't get along...kind of like the rest of her magic. Then, she discovers something called a bicycle, and things are really going to go crazy.

This is an adorable read about finding your own groove and not, necessarily, following that of others. Jazzy is a determined little witch with a likeable bat at her side. She tries her best to make everyone happy but can't seem to do anything right, which frustrates and makes things worse. Her growing frustration is understandable, but she still tries to find a way, which leads to the bicycle. She does have a best friend, which supports her to a certain degree....there's some important friendship messaging along the way, too. After all, no friendship runs smoothly all of the time. And there's her family, which is as supportive as supportive can be...with two moms and a granny. Yet, Jazzy doesn't want to disappoint them, and that's understandable, too.

I'd recommend this one to the lower end of the age group, since the story is straight forward and pretty playful. I'd almost slide it into the chapter book area, but it is a little longer thanks to Jazzy's attempts to deal with her friendships and learning to be herself. It holds humor high, but also doesn't neglect the underlying message. Jazzy's determination really shines through and inspires, and it's easy to root for her. As an action girl, though, I did find myself skimming some moments. Still, drama fans will enjoy every moment and sink in. The illustrations are bright and bold, and bring across the characters and scenes nicely. They let the story flow.

The message is clear and one readers never seem to hear enough about, but this one took a twist which surprised...and made me wonder since it has her, actually, not sticking to her own beat the whole way through. Instead, it finds middle ground, which works too. 

It's a cute read, which is sure to delight more than a few witch and humor fans. There's definitely more than enough room for many fun adventures in the future.

And here she is...

Jessixa Bagley is a children’s book author-illustrator with a background in fine art and comics. She has had work featured in publications such as New American Paintings, Highlights Magazine, The Stranger, and Illustoria Magazine. She’s also the author of the middle grade graphic novels Duel and Dear Jackie (illustrated by Aaron Bagley) and the author-illustrator of the middle grade graphic novel series Jazzy the Witch. Jessixa is a two-time Washington State Book Award recipient; first in 2016 for her debut picture book, Boats for Papa, and again in 2024 for her graphic novel, Duel. Jessixa also received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for picture book Laundry Day. Many of her books are Junior Library Guild Selections. In her work, she’s drawn to animals and emotional themes often inspired by her own experiences. Jessixa also teaches and speaks about writing and illustration. She often illustrates for other writers and artistically collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle with her husband and son.

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And A Happy July 4th to you and yours!!!

Today's read... Duel by Jessixa Bagley

I was tempted to shout-out a happy book birthday to today's read, but it doesn't release quite yet. Just three more days...which almost qualifies for a party. Almost.

Today's read isn't only a graphic novel for the middle grade audience (which I do enjoy diving into) but also surrounds a lesser known theme. Fencing is highlighted in this read and that with two normal sisters, who are dealing with their father's death. I'm excited to see how this one goes. 

DUEL

by Jessixa Bagley

Illustrated by Aaron Bagley

Simon & Schuster

Middle Grade Contemporary  /   Graphic Novel

320 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

NOVEMBER 7th!!!

A rivalry between sisters culminates in a fencing duel in this funny and emotional debut graphic novel sure to appeal to readers of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale.

Sixth grader Lucy loves fantasy novels and is brand-new to middle school. GiGi is the undisputed queen bee of eighth grade (as well as everything else she does). They’ve only got one thing in fencing. Oh, and they’re sisters. They never got along super well, but ever since their dad died, it seems like they’re always at each other’s throats.

When GiGi humiliates Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy snaps and challenges GiGi to a duel with high sisterly stakes. If GiGi wins, Lucy promises to stay out of GiGi’s way; if Lucy wins, GiGi will stop teasing Lucy for good. But after their scene in the cafeteria, both girls are on thin ice with the principal and their mom. Lucy stopped practicing fencing after their fencer dad died and will have to get back to fighting form in secret or she’ll be in big trouble. And GiGi must behave perfectly or risk getting kicked off the fencing team.

As the clock ticks down to the girls’ fencing bout, the anticipation grows. Their school is divided into GiGi and Lucy factions, complete with t-shirts declaring kids’ allegiances. Both sisters are determined to triumph. But will winning the duel mean fracturing their family even further?

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON    /   B&N

MY TIDBITS

A very toxic sibling relationship swirls around the memory of a father and the love for fencing.

Lucy and Gigi haven't been on good terms with each other sense the death of their father a couple of years before. When Lucy changes to the same middle school Gigi attends, their first meeting ends in disaster. Both are sent to the principal's office and given ample warning, but the two know there is only one way to end their feud. A duel will determine who gets the overhand.

This is a book about loss and the difficulty a family faces when trying to deal with grief and continue to live. The two sisters have just enough of an age gap to make the older one remember how much attention her younger sibling had from the father, while the younger one only sees the extra years the older one had to know their father. Both are jealous and both let the negative attitudes flow to the extreme. There is a lot of depth and emotion as the two go from one horrible situation to the next, never seeming to learn from any of it. The surrounding characters don't automatically draw sides and do show better judgement, which gives the book more balance. Plus, the mother is suffering and does admit fault as well. Still, the constant dislike and awful actions kept the negativity too high. The plot doesn't veer much from this thread, which will delight those who enjoy getting lost in characters' emotions. 

The fencing aspect was even stronger than I expected. Not only does Lucy spend time practicing and preparing for the upcoming duel, but the reader learns stances, techniques, terminology and more thanks to the quick facts at the beginning of each chapter. The ending duel is presented with care and allows each moment to sit, so nothing is missed. Fencing fans have quite a bit to look forward on this front.

And here they are...

Jessixa Bagley is children’s book author-illustrator with a background in fine art and comics. She has had work featured in publications such as New American Paintings, The Chicago Reader, Nickelodeon Magazine, and Highlights Magazine. Her first picture book, Boats for Papa, received numerous awards and accolades including the 2016 SCBWI Golden Kite Award for picture book text and a 2016 Washington State Book Award. Her picture book Laundry Day received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for writing. Many of her picture books are also Junior Library Guild Selections. In her work, she’s drawn to animals and emotional themes often inspired by her own experiences. Jessixa also teaches and speaks about writing and illustration. She often illustrates for other writers and artistically collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle with her husband and son.

Aaron Bagley is a human man who draws for a living. He likes to draw what he observes (people, boats, cats) and what he experiences (dreams, feelings, life events). His work has been featured in The Virginia Quarterly Review, The Stranger, The Seattle Weekly, The Seattle Review of Books, and many more. Above all else, Aaron loves collaborating with his wife, Jessixa. Together, they’ve created picture book Vincent Comes Home and middle grade graphic novel Duel.

Review: A Girl, A Raccoon and the Midnight Moon by Karen Romano Young

A GIRL, A RACCOON, AND THE MIDNIGHT MOON

by Karen Romano Young

Illustrated by Jessixa Bagley

Chronicle Books

Middle Grade with a touch of Magical Realism

392 pages

COMING...

JANUARY 20th, 2020!!!

In a slightly fantastical New York City, one very special library branch has been designated for possible closure. Bookish, socially awkward Pearl, the daughter of the librarian, can't imagine a world without the library—its books, its community of oddballs, its hominess. When the head of their Edna St. Vincent Millay statue goes missing, closure is closer than ever. But Pearl is determined to save the library. And with a ragtag neighborhood library crew—including a constantly tap-dancing girl who might just be her first friend, an older boy she has a crush on, and a pack of raccoons who can read and write—she just might be able to.

With an eclectic cast of richly drawn characters, a hint of just-around-the-corner magic, footnotes, sidebars, and Jessixa Bagley's classic illustrations throughout, this warm-hearted, visually magnificent tale of reading and believing from beloved author Karen Romano Young tells of a world where what you want to believe can come true.

MY TIDBITS

With a tinsy-tiny touch of fantasy, this is a lovely tale about community, friendship and a wonderful library.

Pearl's world rotates around the library. She's a shy girl, who loves living between books and the library world. But not everything is bright ink and shiny pages. The library isn't doing well, and when the head of the almost never visited statue goes missing, no one but Pearl really seems to care. Determined to save the library and figure out what happened to her beloved statue's head, she enters the sidewalks and streets. Soon, she discovers a few friends and more.

There's a touch of whimsical to the writing, which immediately draws in and creates the atmosphere of an endearing read. Pearl is easy to connect with right away. Although socially awkward...or maybe because...her heart of gold shines bright and makes her someone to cheer for from the very first pages. Not only library lovers will enjoy the scene, but the idea of her centering herself on only a library adds the right touch for the dusting of fantasy which comes later on with the raccoons. It's a fun read with enough energy to keep it interesting.

The entire book is sprinkled with illustrations, something I always love t see in middle grade books. These help spice of the story and give something for the reader to look forward to. There are also side-bar notes which explain an entire slew of facts and information in a serious, but not without humor, way. While I found these interesting, my own children weren't as taken in and skipped many f them. There are also footnotes to help point out books where quotes and such come from. 

I really enjoyed the way Pearl discovers such wonderful, and even if odd, friends. The community around her warms the heart as well and shows that there is support if a person looks. It's a warming tale and awakens the love for libraries as well. Unfortunately, it was a bit slow in spots and simply a little long. But I enjoyed reading it and am sure there are middle graders out there who will enjoy Pearls adventure quite a bit.

And here they are...

The Author...
Karen Romano Young is a writer, illustrator, and science journalist. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two large, fluffy dogs.

The Illustrator...

Jessixa Bagley is an award-winning author and illustrator. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband, adorable son and a slew of houseplants.