Garlic and the Witch
by Bree Paulsen
Quill Tree Books, 2022. 152 pages.
Review written March 3, 2023, from a library book.
Garlic and the Witch is a follow-up to the delightful Garlic and the Vampire. In both, we see sentient vegetables created by Witch Agnes to be her helpers.
In the first book, sweet, small, and timid Garlic confronts a vampire who has moved into the nearby castle. In this book, Garlic turns to her friend and neighbor Count as she is startled by changes happening to her. They go on an adventure together to the Magic Market to get ingredients for Count’s blood substitute.
It’s another sweet story about a timid and small young person confronting her fears. In this case, I got to thinking a little too much about sentient vegetables becoming human — but if you don’t do that, it’s another lovely story. (And I’m pretty confident most kids won’t be freaked out by that.)
It remains a wonderful graphic novel for early elementary. There’s no talking down to the reader and visually the panels present much of the story in a sophisticated graphic novel set-up. But it also doesn’t have a high word count and does have an emotionally comforting story.
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Childrens_Fiction/garlic_and_the_witch.html
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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.
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