Snapdragon has never fit in with other kids her age. This is the story of how a strange cast of characters makes everything fall into place for her.

I thought this was adorable in terms of story line and illustrations. The characters were very well developed and the story flowed smoothly. I felt like I was cheering Snap on the whole way.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Magical realism infuses this story about a girl who befriends the town witch. Snapdragon's heard the rumors about the "roadkill witch", but when Jacks - a loner constructs skeletons from roadkill to sell to veterinary schools - rescues Snap's dog, she finds herself cultivating a friendship with the loner, who takes her on as an apprentice. But Jacks also has rituals she goes through, to put those roadkill spirits to rest, and Snap is pretty sure that Jacks has a little bit of witchcraft after all. 

Snapdragon is a story with depth. Lumberjanes writer Kat Leyh creates a magical, yet real cast of characters: Snapdragon, the daughter of a single working mother, is bullied at school and by her mother's cruel ex-boyfriend. Her friend, Louis, who prefers to go by Lulu and wear skirts and nail polish, is tormented by his brothers. The two bond over their mutual love of a a horror movie series and Lulu finds comfort and safety in Snapdragon's home. Jacks and Snap discover a connection between them in a subplot with Snap's grandmother. 

Snapdragon has a starred review from Kirkus.

This middle grade graphic novel completely enchanted me.

Snapdragon is an outcast, bullied by her peers. She tries to put on a brave face, but with her mom working multiple jobs and taking classes, she's alone often and lonely. A hunt for her missing dog (an adorable three-legged pit bull named Good Boy) leads her to the door of Jacks, the town witch, and their meeting changes Snap's life.

Through Jacks, Snap begins to take an interest in animal anatomy. Her classmates think her passion for bones make her weirder than ever, but I loved that the adults in her life supported and encouraged her desire to learn more. She also finds a friend at school, Lu, who is nothing like Snap and yet their shared love of horror movies bonds them together.

Snap starts the book as a bold and clever protagonist, and throughout the story she steps up and really owns the things that make her unique. While she's given room to throw herself into her studies of magic, she also learns that it's sometimes important to have patience. I particularly love that we see adults admitting that they don't have all the answers, and that they need extra help sometimes too–such as when we see Jacks studying teaching books to help her better teach Snap magic.

The cast includes a young transgender character, two women loving women, and multiple characters who defy gender norms. It's an inclusive story that celebrates being true to yourself and surrounding yourself with people who love and accept you.

From the animated style of the art to the depth of the characters, this was an all around winner for me and one I'd definitely recommend to readers who enjoy books like Molly Knox Ostertag's Witch Boy, which also feature magic being used in a contemporary setting by an inclusive cast of characters. I cannot wait to read more from Kat Leyh.

What a wonderful deep-dive into the lives of Snapdragon and the Roadkill Witch! Rich themes of friendship, understanding, the past, and potential are magically threaded together in this vibrant graphic novel. Fans of The Witch Boy, The Prince and the Dressmaker, and Anya’s Ghost will love Snapdragon!

I don't like magical realism one bit. But this, this book is wonderful.
It is a hard task to develop a story that is both whimsical and weighty. Coming of age, LGBTQ, bullying, single parenting, science, and so much more. I need more time in the world of the Road Kill Witch please!

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It had magic, friendship, family, lgbtq+ characters and issues. It was well-written with great art. Snapdragon and Lu are great characters. It was nice to see supportive families. There were serious moments but there were also funny ones. I would hand this to middle schoolers who enjoyed Witch Boy.