Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse is the perfect witchy MG! This didn't disappoint. I loved everything about it. Thank to you NetGalley for the ARC!

A really well put together first volume of this series. The characters are very likeable and the magic has internal logic that makes sense without needing overexplaining.

A cute jaunt into the life of a budding witch and her guardians. It's been done before, but this iteration is still fun and has a few surprises. Will keep you interested in the next installment.

When her favorite pop-star finds herself in need, Effie discovers her own special magic within. A sweet story about a girl who discovers there's more to her weird family than she first realized.

This book was great! It showed diverse characters with magic as well as the root of all families being love. I highly enjoyed this along with my child and recommend it.

Effie has to go live with her great-aunts that she has never met. She is completely surprised to find that under the guise of ordinary herbalists they are actually witches. Aunts Selimene and Carlota are called upon to help a popstar under a curse. Effie and her friends have to help break the spell. The characters are richly drawn and well-rounded. The story is fast-paced and fun. Kids will look forward to more adventures with Effie, Selimene and Carlota.

Thanks, Random House RH Graphic and NetGalley for letting me receive an ARC for Witches of Brooklyn in exchange for an honest review.

Witches of Brooklyn is a graphic novel about a girl named Effie who is immersed in the world of magic. She discovers this through the loss of her mother and going to stay with her Aunt. She slowly learns and adapts to this new environment she has entered, by making fast friends and going to a new school. This is going to be a fantastic series, with hopefully more to come!

A story with humor and heart about recently orphaned Effie who is sent to live with her elderly and estranged aunt and her partner. Distinct and wonderful characters come through in the text, the inviting art and well-paced panels as the story of magic, family and friends unfolds.

I can't wait until our library is open for browsing so that I can literally put this book into someone's hands! The kids will love this one.

I really loved this graphic novel! The art style is so lovely, and the story is bound to inspire many young readers. It is tale of an orphaned girl finding out that she is a witch and through friendship and kindness she is able to preserver.

A middle grade graphic novel about Effie. She goes to live with her aunts after her she lost her mom. She learns more ad more about her family and discovers that magic runs in the family.

I love the panel when the aunts answered the door. She looks so angry and then everything on her face softens when she realizes why her niece is there. The bright orange tones are a really good contrast to the blues in the next panel. It really helps show the evolution of emotions over the two panels.

The expressions on Effie's face make me want to hug her. So much emotion is shown in the art. It is a super sweet story and my students are going to love this book. This is Sophie Escabasse's graphic novel debut and I hope she makes more.

Creative Team:
Art, Text, and Script by Sophie Escabasse
Published by Random House RH Graphic

Effie moves in with her elderly aunts and they are so weird... which turns out to be because they're witches! But just because they have magic, doesn't mean they know how to handle having a kid in the house. Not only does Effie have to learn to deal with her aunts and her recent loss, she has to start at a new school and make new friends.

Incredibly delightful juvenile comic full of dynamic artwork, finding family and, of course, magic.

After Effie's mother dies, she goes to live with her aunt Selimene and her partner Carlota, who are an acupuncturist and an herbalist respectively. Or are they? When Effie's favorite pop idol gets cursed and needs help, Selimene and Carlota are revealed to be witches, and it looks like Effie is one too! Will they be able to lift the curse before the idol's next concert? I mean, yeah, probably, duh, but it's fun finding out how! This was cute and fun and sweet, filled with positive messages and good examples, and the art was great, each character has a distinct personality. Loved this book!

#WitchesofBrooklyn #NetGalley

I loved this graphic novel! Effie's aunts are quirky and the artistic style reminds me of a Miyazaki movie. Effie's character is such an enjoyable read. She is expressive and her emotions are drawn beautifully, from the grief of losing her mother, to her anger at an unfairness in school, to her shock at learning that she is a witch like her aunts. The end pages hint at a sequel and I genuinely can't wait to read the next installment and see what hijinks Effie gets up to.

Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.

Effie is dropped on her aunt's doorstep in the middle of the night after her mother passes away, and at first, the two can't stand each other. Selimene believes there has to be some sort of mistake, that an old lady like her can't possibly look after a young child. Selimene's housemate, Carlota, warms to Effie instantly, and tries to make her comfortable. Effie starts school and makes some new friends, and eventually she and Selimene begin to get along. There is something strange about Selimene and Carlota, who claim to be herbalists and acupuncturists. Effie finally gets the full picture about her aunt's strange life when her magical powers begin to awaken, and Selimene and Carlota reveal they are witches! The three must cure a mysterious curse that is affecting one of Effie's idols, singer Tily Shoo, who is nothing like Effie imagined!

This is a really cute story about becoming a family, and magic is sprinkled in on top. The main part of the first half is the development of the relationship between Selimene and Effie, and their growth is really fun to watch. The title sort of gives it away that Selimene and Carlota are witches, so it's no surprise when Effie shows she has powers, but the extra layer of Selimene and Carlota welcoming Effie into their family is heartwarming. The magic is mostly confined to the basement, where there is a workbench, library, and a walking, talking suit of armor named Francis who is the librarian and guards the place. Francis talks in all caps, which I imagine is because he's rigid like a set of armor would be, but his dialogue is hysterical. Francis lives to make jokes and make people laugh (in addition to giving everyone grief about not putting books back). There is plenty in this first book that will have readers longing for the next two in this planned trilogy.

Escabasse's illustrations play up a cartoony effect, and are brightly colored. Selimene's character design (and demeanor) reminds me a lot of Maxine, the comic strip. I appreciated the blueprint of each floor of the house, and thought the attention to detail in its illustration was lovely.

Hand this middle grade urban fantasy to fans of Shannon Hale and Noelle Stevenson.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 4-8

This review was made possible with a digital reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley.

This was great fun. I loved the message of being true to yourself, and that the witches were represented in a positive light.

I LOVED this magical story! Effie is a kid whose mom has passed away, and she's brought to Brooklyn to live with her aunt, Selimene; a woman she's never met before. Selimene and her partner, Carlota, are two "herbalists" who just seem plain weird to Effie, until she discovers that the two women are... shhhh... witches. Good witches, to be sure, but witches! And shortly after arriving, Effie discovers her hands start glowing and that she's a witch, too! Could this day get better? You bet - she makes two great friends in school, and when she arrives home, discovers that her favorite pop star, Tily Shoo, is in her house in need of Selimene and Carlota's help. Everything is fun about Witches of Brooklyn, which also has wonderful storytelling and statements about family. Great artwork, great character development and storytelling, and  - let's hope - more to come. Give this to your Lumberjanes readers and while you're at it, hand them a copy of Emma Steinkellner's graphic novel, The Okay Witch.

A great mix of magic, friendship, and accepting yourself. I look forward to more installments. All of the characters were so unique and individual. A great graphic novel for anyone who loves middle grade graphic novels.

This was a very sweet graphic novel of our protagonist, Effie, getting to know herself and her family a little bit better, and learning to recognize the good of helping others. I can't wait to see further adventures of the Witches of Brooklyn!

Witches of Brooklyn is a very charming addition to the plethora of juvenile graphic novels that have been emerging in the past few years. The characters are all engaging with fun designs and an entertaining dynamic in the family. The art is great, and I really want to live in Effie's house! It will be an easy sell to middle graders looking for more magic based fiction and I'd love to see a sequel!