After reading the Garlic graphic novels, I immediately requested this one! Paulsen makes such magical graphic novels! Her characters are so sweet and loveable and the story lines are so unique! The Firelight Apprentice was a 4.75/5 ⭐️ for me! The only reason I didn’t give it a 5 stars was because I thought the graphic novel ended pretty abruptly. I wanted more!!

✨ R E V I E W ✨

The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Thank you so much to @harperkids & @theshelfstuff for my gifted copy of Bree Paulsen’s latest graphic novel!

I fell in love with Paulsen’s work earlier this year, when I read Garlic and the Vampire and Garlic and the Witch, both incredibly cute and cozy stories.

The Firelight Apprentice continues in that same vein of being cozy, fantastical, and sweet!

✨ It does have a heavy theme of death of loved ones, so please practice self-care when reading.

Paulsen’s art style is honestly one of my favorites, and I would love to keep coming back to these beautiful and magical worlds. The story is always so precious and wholesome, and we honestly need way more of that in the world.

Highly recommend checking out all of Paulsen’s graphic novels if you haven’t already done so! The Firelight Apprentice is available now!

This was a cute story; not a fan of the illustrations; some of the story felt rushed, especially at the end. Some kids may enjoy it.

This was such an adorable book! Bree Paulsen always does such a great job, and this book was no different. Following the story of two sisters was a sweet and tender choice. Watching the way they interacted and engaged with each other was both realistic and sweet. The world and worldbuilding was excellently done. Bree Paulsen does a great job with building the world without bombarding you with a history lesson. It was so fleshed out and easy to understand the larger stakes, as well as the personal ones. While this is a middle grade graphic novel, between the art, the world building, and the relationships, it can be enjoyed by teens and adults as well. I loved this book and cannot wait to recommend it to all the graphic novel fans in my life.

This middle grade magical fantasy graphic novel is heartwarming. We follow two sisters who lost their mother to the war and have an ill father. The youngest sister has magic and needs to train with an apprentice to learn how to use her powers, but the family is poor and can't afford it. The older sister finds a way to show off her sister's powers at a magic show in hopes they would notice and take her on as an apprentice, which they do. The older sister is happy but also sad because her sister will have to leave them to go live with her apprentice to train. The story follows the sisters as they each navigate their new lives with the older sister caring for their sick father while running his business, and the younger sister living her dream of becoming a great magician. There is also something sinister in the works which leads to a twist at the end. This story depicts hardship, war, grief, sisterhood and magic. It was a wonderful story with beautiful graphics. I will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley & author for an ARC of this book. #netgalley #thefirelightapprentice

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the e-ARC of The Firelight Apprentice!
4 / 5 ⭐
From the book: “This story contains themes regarding the traumas of war and parental death.”

A short, bittersweet graphic novel set in a magical kingdom. The Firelight Apprentice is an adorable read with heavy but delicately handled themes such as: propaganda, growing up, grief, and finding yourself. I saw a comment (on a different site) where someone had a very antisemtic take on the story but that was NOT present in the book itself.

This is an engaging and thrilling story about magic and the relationship between two sisters. I devoured this story in one sitting! This is a must have for all middle grade graphic novel collections. The illustrations are beautiful and match the story perfectly!

An absolutely beautiful story about two sisters and them coming into their own. The use of color in the illustrations perfectly matches the feelings of the action going on in the story. This story has heart and fun.

Ada and Safi are sisters trying to survive in the city after their mother's death. Their father is sick, and the girls have to look to the future. Safi has been blessed with magic, like her mother before her, and needs to find a mentor. With no money, that has not been possible, but when some traveling magicians come to do a show, the family hopes if they can meet with the magicians, they may agree to take on Safi. But not everyone is who they say they are, and the sisters must work together to survive.

When I saw that this is from the author of Garlic and the Vampire, I did not think twice and started it as my November 1 read.

The author's art style is different from her abovementioned graphic novel but I can say that it is fitting to visualize a magical and sparkling story.

I liked how the author started the book discussing the effects of the war while also establishing the next obstacle that the magicians will face.

The main characters Safi and Ada demonstrated the relationship between dream and determination as Ada balanced the reality about the power that her younger sister, Safi, possess and how it can be painful if Safi won't undergo proper apprenticeship.

I enjoyed how the storyline started with the darker themes about war then move to Safi's apprenticeship while also discussing the magic system and the villain to the story that are the Liches.

Really enjoyed this, quick read too.

4.5stars

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fantasy graphic novel about two sisters and their struggles, whether worldly or otherworldly. Unusual storyline. Great magical elements and also some unexpected spooky elements. Somewhat bittersweet. Darker than the author’s popular Garlic and the Vampire series.

Plot Preview:
As an elder sister and motherless daughter, Ada shoulders many responsibilities: taking care of their father’s shop as he struggles with his health, ensuring that her younger sister Safi is safe from the power-stealing liches who have infested their land, and trying to find a magician under whose apprenticeship Safi can learn to control her magical powers but without too much of a financial burden on them.
When a travelling group of magicians come to the city for a show, Ada and Safi go to the performance. Ada’s quest is rewarded when the head magician recognises Safi’s skills and takes her under his charge. But is everything going to be okay now on? Will Safi be happy in her new home? Can Ada finally stop worrying about her little sister?

When I saw the author’s name on the cover, I didn’t hesitate even a second and immediately jumped at this book without even reading the synopsis. Ever since I read ‘Garlic and the Vampire’, I knew I would read any and every book by this talented author-illustrator.
The Firelight Apprentice’ is also a middle-grade fantasy graphic novel. However, that’s where the similarity ends. This latest offering of hers goes much darker than the Garlic series, covering a couple of scary themes (scary in terms of worry as well as paranormal.) One of the scenes is distressing and one is nightmare-fodder. In other words, don’t expect this to be a light, relaxing read.
That said, the story is compelling in a very different way. This is not an ordinary tale of magic and success. Rather, the magic is secondary to the human content. A father’s love, a daughter’s worry, a teacher’s pride, a child’s joy, a sister’s apprehension, a dissatisfied person’s greed – the story covers a gamut of human emotions. This, interspersed with the magical elements, makes the plot quite different from the ordinary.
What makes the proceedings even more special is the characters. The two main characters are wonderful in their own way, with their contrary personalities not coming in the way of their sibling bond. But even the side characters, right from the girl’s doting father to the interfering Myrium to the magicians Sergio, Calaban, Monica, and even the Great Elba… all the characters with spoken lines elevate the reading experience.
The title makes it seem like this is primarily Safi’s story as she is the firelight apprentice. But the plot is written in such a way that Ada and Safi share the responsibility of taking the story ahead, and both handle it well. I felt especially close to Ada because as an elder daughter myself, I could feel the strain on her to keep things going without the younger sibling feeling the same burden. One particular scene that contains parallel panels showing what's going on in the individual lives of Ada and Safi simultaneously is especially heartbreaking.
For us adults, it is not too difficult to spot the twisty reveal in the final quarter, but kids are sure to be caught by surprise (and shock.) That scene is chilling and yet so powerful! I enjoyed that final clash even though I could see it coming well in advance.
Where the book could have better for me was in establishing the backstory more neatly. We know this city has just come out of a major war, we know the girl’s mother was a magician and passed away because of the war, but the intricacies of many such background events are not detailed out. Even the girls’ ages aren’t clarified throughout the book. A bit more filling in of some of the back-details would have helped.
The book is aimed at middle-graders and while the page count might seem a bit too much for them, many pages have no conversational bubbles or captions. So this 228-page novel goes by quite fast.
The artwork is in this author’s distinctive style. While I was not a big fan of Safi's disproportionately large head, I loved her freckles and her exuberance. Ada and her emotions are depicted well throughout, as are the other characters. The magical scenes are…well, magical! The colour tone works excellently for the story, giving it a kind of old-world charm.
All in all, I mostly enjoyed this story, though it turned out to be darker than I was prepared for. Some of the content might be a little triggering for sensitive readers, so adults, please do read the book first before passing it to your little ones.
Recommended to middle-graders who love magical stories and can handle darker issues and paranormal content.
4.25 stars.

My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and Quill Tree Books for providing the DRC of “The Firelight Apprentice” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

With the same drawing style as Garlic and the Vampire, except with fewer vegetables, The Firelight Apprentice is a gorgeous book. I adored the color scheme and the way it subtly changes throughout the book. The Firelight Apprentice is ultimately a story about power and the truth. When we have power, we can often manipulate history and the truth to fit what we want. It's easy to trust everything we are told, especially when it's from someone we look up to or want to trust. But often we have to listen to our gut and realize that people don't always have our best intentions in mind.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

After reading the Garlic series last year, Bree quickly became one of my favorite graphic novelists. Her art is distinct, comforting, and so expressive. Her worlds are inclusive and feel like stepping into a warm hug. I knew I'd love The Firelight Apprentice as soon as I heard of its release and I was NOT wrong!

The setting of this story is equal parts grand and humble, high-class and hard times. Bree's use of color highlights those differences, as well as adding impact to an emotional story of family, grief, magic, and love. I loved Safi's infectious joy, Ada's determination to care for their father and those close to her, and the other members of their community who made up a colorful, diverse cast of found family at its finest.

I read this in record time, but it never felt rushed or short in the slightest. It dealt beautifully with hard topics and didn't shy from sorrow, but leaves you with warmth and hope.

95% of this graphic novel was as enjoyable and as magical as the author’s previous works. I loved the magic, the circumstances, and the progression of the story. However, there is a specific scene that many are praising as inclusive that just comes off weird in the story. The dichotomy of child vs adult and what is being shared is just strange and age inappropriate. Anyway, I really liked the story minus this random addition.

Bree Paulsen's illustration style is one of my very favorites, but it's their storytelling that has well and truly won my heart over. THE FIRELIGHT APPRENTICE somehow manages to be a truly gentle story, even while dealing the harsh topics of war recovery and dead/dying parents. This is a story of sisterhood and found family in the face of hardship, with a twinkling of magic sure to soothe a tired soul.

The Firelight Apprentice was a great middle grade graphic novel read. I think the themes that dealt with grief were handled honestly and well for that age group. As someone who lost a parent when I was younger, I thought that this would be a book I would have found a lot of connection with. I especially (of course) resonated with the older sister and the pain and responsibilities she took on.
I also appreciate that through a fantasy setting in an age appropriate way dealt with the themes of poverty and poverty/military opportunities that often put those in a low economic class in more dangerous situations.
I think it’s a great read for middle grade!
#NetGalleyARC

Charming kid fantasy for a kid who’s up to a story that’s pretty grim underneath the pretty art. Mom’s dead in the wars, dad’s sick -the kind of sick you don’t truly ever recover from. Older sister looks the kind of thin and worn that you don’t get in your teens unless there’s serious hardship. But the younger sister is magic and she’s protected from the hardships as much as may be. Everyone is thrilled when she gets a good apprenticeship. This is the big chance for her to get a better life! But I did mention that it had grim undertones….

A heartwarming story about family, war, and grief.

The illustrations are gorgeous and instantly made me feel part of the world. I love the fantastical elements that are included, such as upcoming magicians needing mentors to help them hone in their powers. While the purpose of the war is never revealed, there feels to be a pretty complete world surrounding two sisters and their Papa's bulb shop.

For fans of the author's other work (Garlic), as well as The Tea Dragon Society, The Moth Keeper, Pilu of the Woods, and Amulet.

This was so different than the Garlic books, but I loved it just the same. Don’t expect cozy with this one. It’s about a family trying to persevere after war and loss. There is also a hint of mystery to it which I enjoyed. I love Bree’s artwork and I’ll read anything they write.

Loved loved loved Garlic and the Vampire. This book isn't as strong, but still a fun and great read. Will be enjoyed by lots of kids.