Magda is from a tiny little moon and is entering a cooking championship. Magda hasn't been off her moon home so when she goes out in the world, she is surprised at the variety of people and technology. Her cooking adventure starts off rough, but somehow she manages to win, but each new challenge brings more challenges. This plucky and quirky heroine will win hearts, especially those who love cooking. Those who feel like an underdog or different from others will also relate. The artwork is reminiscent of classic cartoons while also being fresh. A winning story.

For kids who are fans of cooking competition shows like Chopped or Top Chef and enjoy mystery, adventure and environmental themes. The artwork is vibrant and the landscapes and settings are full of details to catch the eye. The style is reminiscent of Miyazaki, but definitely has its own flair. Magda isn't confident that she has a chance at the Intergalactic Cooking Competition, but she's willing to try for her family, her dad and grandma. With cheating competitors and practices Magda finds brutal, she wonders if it's even worth competing at all. But then she finds out a lot more is at stake than making her family proud, maybe the fate of her whole planet!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a fun read and the graphics were great. I like how even though Madga at first wants to quit when the competition gets tough; she is shown more than she bargains for and decides to keep going. I can’t wait for the next book!

The artwork for this graphic novel is fantastic! Although this felt like two different stories it was thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

I was slightly confused reading this book as it is named “the big tournament” but then half of the book was Magda traveling to another planet. I also think the drawing style, while is cute and more reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, feels a little out dated and I’m not sure if it would appeal well to a younger audience.

I thought the story was cute, but almost felt it should be split into two smaller books or renamed. One for the first tournament and one for the travel part and her getting to the next planet.

The middle grade readers in my family both enjoyed Magda: The Big Tournament. As fans of the Great British BakeOff, the loved seeing a girl compete in a cooking show and face challenges with creativity. The sci-fi elements added to the fun. The style of art was less of a hit with one of my daughters, but both agreed that the story made for an enjoyable read. They both expressed interest in seeing what happens next in the series.

Colorful, zany, bright storytelling, and just the kind of offbeat style I love! The more I read, the more I was drawn in to Magda’s story and just adored that she always takes the path off the beaten road in all of her cooking. And The Lore!!! I was caught off guard by phone good the lore and story building were, the world feels incredibly lived in. This story has so much heart - from her the relationships within her immediate family to the generational trauma connected with the big competition, I relished every second of reading. Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

** I loved Magda’s recipes at the end, so cute!!!

The Big Tournament is the first of the "Magda: Intergalactic Chef", series. I started out a bit skeptical, as the art is quite different from anything I've seen and the character's motives unfurled so slow I was uncertain they would come. However, by the end, I was deeply engaged with the characters, the world, and the tournament's outcome.
The Big Tournament is delightfully unusual in the world Wouter's crafts. The strange vegetation, creatures, and planets are immersive and curiosity inspiring. The plot unfurls to be a combination of the Great British Baking Show and the Hunger Games, leaving me eager for the next installment. I almost wish I wasn't getting to it so far from the next book's publishing. I think those who enjoy the softness of other YA graphic novels will appreciate Wouter's work and be eager, like me, to see more.

Magda is just a girl but she is already a very talented chef. When she is chosen to compete in an intergalactic cooking tournament, she is excited and wants to do her best. Unfortunately, not everyone has good motives, and the stakes are bigger than she realizes! This is a very well told graphic novel with bright, detailed pictures. I look forward to reading the next in this series so I can learn more about this world. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

This one wasn't for me, personally. I found the illustration style on the edge of the uncanny valley, with occasional monstrous aspects that distracted rather than added to the story. Think zany, but in a way that is always moments away from becoming violent. I was not able to complete my reading of the book as a result

This is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for in a graphic novel! It's colorful, full of cool drawings, got a good story, solid worldbuilding, and also food. I love that it's about a space cooking competition. I need the next one!

This graphic novel has a cool premise but I don’t think the execution was incredible. The pacing of the story feels strange and there were parts of the story that seemed to be completely unnecessary to the storyline and didn’t add much to the character development. I’m sitting here after reading it trying to figure out what the overall message of the book or what the purpose was…. This was a miss for me.

Magda is an empathetic little girl who is feeling quite a bit of pressure while competing in an intergalactic cooking competition that could change the winner's life. But just when she comes to a decision on what to do with the competition, Magda learns much more about what is going on than she ever could've imagined. I really enjoyed Magda's character, especially in showing how caring and thoughtful a little girl can be. There are great ethics and morals shown through Magda's decisions and interactions with those in the competition. This read a lot like the set up to a story - I had several questions while reading through it; but with the ending, I can now see where the series is going and I believe the next book will be even better now having an established plot. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would try out more from this author.

Magda is a talented girl who competes in Intergalactical Cooking Competition. But this is not just a story about cooking competition. It talks about determination, hard work, friendship, family, even colonization and what it does to a planet. The setting is like the alternate universe to our world/planet. Very easy to read, and the artwork is unique. It's a good read to teach our children about compassion, love, friendship and to fight for what's right.

The Big Tournament is a big responsibility for Magda, luckily her cooking skills allow her to be more than up to the challenge, but maybe even an actual chance to win! For Magda the competition is about showcasing her talents and culinary skills when her back is against the walls. As Magda’s recipes call to become more complicated so does the competition. Magda’s story is very addicting and adventurous, leaving me with the need to find out what happens next!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a graphic novel about a young chef who enters into a intergalactic cooking competition. She discovers a conspiracy and she has to stop it in order to save the world.

This was a cute graphic novel. I liked the story and the pictures were nice. I think a lot of kids will enjoy this one!