Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In the magical town of North Haven, fledgling witch Abby Morgan, who is Black, finds her sister being bullied in an alley outside their family's coffee shop, and her attempt at comforting accidentally opens a portal leading into a realm with red-eyed, sharp-toothed "chaos bunnies." Abby and her friends face the task of quickly closing the portal themselves, risking the Magical Authority's ire in order to avoid putting additional stress on Abby's single mother. An ominous foretelling ups the stakes, warning that, due to their unnatural hunger, the bunnies could destroy "everything in their wake." Full of untapped and unstable magic, Abby must learn to channel and accept her inner strength. Cooke's (Oh My Gods!) pleasingly multifaceted characters--including pumpkin-headed Silas, who holds grievances against pumpkin spice lattes; Hannah, an interdimensional hijabi ghost; and Gita, an introspective wolf-girl--navigate internal struggles and engage in amusing rapport as they work to achieve their shared goal. In rich autumnal hues, illustrator Costa's visuals reinforce a Halloweeny vibe in this supernatural story with an inclusive cast. Deeper messages include themes of belonging, close friend and family bonds, and learning to trust oneself. Ages 8--12. Author's agent: Maria Vicente, P.S. Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Peter Ryan, Stimola Literary Studio. (July)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--8--Witch-in-training Abby Morgan has been helping her single mom run their magical North Haven coffee shop during Abby's school break, but lately, Abby's magic has been on the fritz. During an emotional moment after Abby discovers that her little sister Ella is being bullied, Abby's magic opens a portal that unleashes chaos bunnies from another dimension onto North Haven. Too scared to ask for help, Abby sets out to learn the advanced magic needed to close the portal herself before the bunnies destroy North Haven. Vibrant blocks of coloring alternate between a warm orange that suggests a crackling fire just off the page and a soothing amethyst with a fantastical feel. Spare backgrounds and greatly simplified or missing facial features suggest that details are not a priority for Costa, but the style evokes strong emotions and reactions during charged scenes. Cooke brings fun and cheesy humor, with somewhat obscure pop culture references, like the 1993 movie Cool Runnings, but it reads authentically. Abby and her family are Black, Hannah is brown-skinned and wears a hijab, there is queer representation via the burgeoning romantic relationship between Abby and Gita, a wolf girl, and multiple types of bodies are depicted. VERDICT An amusing and magical tale that embraces its campiness to full effect. For readers who enjoyed Kat Leyh's Snapdragon, Steven T. Seagle's Camp Midnight, or Whitney Gardner's Fake Blood.--Alea Perez, Elmhurst P.L., IL
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young witch learns the truth of her powers when she accidentally opens a portal to a realm full of chaos bunnies that threaten to take over her world. Abby is a witch in training who spends her days helping out her mom by caring for her younger sister, Ella, and working in the family's magical cafe. When Abby isn't helping her family, she is hanging out with her group of supernatural friends, Gita (a wolf-girl), Silas (a pumpkinhead), and Hannah (a ghost). When Abby accidentally opens up a portal, unleashing chaos bunnies into their dimension, her friends help her as she learns to understand her powers and close the portal. The cartoon-style artwork and cozy fall colors set the tone for a fun and heartfelt adventure. The illustrations effectively use facial expressions, motion, and variety in panel layout to emphasize the action, emotion, and humor. While the story is sweet, it unfortunately takes on a more complex plotline than it can comfortably handle in a single volume. Abby and her family read as Black with no indication of Native heritage; her use of sage for cleansing can read as appropriative. Brown-skinned hijabi Hannah's ethnicity is not specified, and, confusingly, her grandmother uses a pet name for her that is normally used by fathers in Arabic-speaking cultures. An enjoyable story about magic, friendship, and being true to yourself. (latte recipe) (Graphic fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
