Review by Booklist Review
Gentle witchy vibes abound in this comic about a young witch who's trying to follow her own path. Jazzy's not that excited to practice flying on a broomstick; her moms and grandma run the town broommaker and are a little too eager for her to start flying. A top-tier procrastinator, Jazzy keeps finding reasons to skip flying practice, especially when she discovers her true passion: bikes! Jazzy cobbles together a bike from broken parts and secretly spends her time riding all over town, but there's a supermoon in a few weeks, and Jazzy's class is supposed to fly their brooms in a parade in celebration. Can Jazzy learn to fly in time? Bagley's soft, invitingly cartoonish artwork nicely expresses emotional turns alongside lots of playful detail and imaginative world building. Though she folds in some real folklore about brooms and witchcraft, Bagley keeps the story centered in relatable middle-grade concerns, such as cultivating passions, being honest with family, and finding the confidence to proudly do something different. Ideal for middle-graders who love witches but shy away from scary stories.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Young witch Jazzy struggles with having confidence in her magical abilities: "Look at all them witches," Jazzy says, noting a wall of photos showcasing her powerful ancestors, "THEY fit in." This concern worsens when schoolteacher Madame Melcha announces the day's lesson: flying. As Jazzy watches her peers successfully mount their brooms, Jazzy--who dangles precariously from her own broom as it haphazardly bends and twirls--feels inadequate. But then she learns of an alternate means of transportation--cycling--and rather than focus on her schoolwork or relationships, she builds a bicycle of her own. Her angst about flying becomes a thing of the past, until Madame Melcha announces that the students will participate in an upcoming flying parade in celebration of the supermoon. As Jazzy continues to founder in her attempts to handle a broom, she worries she'll never get the hang of this witchy rite of passage. Whimsy abounds in this playful series-opening graphic novel by Bagley (Maurice), relayed in moody, jewel-toned hues and striking shadows. Across a luminous, rhythmically told story, Bagley stages silly scenarios centering an earnest and well-intentioned, occasionally one-track-minded protagonist that perceptively drive home themes of self-confidence, accountability, and embracing one's flaws and strengths. Characters are depicted with varying skin tones. Ages 8--12. (July)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
Jazzy, this graphic novel's protagonist, dreads the upcoming flying parade that will be held in honor of a supermoon. All the other witches in her family and community assume she'll embrace her magical abilities, but she has a secret: bicycle racing is more her speed. As the big day approaches, her best friend, Aggie, helps her covertly but tries to steer her toward flying and witchcraft; "boring traditions," says Jazzy, and thus begins a rift in their friendship. Dynamic digital illustrations in a palette heavy on purple reflect the swooping fun of flying and complement the story's amusing witchy details (a wisecracking bat familiar, rhyming spells, oatmeal that may or may not contain pond scum). Amid the magic, this is a community-expectations-versus-individual-interests tale told with nuance, much of which Jazzy discovers along with readers. Witchcraft hasn't always come as easily to the adults in her life as she thinks, and her interests don't have to be all or nothing. Cozy family scenes with Mom, Mama, and Granny Titch, who along with Jazzy are depicted with varied dark skin tones, are a highlight and bring elements of real-world traditions into this magical world (e.g., Mom and Mama recall jumping the broom at their wedding). Cartoon instructions for making broomsticks -- and spore prints, because Aggie finds an interest of her own -- are appended. Shoshana FlaxSeptember/October 2025 p.57 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Jazzy is the least witchy witch in her entire school. Jazzy just doesn't haveit. When Madame Melcha, her teacher, takes the class for their first flying lesson, Jazzy barely leaves the ground. It's pretty humiliating for a girl whose family runs St. James Besom Co., the local broommakers. Jazzy confides in her familiar, a purple bat named Fiona, that she doesn't have the "spark for the craft." But later that evening, Jazzy finds her spark while watching a bike race on television. Cycling begins to occupy all of Jazzy's time. Her pale-skinned, green-haired friend Aggie encourages her to keep practicing flying and studying spells, but Jazzy doesn't make the time. Instead, she focuses on cycling--and hides her lack of progress from her family. But will Jazzy learn to fly in time for the upcoming supermoon parade, or will she be outed as a bad witch? In this series opener, readers meet Jazzy, who, along with her two loving mothers and grandmother, presents as Black. Jazzy's story is lighthearted but still explores deeper themes of being honest and finding your place. This graphic novel features lively, cartoon-style, full-color illustrations that accentuate the characters' emotions and expressions. The color palette skews toward darker tones of charcoal, purple, and grayish green. A comical, witchy, and sweetly affirming read. (how to make a besom and spore prints, mini comic, author's note)(Graphic adventure. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
