Monday, April 9, 2018

Middle Grade Monday and Review: The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag


The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag. 224 p. Graphix/ Scholastic, October, 2017. 9781338089516. (Review from finished ppb courtesy of publisher.)

Thirteen-year-old Aster lives in a magical family. All the females are witches and all the males are shapeshifters. Aster often eavesdrops on his sisters' magic  lessons because he has no interest in shapeshifting. All his friends are getting glimpses of the shapes they may eventually shift into. Aster? Nothing. The setting is contemporary but the magic is old. There is also a family secret. When a couple of Aster's friends go missing, the adults in the community mobilize to find out what happened to them. Aster decides to test his magical ability in an effort to help.

This was an engaging story of identity featuring a diverse cast of characters. The art is vibrant. Aster is a sympathetic character whom readers will root for. The fast pace of the graphic novel will appeal as well. 

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