Staff Pick
Written and illustrated by the illustrator of Mooncakes, one of our bestselling teen graphic novels, Wendy Xu immerses us in this gorgeously illustrated fantasy middle grade graphic novel. We follow Sophie, a 12-year-old water witch who is sent to live relatives to train and audition for the Royal Magic Academy. When a spell goes wrong, she meets Lir, a water dragon in human form lost in the spell and together they work to get Lir back home. A perfect read for fans of Tea Dragon Society and Pilu of the Woods. Recommended By Kim T., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society, this is a magically heartwarming graphic novel about self-acceptance and friendship.
Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy — the best magic school in the realm — even though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she’s never met.
Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her magic with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir.
Lir is trapped on land and can’t remember where he came from. Even so, he’s everything Sophie isn’t — beloved by Sophie’s family and skilled at magic. With his help, Sophie might just ace her entrance exams, but that means standing in the way of Lir’s attempts to regain his memories. Sophie knows what she’s doing is wrong, but without Lir’s help, can she prove herself?
Review
“Resplendent hues, big-eyed magical creatures, and vivid setting details enhance this lush graphic novel, and Xu blends elements from Chinese mythology seamlessly with a magical, witchy world.” The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Reminiscent of Kiki's Delivery Service, the colorful panels are filled with movement, and the manga-style art pops. A fun, fantastical romp." Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Wendy Xu is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and comics artist with several upcoming graphic novels from HarperCollins. She is the co-creator of Mooncakes, a young adult fantasy graphic novel published in 2019 from Lion Forge Comics/Oni Press, which has been nominated for Hugo, Ignatz, and GoodReads Choice awards. Her work has been featured on Catapult, B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, and Tor.com, among other places. Visit her online at www.artofwendyxu.com.