Hello readers! Something lovely for Halloween courtesy of the kind folks at Penguin Random House Canada: the illustrated chapter book Crimson Twill: Witch in the City written by Kallie George, illustrated by Birgitta Sif. Read along for my thoughts on Crimson Twill as well as a look at some terrific graphic novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading recently!

“Crimson Twill was a little witch. But you might not know it. She didn’t look like a typical little witch…Crimson didn’t act like a typical little witch, either. She giggled instead of cackled. She skipped instead of slunk around. And instead of having nightmares, like witches were supposed to, Crimson dreamed.”

The adorable and pun-tastically magical Crimson Twill: Witch in the City is a new series opener written by Kallie George and illustrated by Birgitta Sif. A lively and zippy illustrated chapter book, Crimson Twill: Witch in the City stars a puppy-loving, polka-dot wearing, friendly and helpful witch named Crimson. Crimson and her mother, who live in Cackle County (in the “deep dark woods” of the country) are preparing for a trip to Broomingdale’s- a huge and super popular mall way out in New Wart City! It’s the first big trip for Crimson and she cannot wait. What will it be like flying with her mom in heavy broom traffic? What kinds of goodies will Broomingdale’s special Moonlight Café have? What special treat will Crimson decide to buy for herself? As Crimson and her mom make their way to the mall, Crimson finds herself a bit overwhelmed. For a start, Crimson doesn’t seem to be wearing what a lot of other witches are wearing…and no one else seems to have a happy bow decorating their hat! Crimson travels from floor to floor (with the help of a chatty elevator), searching for something perfect: maybe a new broom? What about a new hat? Or maybe even a kitten; witches are supposed to love cats, right? As Crimson explores, she finds that nothing is quite turning out as she anticipated…but some things end up going even better than she could have hoped. Kallie George offers readers a boisterous and fun tale, full of puns, so wonderfully matched by Birgitta Sif’s sweet and charming illustrations. For readers looking for something gently spooky and whimsical (just in time for Halloween!), or for readers who like illustrated chapter books along the lines of series such as Isadora Moon, Amelia Fang, or Ghoulia, Crimson Twill: Witch in the City is a terrific pick. Look forward to more adventures from Crimson and her new friends Mauve and Wesley with Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country, set for summer 2023 release!

Now for a happy reading pile of recommended graphic novels- a mix of middle grade as well as for younger/early readers! In no particular order, here are some highlights:

Garlic and the Witch (Garlic #2) by Bree Paulsen; Red Panda & Moon Bear: The Curse of the Evil Eye (Red Panda & Moon Bear #2) by Jarod Roselló, colourist Lesley Atlanksy; Crunch (Click #5) by Kayla Miller; The Flamingo by Guojing; Party Animals (Cranky Chicken #2) by Katherine Battersby; Unicornado: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure (Phoebe and Her Unicorn #16) by Dana Simpson; Narwhalicorn and Jelly (Narwhal & Jelly #7) by Ben Clanton; Tide Pool Troubles (Shelby & Watts #1) by Ashlyn Anstee; Remarkably Ruby (Emmie & Friends #6) by Terri Libenson; Stick and Stone Explore and More (Stick and Stone #3) by Beth Ferry and Kristen Cella; The Tryout: A Graphic Novel written by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Joanna Cacao; and last but definitely not least, All Together (Bird & Squirrel #7)– the wonderful series finale!- by James Burks.

Happy reading, all!

I received a copy of Crimson Twill: Witch in the City courtesy of Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own. All title in this post have been published and are currently available.