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Gods of Jade and Shadow

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Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Trapped in domestic drudgery in a small town in Yucatán, Mexico, Casiopeia Tun lives at the mercy of her wealthy and tyrannical grandfather, Cirilo. Despite her mother’s urging to keep her head down and do whatever their relatives might command, willful Casiopeia still has moments of quiet rebellion. These moments oftentimes attract the ire of her arrogant cousin, Martín, but Casiopeia is practical and does her best to not let him get under her skin. The unfairness of her life is not lost on her, though. She knows she was born under a rotten star, but in secret Casiopeia continues to dream of another life. A life of her own choosing.

In a small moment of defiance, Casiopeia goes through her grandfather’s things while the rest of the family is out. She expects to find hidden treasures in a wooden trunk, but instead she accidentally frees Mayan death God Hun-Kamé, Lord of Xibalba (the Mayan Underworld). Freeing him from his imprisonment binds Casiopeia and Hun-Kamé, their fates intertwined. Casiopeia agrees to help him take revenge on his twin brother and reclaim his throne. What other choice does she really have? This journey could give her a new life. It could also be her undoing. Either way, she will escape the life she’d been given.

Gods of Jade and Shadow promises Mayan Gods in 1920s Jazz Era Mexico, but also offers a magical fairytale inspired by Mexican folklore, a journey of self-discovery, slow burn romance, political and social commentary, and meditations on power, duality, freedom, and death.

Find Gods of Jade and Shadow in the catalog here!

Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest

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Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

In this four-season volume, Little Witch Hazel follows a tiny witch who lives in the forest. Hardworking and kind Hazel raises a baby owl, learns how to slow down and rest, and helps her friends and neighbors however she can. The world that Wahl creates with her beautiful illustrations and storytelling is whimsical, but also rooted very deeply in connection with nature and community. Hazel has a steadfast, quiet confidence and a commitment to being of service to others.

Little Witch Hazel is a soft hug of a book, with talking woodland creatures, homes made in tree stumps, and witches who heal. A sweet and gentle read for children ages 4-8.

Find Little Witch Hazel in the catalog here!

Kaleidoscope

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Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids, Teens

“We stood side by side, holding hands. I thought about an hourglass, where the sand is pouring down from above until the top half is empty. My head felt like the top half of the hourglass, and I could feel everything pouring out – my thoughts, my memories, my past, all the books of I’d read, all the diagrams of telephones I’d memorized, my family, my dreams, my fears. I was dissolving and becoming something new.”

This collection of short stories is a magical and mysterious exploration of loss, loneliness, and longing. Each story is linked by reoccurring themes and motifs, but most notably by the connection between the narrator and his friend, James. With settings that shift over time, space, memory, and dreams, these vignettes interspersed with Selznick’s illustrations form a tapestry examining love, friendship, and the grief that follows loss.

While Kaleidoscope is suggested for young readers ages 9-12, the overarching themes and speculative writing style will also appeal to teens and adults.

Find Kaleidoscope in the catalog here!

Garlic and the Vampire

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Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Garlic, an enchanted garlic bulb, lives in a quiet garden with other enchanted vegetables under the care of their friend and mentor, Witch Agnes. Garlic chronically oversleeps and over-worries, but she loves tending the garden and finds her bliss safely in her comfort zone.

Interrupting their idyllic existence, smoke rises from a nearby (and supposedly long abandoned) castle. A vampire has moved in! Garlic, obviously having natural resistance to vampires, is volunteered to investigate and deal with their terrifying new neighbor. She doesn’t know how she could possibly do that – she’s just a little garlic! – but with encouragement from her best friend, Carrot, Garlic overcomes her self-doubt and confronts the vampire. Even with her newfound courage, it doesn’t go exactly the way she expects.

A wholesome and absolutely adorable story, Garlic and the Vampire is a middle-grade graphic novel about anxiety and bravery, believing in yourself, and perhaps most importantly, not judging a vampire just by his teeth.

Find Garlic and the Vampire in the catalog here!

Kiki’s Delivery Service

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Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

It is witch tradition that at thirteen a young witch leaves her home to find a town in need of magical services. Half-witch Kiki hasn’t fully mastered her magical abilities yet, but she also never runs from a challenge. Flying on her broomstick (one of the few magical things Kiki actually is pretty good at) with her black cat, Jiji, Kiki decides to stay one full year in the seaside town of Koriko. At first she’s met with some skepticism by the locals, but determined and lovable Kiki quickly finds her footing.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is a wholesome and warmhearted coming of age story. Originally published in 1985, it was later adapted into the animated movie of the same name by legendary director Hayao Miyazaki in 1989. The newest translation was published in 2020 with new beautiful new cover art and illustrations by Yuta Onoda. Families looking for a book to read aloud together will love its episodic chapters, but I wholeheartedly recommend Kiki’s Delivery Service to any witch in need of a cozy read.

Find Kiki’s Delivery Service in the catalog here!

Pirate Queen: A Story of Zheng Yi Sao

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Pirate Queen: A Story of Zheng Yi Sao by Helaine Becker and Liz Wong
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Pirate Queen: A Story of Zheng Yi Sao by Helaine Becker (illustrated by Liz Wong) is about a young woman who would become the most powerful pirate in history.

When pirates raid her city, Zheng Yi Sao boldly makes the pirate captain an offer: she will marry him only if she gets an equal share in his enterprise. He agrees. Years later, her husband has died, and at thirty-two years old Zheng Yi Sao has 70,000 men and 1,800 ships under her command. Her power would eventually come to rival the emperor himself.

In Pirate Queen, Becker takes what little is known about Zheng Yi Sao and weaves together an exciting and intriguing story of her accomplishments and what her life may have been. Wong’s illustrations are simple and muted, yet effective in highlighting Zheng Yi Sao’s cleverness, bravery, and ferocity. I would recommend Pirate Queen for children ages 6-12, or for any adult with an interest in pirate queens.

Find Pirate Queen in the catalog here!