Bizard the Bear Wizard

Bizard #1

by Chrissie Krebs

An ordinary bear gains extraordinary magical powers in this hilarious early graphic novel reader.

Bear was just an average bear, until the day a tornado lodged an out-of-control wizard’s wand in his head. Now he looks a bit like a cross between a bear and a unicorn. He is none too pleased, but it seems he might be stuck with the wand for the foreseeable future.  
 
Even worse, he now has the ability to grant wishes—something he wants no part of. He’d much rather spend his days dozing away. His friends give him a new name—Bizard the Bear Wizard—and he reluctantly accepts his new magical powers and starts granting wishes to everyone in the forest.
 
But when the evil wolf and his bad guys threaten them all, Bizard knows it’s time to embrace his magical destiny. Only he and his newly wanded head can save the day now. Along the way, Bizard’s friends, Fox, Owl, and Squirrel, all bring their own brand of kooky support to his antics as he uses . . . and accidently misuses, his powers.
 
From the talented author-illustrator Chrissie Krebs comes the first of two hilarious younger graphic novels about Bizard and his friends.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Animals, Magic, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Comics

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2023

Reviews

[Elley Shin · Rating 3 out of 5]

humor on point, not so much the drawings...

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bizard The Bear was minding his own business when a gust of wind lodges a wand on his head. It’s a magic wand that grants wishes. The neighborhood creatures line up for wishes and soon the magic isn’t so fun and it becomes tedious. This is when Bizard makes the most terrible mistake and is tricked into granting a wish that has dire consequences for everyone in the forest.

I very much enjoyed this story, along with the cute illustrations. I especially liked how the animals were a community and, when push came to shove, they banded together. It’s sure to delight children and elicit many a giggle.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizard the Bear Wizard by Chrissie Krebs is about a bear who is given magical powers. Bear was just an average bear who enjoyed sleeping and eating. He was content with his quiet life. Everything changes when a tornado sweeps through the land.

The tornado took the wand from a neighboring powerful but eccentric wizard who is casting a spell, and lodges it into Bear’s head. Now he looks like a bear with a unicorn horn on his head. Bear isn’t excited, especially since the wand seems stuck.

Bear and his friends realize that he is able to grant wishes because of his new appendage. When other animals find out, they travel to Bear to grant his wishes. He is overwhelmed and doesn’t want to cast any more wishes. So, when an evil wolf (unbeknownst to Bear) asks for his own wand, Bear is all too excited to get rid of the responsibility. Will Bear be able to see through Wolf’s wish in time and save the animals from harm?

The graphic novel was a fun and quick read. It was filled with humor and witty jokes. I didn’t care for the drawing style as it looked a bit silly. However, a young audience might not care about the drawing style as much as the story. The graphic novel teaches young readers that sometimes a situation can work out in their favor even if it's something they didn’t want. I would be open to reading more of Bizard’s adventures or graphic novels by the author.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a blustery wind implants a wizard's magical wand in the head of Bear, he discovers that he can't remove it and that it gives him magical powers. Thus, Bizard the Bear Wizard is born. Suddenly, his friends and the other animals in the forest are lining up outside his cave with requests, some simple and others rather outlandish. But magic can be tricky, and Bizard grants a potentially dangerous wish from Wolf, leading to all sorts of dire consequences for the animals. With its colorful panels in a variety of sizes and shapes and accessible text, not to mention an outlandish plot that might make readers wonder what they'd wish for or what wishes they might grant, this one will be a hit with third, fourth, and fifth graders. Even though they aren't the main focus of the story, Bizard's friends are quite different from one another, and it's interesting to pay attention to their responses to what has happened.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bear becomes a wizard, specifically Bizard the Bear Wizard, after a tornado rips a magic wand out of the hands of an ordinary wizard and the wand winds up stuck on Bear's head! He is then able to grant wishes of the whole forest, including the bully, Wolf which... doesn't turn out to be a good idea.

I didn't like the art style, but I can see how it would appeal to children. It was squiggly and all the animals seemed to be a bit misshaped. The story was entertaining as Bear is an exhausted and exasperated dude who just wants to nap and not grant wishes. I did like the part at the end where Bear is able to right the problem with Wolf the bully and states that turning them into slugs would just be another form of bullying and he wasn't going to do that.

This would probably be a great read for kiddos ages 6-10.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun early reader graphic novel is a humorous story about a plain ole bear who gets magical powers from a wand iris it a unicorn horn?

It was just another day until the day a tornado lodged an out-of-control wizard’s wand on top of bear’s head. Now he looks a bit like a unicorn. He is not pleased, but it seems the wand could be fortuitous.

Bear now has the ability to grant wishes, but that’s not who he wants to be. He’d much rather spend his days napping. His friends give him a new name, Bizard the Bear Wizard. He less than enthusiastically accepts his new magical powers and starts granting wishes to everyone in the forest.

But when the evil wolf and his bad guys threaten them all, Bizard knows it’s time to embrace his magical destiny. He must step up and save the day.

Bizard’s friends, Fox, Owl, and Squirrel, are all kooky and seem so innocent.

Cutest illustrations.

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book for young early reading kids. Bizard is a story about a bear in a cave who has something awesome happen and he becomes well known by all and somewhat famous. I liked the artwork for this book as it shows the animals, especially what Bizard looks like:)
I would recommend this book to ages 5-10 for young reading or anyone who wants to read a funny tale about a bear and his friends involving magic. And there are several moral messages in this graphic novel book as well for the readers, which I enjoyed and I thought the author did well including them in the book for the young readers.

[Leah Kessler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an entertaining tale that kids in the 6-8 age range would probably enjoy reading. I didn't love the final message that having a situation you don't want thrust upon you, that you have very clearly stated you don't want and that is obviously irritating, should be endured forever because your "friends" want you to keep it, and it didn't seem funny to me at all that the wizard changes his cat into a frog, the cat repeatedly asks to be turned back into a cat, and the wizard refuses simply because he doesn't want to turn the cat back (it's not difficult), and the cat ends the book as the frog it has very clearly stated it doesn't want to be.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a surprise tornado hit the forest, deer and bunnies go flying. The local wizard sets out to cast a spell to end the tornado, which must be done outside. And of course, loses his wand to the tornado. The wand embeds itself in Bear's head, and Bizard the Bear Wizard is born. Everyone wants something from the new wizard, but will Bear accept his destiny? And does everyone deserve to have their wishes granted? Really cute.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly simple graphic novel with few words that would be perfect to read aloud to young kids. I read this with my 5-year-old and it took less than 30 minutes. My older child (9) also enjoyed it and was done quickly as well. There was no exposition and very little character building, but it did have some silly humor (appreciated by kids and myself alike) and a slightly more complicated ethical dilemma than expected, which ended with a moral of taking the high road.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A quirky story of a bear who has the ability to grant wishes after a tornado causes a magic wand to impale his head (he's ok). He reluctantly accepts his role and learns that not all wishes should be granted.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heavy windstorm blows through. The wizard decides to go out in it against the advice of his cat. His wand is snatched away and lands on Bear's head like a unicorn horn. Bear tries to remove it but cannot. His friends are not much help, but they do learn that he can grant wishes for them. Word gets out and a line forms around his cave. Will the wizard come for his wand? Can Bear (now named Bizard by his friends) get rid of the horn?

I enjoyed this graphic novel. It was fun. It was original. Poor Bear! With friends like his, who would ever need enemies? But he does end up with enemies. I had fun with the wishes he was giving. Then the bad guys show up! I enjoyed watching them in action. I look forward to seeing Bizard and his friends in more adventures.

[Richetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had me chuckling! It was a fun read aloud too.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute. It was fun. It shows readers how important it is to not give in to all of our impulses and remember how sometimes, your choices affect others. I thought it was fun.

[Winona · Rating 5 out of 5]

super funny and great.

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty cute but AGAIN with the trope of crows as the bad guys ugh. Don’t people realize crows are the smartest birds?

[Nicole Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear was minding his own business one day when a Wizard’s wand flew around in a storm and struck his head. Next thing he knows, he can grant wishes, the Wizard wants his wand back, and some troublemakers want it as well. A cute new graphic novel series for early readers wanting some animals and magic.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute graphic novel that offers a way of explaining to kids how sometimes you have to do something you don't want to do not because that is the choice you want to make but to keep something worse from happening when someone else is doing wrong.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A happy accident leaves a bear able to grant wishes, much to the delight of his forest pals. But . . . when he grants a wish for a wicked wolf, he quickly comes to regret it.

This a cute graphic for younger readers. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulously goofy, and good triumphs in the end!