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Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain: A Graphic Novel
Welcome to the island of Asunción, home to the most powerful witches—and Pacheco, their biggest fan. In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, debut creator Juan E. Zambrano will take readers on an epic adventure that's all about magic, identity, and staying true to yourself.
Pacheco's biggest dream is to practice magic! There's just one problem: commoners, and especially boys, aren't allowed to learn witchcraft.
However, once his family’s fishing business begins to suffer, Pacheco is determined; he's certain that learning magic is the best way to help his family and community. He meets Doris, a grumpy, old witch, and he decides to become her apprentice.
As Pacheco enters the world of magic, he finds himself caught up in the rules and schemes of a whole new society and surrounded by magical creatures in need of protection. Pacheco will have to dig deep to muster the courage—and magic—to defend his future.
Debut creator Juan E. Zambrano presents a breathtaking graphic novel that delves into the importance of staying true to oneself while courageously addressing challenging themes such as gender roles and environmental protection. Perfect for fans of Joe Latham's Haru, Emma Steinkellner's The Okay Witch, Claribel Ortega's Witchlings, and Hayao Miyazaki's films like Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away.
Pacheco's biggest dream is to practice magic! There's just one problem: commoners, and especially boys, aren't allowed to learn witchcraft.
However, once his family’s fishing business begins to suffer, Pacheco is determined; he's certain that learning magic is the best way to help his family and community. He meets Doris, a grumpy, old witch, and he decides to become her apprentice.
As Pacheco enters the world of magic, he finds himself caught up in the rules and schemes of a whole new society and surrounded by magical creatures in need of protection. Pacheco will have to dig deep to muster the courage—and magic—to defend his future.
Debut creator Juan E. Zambrano presents a breathtaking graphic novel that delves into the importance of staying true to oneself while courageously addressing challenging themes such as gender roles and environmental protection. Perfect for fans of Joe Latham's Haru, Emma Steinkellner's The Okay Witch, Claribel Ortega's Witchlings, and Hayao Miyazaki's films like Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published June 17, 2025
3 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Juan E. Zambrano
1 book4 followersJuan E. Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional interpreter turned illustrator turned graphic novelist. A certified bird enthusiast, he enjoys going out for walks in nature and observing wildlife, which inspires a great deal of his work.''
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 7, 2025
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about a boy who dreams of becoming a witch. Great human and animal characters, wonderful storyline, excellent balance of humour and seriousness, good life lessons, adorable art. Much recommended to the target age group!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
🔮 Pacheco: lead character extraordinaire, with a strong preference for Gen-Z utterisms. 😄 He’s not portrayed as perfect; he makes mistakes, but he also apologises for the same. This makes him an even better lead.
🔮 Pacheco’s father and grandfather: limited roles and yet, such a fabulous presence! Loved them both!
🔮 The humour, whether in the illustrations or the conversations – so much fun! There’s also some slapstick comedy, thanks to the above two characters. I am not usually fond of physical comedy, but it works nicely in this book, and little readers are sure to laugh out loud.
🔮 Doris: An amazing mentor who teaches Pacheco much more than magic.
🔮 The myriad birds and animals. Wow!
🔮 The South American feel thanks to the author’s Venezuelan heritage.
🔮 The reversal of the more common gender roles, with the matriarchal witch society placing restrictions on boys.
🔮 The tempo: quite fast. There’s a lot happening without affecting the pace.
🔮 The ending: perfect for the story. No forced HEAs, no incomplete arcs.
🔮 The illustrations: fabulous! The colours are wonderfully vivid, with the magical scenes coming with some nice sparkly touches. The hues match the emotions of the scenes well, going bright and dull as needed. I love the characters and their expressions the most. I also appreciate how the characters came in various sizes and skin tones.
Bookish If Onlys:
💫 Some plot points were left without much clarification. The initial “light show”, the part about pulling magic from animals (this might be to avoid scaring little readers, but I would have preferred at least a little background about the process), the reason why the villagers didn’t trust the witches, the absence of men in the witch world (and the absence of women in Pacheco’s family),… These don’t affect the book greatly, but some more detailing would have helped.
💫 As the secondary characters are numerous, their development is somewhat limited. I’d have loved to know some of them more; they had such an intriguing personality!
💫 I wish there had been at least some panels where Pacheco shows regret or guilt about not having informed his family before residing with Doris. Kids need to learn that (most) parents panic if their children aren’t home by the pre-decided time, and the resultant anger is just a manifestation of their love.
Overall, this was an amazing graphic novel. It delivers on almost all aspects: story, writing, characters, humour, emotions, ending, and artwork. Though a few things could have been detailed better, the rest ensured a memorable reading experience. Both my young in-house readers accompanied me on this journey, and they enjoyed the book as much as I did. If this is meant to be a series, we are definitely on board for the sequel(s).
Certainly recommended to little fantasy lovers! The official target age is 9-11 year olds, but I think this debut work reads a bit young. Then again, it was a fun book to read, so let me just expand the age range and recommended it to 7-11 year olds.
4.5 stars, happy to round up.
My thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing the DRC of “Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain” via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Pacheco always dreams of practising magic, even if his father and his grandfather, both fishermen, are opposed to the idea. After all, boys can’t be witches! But when the family business begins to suffer, Pacheco is sure that he can use magic to help his family and his village, even if it means begging the grumpy witch Doris to take him on as an apprentice. Once he begins his training. He discovers a whole other world, with a new set of rules and restrictions. Can Pacheco bend the existing norms and prove that boys indeed have what it takes to perform magic?
Bookish Yays:
🔮 Pacheco: lead character extraordinaire, with a strong preference for Gen-Z utterisms. 😄 He’s not portrayed as perfect; he makes mistakes, but he also apologises for the same. This makes him an even better lead.
🔮 Pacheco’s father and grandfather: limited roles and yet, such a fabulous presence! Loved them both!
🔮 The humour, whether in the illustrations or the conversations – so much fun! There’s also some slapstick comedy, thanks to the above two characters. I am not usually fond of physical comedy, but it works nicely in this book, and little readers are sure to laugh out loud.
🔮 Doris: An amazing mentor who teaches Pacheco much more than magic.
🔮 The myriad birds and animals. Wow!
🔮 The South American feel thanks to the author’s Venezuelan heritage.
🔮 The reversal of the more common gender roles, with the matriarchal witch society placing restrictions on boys.
🔮 The tempo: quite fast. There’s a lot happening without affecting the pace.
🔮 The ending: perfect for the story. No forced HEAs, no incomplete arcs.
🔮 The illustrations: fabulous! The colours are wonderfully vivid, with the magical scenes coming with some nice sparkly touches. The hues match the emotions of the scenes well, going bright and dull as needed. I love the characters and their expressions the most. I also appreciate how the characters came in various sizes and skin tones.
Bookish If Onlys:
💫 Some plot points were left without much clarification. The initial “light show”, the part about pulling magic from animals (this might be to avoid scaring little readers, but I would have preferred at least a little background about the process), the reason why the villagers didn’t trust the witches, the absence of men in the witch world (and the absence of women in Pacheco’s family),… These don’t affect the book greatly, but some more detailing would have helped.
💫 As the secondary characters are numerous, their development is somewhat limited. I’d have loved to know some of them more; they had such an intriguing personality!
💫 I wish there had been at least some panels where Pacheco shows regret or guilt about not having informed his family before residing with Doris. Kids need to learn that (most) parents panic if their children aren’t home by the pre-decided time, and the resultant anger is just a manifestation of their love.
Overall, this was an amazing graphic novel. It delivers on almost all aspects: story, writing, characters, humour, emotions, ending, and artwork. Though a few things could have been detailed better, the rest ensured a memorable reading experience. Both my young in-house readers accompanied me on this journey, and they enjoyed the book as much as I did. If this is meant to be a series, we are definitely on board for the sequel(s).
Certainly recommended to little fantasy lovers! The official target age is 9-11 year olds, but I think this debut work reads a bit young. Then again, it was a fun book to read, so let me just expand the age range and recommended it to 7-11 year olds.
4.5 stars, happy to round up.
My thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing the DRC of “Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain” via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
June 13, 2025
Super cute story, Pacheco has my heart! Love the diversity of characters and the realistic happy ending 🫶🏼
Read
April 29, 2025Is PACHECO on your radar? 👀
This graphic novel comes out in June and is by a Venezuelan author still living in South America. It's very much *The Witch Boy series* vibes but Latinx! And many of the creatures in the book (especially the birds) are based on real Venezuelan animals.
Would highly recommend for elementary schools 🫶🏼
This graphic novel comes out in June and is by a Venezuelan author still living in South America. It's very much *The Witch Boy series* vibes but Latinx! And many of the creatures in the book (especially the birds) are based on real Venezuelan animals.
Would highly recommend for elementary schools 🫶🏼
January 5, 2026
A Visually Enchanting and Heart Forward Graphic Novel
Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain is a beautifully illustrated, emotionally resonant graphic novel that captures the wonder of magic while thoughtfully exploring identity, courage, and belonging. Juan E. Zambrano crafts a rich island world filled with warmth, danger, and imagination, where Pacheco’s determination to defy tradition feels both inspiring and deeply relatable. What stands out most is the balance between whimsy and substance, as themes of gender roles, environmental protection, and self belief are woven seamlessly into the story. This is a book that invites young readers to see themselves as capable of change while delighting them with unforgettable visuals and magical adventure.
Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain is a beautifully illustrated, emotionally resonant graphic novel that captures the wonder of magic while thoughtfully exploring identity, courage, and belonging. Juan E. Zambrano crafts a rich island world filled with warmth, danger, and imagination, where Pacheco’s determination to defy tradition feels both inspiring and deeply relatable. What stands out most is the balance between whimsy and substance, as themes of gender roles, environmental protection, and self belief are woven seamlessly into the story. This is a book that invites young readers to see themselves as capable of change while delighting them with unforgettable visuals and magical adventure.
September 8, 2025
Pacheco is a young boy in a family of fishers on a seemingly isolated island, Asunción, where there's known to be witches and yet the regular people fear them. Fishing season seems to be doing poorly for the family, and they tend to be the main source of food for the village. Pacheco is very much a dreamer and is always interested about the mysterious lighthouse that the witches apparently utilize.
His father is sweet and well-meaning while his grandfather is very dismissive of anything that's not deemed normal, and doesn't think his grandson has it in him to be a good man or fisherman, especially when he's daydreaming all the time. This is supposed to come out as comedic effect, and reminds me of some Latinx family stereotypes but like majority of the humor in this book, it doesn't quite land properly.
Despite all that, Pacheco wants to find ways to help with the fishing, help with his family, and become a person they can be proud of. While out on his own at night, he spies a bird trying to steal some leftover fish from a delivery he forgot to take care of that morning, and finds out said bird can talk! And fly with his bike! So of course he hops on and is taken to the bird's home to find out she's actually a witch!
She's one to take care of the various animals on the island and they soon discover a mighty mythical one that not native to the land. One that was hurt, so of course the witch does her best to take care and calm the monster down, along with Pacheco.
It doesn't take long before the boy manages to insert himself into the witch's life but becoming her apprentice. Again it's played as quirky young kid, you can't say no to him right? kind of humor, but it was kind of obvious that our boy just really doesn't listen to adults and does what he wants and gets reward for it.
Forgetting that he has a mostly caring family at home, he stays with the witch for days on end, learning about how spells work, and what witches do. She never tells him anything straight or clear, expecting him and us the audience to just figure it out on our own, which of course would lead to some problems. One main one, which is an interesting bit of world building, is that on this island, only women can become witches, to use magic. And with Pacheco being a boy, that quickly leads to the society to find and condemn him and the mountain witch.
The pacing of this book is very uneven, jumping around to different point of views once he's encountered other witches, and what wasn't a problem before suddenly is now. There's a lot of telling and not showing, and it's in the case of flashbacks that seem to slow down the pacing even more. The main antagonist is very cookie cutter villainess and even though we get her backstory, it just doesn't justify everything else.
There are some queer coded themes throughout the story, that you kind of have to look out for, which made it seem interesting. With our mountain witch and the antagonist, I almost got a Wicked the musical like vibe from them, but like a lot of the plot points presented in this graphic novel, they sizzle out. I feel like Zambrano was trying to make something very complex and layered and deep and yet keep to the demographics this was made for, which are young children. And I don't think it quite hits that perfect balance. Kids may be able to enjoy the simplicity of the storyline and having the regular old kid make some friends, have a mentor, learn magic, get confident in himself and save the day along with lovely art, but I feel it could have been better.
The ending to me felt bittersweet since his family was just shoved away for most of it, and some of the loose threads were semi-fixed but still left others hanging. The art style was interesting to me, not quite what I like in graphic novels, as it worked best on all the wonderful creatures we saw throughout the book and the gorgeous landscapes. While everyone looked unique, it felt too modern Nickelodeon to me with exaggerated spit-takes to remind you what was said or done was supposed to be funny. The color palate used was warm and magical and that I did like a lot.
Now, the cover is definitely an attention grabber with the glowing birds ascending to a dark light house on top of the mountain. We have our main kid, scared by ready for anything and his animal companion and mentor on the cover too, even if we don't know about it. While the cover makes it seem like it may be an adventure or island exploration story, it's really about internal exploration and making connections with others.
Thanks to Edelweiss for providing me a copy of this!
His father is sweet and well-meaning while his grandfather is very dismissive of anything that's not deemed normal, and doesn't think his grandson has it in him to be a good man or fisherman, especially when he's daydreaming all the time. This is supposed to come out as comedic effect, and reminds me of some Latinx family stereotypes but like majority of the humor in this book, it doesn't quite land properly.
Despite all that, Pacheco wants to find ways to help with the fishing, help with his family, and become a person they can be proud of. While out on his own at night, he spies a bird trying to steal some leftover fish from a delivery he forgot to take care of that morning, and finds out said bird can talk! And fly with his bike! So of course he hops on and is taken to the bird's home to find out she's actually a witch!
She's one to take care of the various animals on the island and they soon discover a mighty mythical one that not native to the land. One that was hurt, so of course the witch does her best to take care and calm the monster down, along with Pacheco.
It doesn't take long before the boy manages to insert himself into the witch's life but becoming her apprentice. Again it's played as quirky young kid, you can't say no to him right? kind of humor, but it was kind of obvious that our boy just really doesn't listen to adults and does what he wants and gets reward for it.
Forgetting that he has a mostly caring family at home, he stays with the witch for days on end, learning about how spells work, and what witches do. She never tells him anything straight or clear, expecting him and us the audience to just figure it out on our own, which of course would lead to some problems. One main one, which is an interesting bit of world building, is that on this island, only women can become witches, to use magic. And with Pacheco being a boy, that quickly leads to the society to find and condemn him and the mountain witch.
The pacing of this book is very uneven, jumping around to different point of views once he's encountered other witches, and what wasn't a problem before suddenly is now. There's a lot of telling and not showing, and it's in the case of flashbacks that seem to slow down the pacing even more. The main antagonist is very cookie cutter villainess and even though we get her backstory, it just doesn't justify everything else.
There are some queer coded themes throughout the story, that you kind of have to look out for, which made it seem interesting. With our mountain witch and the antagonist, I almost got a Wicked the musical like vibe from them, but like a lot of the plot points presented in this graphic novel, they sizzle out. I feel like Zambrano was trying to make something very complex and layered and deep and yet keep to the demographics this was made for, which are young children. And I don't think it quite hits that perfect balance. Kids may be able to enjoy the simplicity of the storyline and having the regular old kid make some friends, have a mentor, learn magic, get confident in himself and save the day along with lovely art, but I feel it could have been better.
The ending to me felt bittersweet since his family was just shoved away for most of it, and some of the loose threads were semi-fixed but still left others hanging. The art style was interesting to me, not quite what I like in graphic novels, as it worked best on all the wonderful creatures we saw throughout the book and the gorgeous landscapes. While everyone looked unique, it felt too modern Nickelodeon to me with exaggerated spit-takes to remind you what was said or done was supposed to be funny. The color palate used was warm and magical and that I did like a lot.
Now, the cover is definitely an attention grabber with the glowing birds ascending to a dark light house on top of the mountain. We have our main kid, scared by ready for anything and his animal companion and mentor on the cover too, even if we don't know about it. While the cover makes it seem like it may be an adventure or island exploration story, it's really about internal exploration and making connections with others.
Thanks to Edelweiss for providing me a copy of this!
May 9, 2025
An unique mixture of magic, fishing villages, and animals flow into adventure and action, while the problems of not quite fitting in offer tension, humor, and intrigue.
Pacheco does his best to help out with the family's fishing business, but it's not always an easy way to earn a living, especially lately. His grandpa blames the bad catches on the witches on the mountain and is sure they are up to no good as always. Pacheco, however, is fascinated by magic and dreams of learning to perform spells, too. Not that this is really a possibility...until he crosses paths with a witch in the forest. Pacheco knows this is his chance to achieve his dreams and does his best to convince the unwilling woman to take him in as an apprentice. But he doesn't realize how much trouble her acceptance of him could cause because it will break the Mountain Witch's rules. And that carries consequences.
While the tale begins with a more down-to-earth fishing village and a family, who is struggling to stay afloat as their fishing business goes down, it quickly swings into a fantastical direction. Magical beasts, amazing spells, and a thick forest lay the scene for adventure and promises of secrets and danger. The mix between fun and darker intrigue are echoed0 in the graphics as the atmosphere plays between bright colors and dimmer hues, just enough to shift with the emotions. The scenes carry the tale forward and bring each character to life...and make the troubles Pacheco faces tense and clear.
The writing fits well to the intended age group, and if anything, leans toward the younger end. The message behind the plot isn't hard to figure out, but the plot itself delivers surprises and unique twists as Pacheco has to come to terms with his new abilities and place in the world. There are characters to love and dislike. Several aren't hit with much depth, but it's clear they're going to have important roles in the tales to come, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them, since they promise to carry quite a bit of personality. The relationship between the family and Pacheco was also light, especially at the end, but I'm hoping this also deepens as the series goes on. Not that I'm expecting much because this is a fast-paced plot, which plants its feet in action and quirky magic fun.
It's a nice start to the series with promises of much more to come.
Pacheco does his best to help out with the family's fishing business, but it's not always an easy way to earn a living, especially lately. His grandpa blames the bad catches on the witches on the mountain and is sure they are up to no good as always. Pacheco, however, is fascinated by magic and dreams of learning to perform spells, too. Not that this is really a possibility...until he crosses paths with a witch in the forest. Pacheco knows this is his chance to achieve his dreams and does his best to convince the unwilling woman to take him in as an apprentice. But he doesn't realize how much trouble her acceptance of him could cause because it will break the Mountain Witch's rules. And that carries consequences.
While the tale begins with a more down-to-earth fishing village and a family, who is struggling to stay afloat as their fishing business goes down, it quickly swings into a fantastical direction. Magical beasts, amazing spells, and a thick forest lay the scene for adventure and promises of secrets and danger. The mix between fun and darker intrigue are echoed0 in the graphics as the atmosphere plays between bright colors and dimmer hues, just enough to shift with the emotions. The scenes carry the tale forward and bring each character to life...and make the troubles Pacheco faces tense and clear.
The writing fits well to the intended age group, and if anything, leans toward the younger end. The message behind the plot isn't hard to figure out, but the plot itself delivers surprises and unique twists as Pacheco has to come to terms with his new abilities and place in the world. There are characters to love and dislike. Several aren't hit with much depth, but it's clear they're going to have important roles in the tales to come, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them, since they promise to carry quite a bit of personality. The relationship between the family and Pacheco was also light, especially at the end, but I'm hoping this also deepens as the series goes on. Not that I'm expecting much because this is a fast-paced plot, which plants its feet in action and quirky magic fun.
It's a nice start to the series with promises of much more to come.
February 20, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Pacheco lives with his father and grandfather, who are fisherman near San Chaparrón. Pacheco tries to help, but often gets distracted while delivering fish, and the business is struggling anyway. He is very interested in magic, and enthralled by the light displays the witches put on, but his father doesn't want him involved in magic. When he is approached by a magical bird, it takes him up to meet Doris, the witch of the mountain, who is trying to save magical creatures. Pacheco would love to be her apprentice, and even cleans up her house, but it is not allowed for boys to perform magic, and only people from certain family backgrounds are allowed. This doesn't stop him from doing some magic at the market in the mountains, and this brings both him and Doris to the attention of the very displeased witch council. Doris doesn't agree with their rules, and hates the fact that the other witches are draining the magic from magical creatures for their own uses. Pacheco gets some help from Chiqui, the granddaughter of Providencia, the Great Sorceress, and from Feliciano, another boy who does magic, and has enough self confidence that he wants to take the test to become an apprentice even though he is not allowed. Can the council see the error of their ways and usher in a new age of inclusive magic?
Strengths: The author of this book is from Venezuela, and it was interesting to see the giant stature of the Great Sorceress that looks a bit like the giant statue of the Virgin Mary in Trujillo. Doris' mountainside and the magical creatures also have a South American feel. Young readers will understand how Pacheco would rather learn magic, despite the odds, than stay with the family business, even though he wants to support his family. The cast of witches is nicely diverse, and the rules, while perhaps unfair, are clear. There is a happy ending, which always helps.
Weaknesses: This seems a bit too young for my students. Andrews McMeel has a good range of titles, but some are more appropriate for younger grades.
What I really think: This is a good choice for elementary readers who want magical graphic novels like Hatke's Mighty Jack, Hale's Amethyst, princess of Gemworld, or Foxe's Adventure Kingdom books.
Pacheco lives with his father and grandfather, who are fisherman near San Chaparrón. Pacheco tries to help, but often gets distracted while delivering fish, and the business is struggling anyway. He is very interested in magic, and enthralled by the light displays the witches put on, but his father doesn't want him involved in magic. When he is approached by a magical bird, it takes him up to meet Doris, the witch of the mountain, who is trying to save magical creatures. Pacheco would love to be her apprentice, and even cleans up her house, but it is not allowed for boys to perform magic, and only people from certain family backgrounds are allowed. This doesn't stop him from doing some magic at the market in the mountains, and this brings both him and Doris to the attention of the very displeased witch council. Doris doesn't agree with their rules, and hates the fact that the other witches are draining the magic from magical creatures for their own uses. Pacheco gets some help from Chiqui, the granddaughter of Providencia, the Great Sorceress, and from Feliciano, another boy who does magic, and has enough self confidence that he wants to take the test to become an apprentice even though he is not allowed. Can the council see the error of their ways and usher in a new age of inclusive magic?
Strengths: The author of this book is from Venezuela, and it was interesting to see the giant stature of the Great Sorceress that looks a bit like the giant statue of the Virgin Mary in Trujillo. Doris' mountainside and the magical creatures also have a South American feel. Young readers will understand how Pacheco would rather learn magic, despite the odds, than stay with the family business, even though he wants to support his family. The cast of witches is nicely diverse, and the rules, while perhaps unfair, are clear. There is a happy ending, which always helps.
Weaknesses: This seems a bit too young for my students. Andrews McMeel has a good range of titles, but some are more appropriate for younger grades.
What I really think: This is a good choice for elementary readers who want magical graphic novels like Hatke's Mighty Jack, Hale's Amethyst, princess of Gemworld, or Foxe's Adventure Kingdom books.
May 23, 2025
A colorful and enthralling journey from beginning to end.
The vast amount of creativity poured into the worldbuilding is clear from the get-go. The setting draws inspiration from Zambrano's homeland, Venezuela, combining real-life geography, culture, flora and fauna with a fantasy world full of magical creatures and people in a way that feels beautifully woven together.
I fell in love with the characters right away, and was especially fond of Doris and Providencia; the way the story tied them together felt very harmoniously orchestrated. The star of the show is, of course, Pacheco, whose tale of self-discovery is inspiring to kids and adults alike.
As a side note on something I consider highly commendable when making a graphic novel, the author and artist did a wonderful job of assigning color palettes that fit the mood perfectly throughout the different stages of the story, which makes for a deeper, more immersive reading experience.
I'm so looking forward to a sequel. Would love to get to witness how this charming world and its inhabitants develop in the future! I'd particularly like to see Pimentón and the witches of the council return. I feel there's a lot of potential to these characters that we've yet to explore (more Alba please!).
The vast amount of creativity poured into the worldbuilding is clear from the get-go. The setting draws inspiration from Zambrano's homeland, Venezuela, combining real-life geography, culture, flora and fauna with a fantasy world full of magical creatures and people in a way that feels beautifully woven together.
I fell in love with the characters right away, and was especially fond of Doris and Providencia; the way the story tied them together felt very harmoniously orchestrated. The star of the show is, of course, Pacheco, whose tale of self-discovery is inspiring to kids and adults alike.
As a side note on something I consider highly commendable when making a graphic novel, the author and artist did a wonderful job of assigning color palettes that fit the mood perfectly throughout the different stages of the story, which makes for a deeper, more immersive reading experience.
I'm so looking forward to a sequel. Would love to get to witness how this charming world and its inhabitants develop in the future! I'd particularly like to see Pimentón and the witches of the council return. I feel there's a lot of potential to these characters that we've yet to explore (more Alba please!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2025
Pacheco wants to help his family with their fishing life, but he also wants more. He wants to go and see what the witches of the island have to offer, but his grandfather wants nothing to do with the witches or magic.
Pacheco ends up being pulled to the witch's house, where he basically forces his way into being her apprentice. While he doesn't do a lot, he still wants to learn. Only to discover that the other witches on the island don't want a boy to do magic, and especially an untrained one with impure magic.
There's a lot of talk about tradition and only the right people being allowed to do magic, and it is very much a bash you over the head with this plot, but it works out in the end, the corrupt witches are removed, and Pacheco gets to be who he wants to be. With beautiful imagery this is a good graphic novel about being who you are regardless of who thinks it is wrong.
Copy provided by Edelweiss and the publisher.
Pacheco ends up being pulled to the witch's house, where he basically forces his way into being her apprentice. While he doesn't do a lot, he still wants to learn. Only to discover that the other witches on the island don't want a boy to do magic, and especially an untrained one with impure magic.
There's a lot of talk about tradition and only the right people being allowed to do magic, and it is very much a bash you over the head with this plot, but it works out in the end, the corrupt witches are removed, and Pacheco gets to be who he wants to be. With beautiful imagery this is a good graphic novel about being who you are regardless of who thinks it is wrong.
Copy provided by Edelweiss and the publisher.
October 26, 2025
I read a physical copy of this graphic novel after receiving it from a friend. I enjoyed the world building in this book where women are witches who shape shift into birds. Pacheco is a third generation fisherman who is captivated by the witch of the mountain and the possibility of magic. An eager pupil, the young boy strives to learn magic from the outcast Doris. The more he learns about the main society of witches and the source of their power, the stronger his bond with Doris grows, strengthening his own abilities. The author’s Venezuelan roots shine through in the lush setting and vivid colors. This is a quick, satisfying read for those who enjoy a good illustrated fantasy.
June 21, 2025
A fantastic debut middle grade graphic novel featuring a Latinx boy who wants to learn magic even though only girls/women are witches and no one wants to help him learn until he eventually wins over an outcast witch and stirs up a lot of trouble with the witch council. I loved the art and illustration style of this book and thought there was important messages about gender nonconformity, kindness towards others and fighting for what's right even when its hard. I'd love for there to be more Pacheco stories in the future!
September 2, 2025
Very fun fast paced middle grade graphic novel about a young boy who wants to become a witch, a crotchety old witch on the mountain, and a strict matriarchal group of witches. I loved the artwork; the characters were all so expressive and the animals were so colorful and fantastic. I especially loved all the Venezuelan influences - it's not something you see much of in kids literature!
December 12, 2025
this was so cute!! I loved the art style and the characters so much. The ending felt a bit too clean and tidy for me (there could have been a bit more resistance) but all in all, a great time.
rep: all Latino cast, implied queerness in some of the characters, matriarchal world
spice: none
rep: all Latino cast, implied queerness in some of the characters, matriarchal world
spice: none
July 16, 2025
Loved the art and the story! Glad I got to read this through my library.
August 29, 2025
Yes boys can do magic also!!!!
September 4, 2025
A cute graphic novel about a boy who wants to learn magic in a place that forbids boys from doing so.
September 6, 2025
My son loved his story. He is hoping for a sequel!
October 2, 2025
Funny, heartwarming, beautiful illustrations, great characters, and a lovely message, what more could you want?
November 4, 2025
This wasn’t really my cup of tea, but I did appreciate the theme about fighting back against systems of power.
January 15, 2026
Fun characters, Witch Boy light. Side arcs not well fleshed out.
January 9, 2025
Read via an online reader copy
The story itself is good, but could have been a smidgen more to it for my personal tastes. However, for the aged 7 to 10 it is perfect. The illustrations are fun, colorful and even have a touch of humor to them. A good story of being true to yourself, with a LGBTQ overtone.
The story itself is good, but could have been a smidgen more to it for my personal tastes. However, for the aged 7 to 10 it is perfect. The illustrations are fun, colorful and even have a touch of humor to them. A good story of being true to yourself, with a LGBTQ overtone.
June 24, 2025
I received this book from Edelweiss/publisher in exchange of an honest review.
😍 Love love the cover and the illustrations inside. They were just absolutely GORGEOUS and I loved all the details.
😍 Doris was such a fun character and I love how she was both strict but also kind towards the boy who wants to be her apprentice. She could have probably magicked him away, but instead she let him stay around and gave him tasks and gave some lessons.
😍 I am happy that eventually we got the backstory on Doris. We already saw some hints but it was fantastic that we finally got to see the whole picture. See what she was like in her youth, see a certain person pop up, see magic grow.
😍 I love that canes/wands are what is up for witches and that there is a whole slew of options. I seriously got some cane/wand envy, haha.
😍 Pacheco was such a fab main character and I love how he never gave up. He kept trying and trying and trying. He was determined to help out his family and he had big dreams of becoming a witch. I was rooting for him and I loved how he found more and more magic in him and found spells to use. Even when things go south with the council I loved that he didn’t give up. He tried his best to help out, search for Doris when she went missing, and more. He was so brave and he has grown up so much. In the start of the story I would have called him a brat but at the end he was really grown up.
😍 Loved the cast of characters (not the council). The girl who becomes friends with Pacheco. Pacheco’s family (despite all their grumbles I could see they really cared for Pacheco. The animals around Pacheco (with even more love to the fire critter).
😍 Love that witches could change into animals, generally birds. It was fun to see what birds each witch had and I love how well it fitted them.
😍 The magic was so pretty! I loved the colours, the way it was shaped, the way it did things.
😍 And as always, I love a story set on an island. Especially when the author/illustrator can make it really come to life. Sometimes islands can be simple, but this felt like a whole world.
😍 The ending and all that happened there, that was certainly a ride! I loved every moment and was rooting for all the right characters.
🥱 Sadly while the story had some fantastic elements, it just never really grasped me. My ADHD was just bored. I kept going to other books or other things near me. The pacing just felt off and I feel it could have been much better.
🤔 I still don’t entirely understand why it is just girls who can do the magic. Maybe I missed something because of the part above, or maybe it was never mentioned, but it just was weird especially since boys COULD do magic. They are able to do it just as well as girls.
😡 The council, at least most of them as one seemed to have some form of understanding, was just horrendous and I was rooting for Pacheco and his friends to fight back and change things.
All in all, I am happy I got to read this graphic novel. Even if it was a bit hard to read due to the pacing, I still had fun!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
😍 Love love the cover and the illustrations inside. They were just absolutely GORGEOUS and I loved all the details.
😍 Doris was such a fun character and I love how she was both strict but also kind towards the boy who wants to be her apprentice. She could have probably magicked him away, but instead she let him stay around and gave him tasks and gave some lessons.
😍 I am happy that eventually we got the backstory on Doris. We already saw some hints but it was fantastic that we finally got to see the whole picture. See what she was like in her youth, see a certain person pop up, see magic grow.
😍 I love that canes/wands are what is up for witches and that there is a whole slew of options. I seriously got some cane/wand envy, haha.
😍 Pacheco was such a fab main character and I love how he never gave up. He kept trying and trying and trying. He was determined to help out his family and he had big dreams of becoming a witch. I was rooting for him and I loved how he found more and more magic in him and found spells to use. Even when things go south with the council I loved that he didn’t give up. He tried his best to help out, search for Doris when she went missing, and more. He was so brave and he has grown up so much. In the start of the story I would have called him a brat but at the end he was really grown up.
😍 Loved the cast of characters (not the council). The girl who becomes friends with Pacheco. Pacheco’s family (despite all their grumbles I could see they really cared for Pacheco. The animals around Pacheco (with even more love to the fire critter).
😍 Love that witches could change into animals, generally birds. It was fun to see what birds each witch had and I love how well it fitted them.
😍 The magic was so pretty! I loved the colours, the way it was shaped, the way it did things.
😍 And as always, I love a story set on an island. Especially when the author/illustrator can make it really come to life. Sometimes islands can be simple, but this felt like a whole world.
😍 The ending and all that happened there, that was certainly a ride! I loved every moment and was rooting for all the right characters.
🥱 Sadly while the story had some fantastic elements, it just never really grasped me. My ADHD was just bored. I kept going to other books or other things near me. The pacing just felt off and I feel it could have been much better.
🤔 I still don’t entirely understand why it is just girls who can do the magic. Maybe I missed something because of the part above, or maybe it was never mentioned, but it just was weird especially since boys COULD do magic. They are able to do it just as well as girls.
😡 The council, at least most of them as one seemed to have some form of understanding, was just horrendous and I was rooting for Pacheco and his friends to fight back and change things.
All in all, I am happy I got to read this graphic novel. Even if it was a bit hard to read due to the pacing, I still had fun!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
June 20, 2025
Pacheco is a carefully developed character who learns and grows, while still remaining a kid who makes mistakes. I would say that is, in part, why this book would be awesome for anyone to read, but especially kids, for whom a story about obtaining a sense of self can be so important. This story also doesn't shy away from showing evil in its world and examining how the power-driven are easily corrupt. The author also makes a point of how essential it is to understand nature and animals to be just as significant as humans (or witches!), to be deserving of respect and protection whether they are of service to us or not. And if you're not swayed by the relevance of the topics this book addresses, the vibrant colors, the expressive art style, and the badass witches who turn into birds just might do the trick :)
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