Spring 2019, Wild Readers 5 discussion

Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag is a graphic novel that follows a young boy named Aster, who is struggling to fit in among his family members. In his home, all of the girls are raised to be witches and the boys grow up to become shapeshifters. However, Aster has a problem. Not only has he not shifted like the other boys, but he feels a robust pull towards witchcraft, the very idea of casting spells intriguing him. No matter how many times he is scolded by the adults in his family surrounding the dangers of a boy using the powers of a witch, Aster cannot seem to cease his growing fascination. When a crisis befalls three of the other boys, Aster springs into action, knowing the only way he could help was as a witch.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a graphic novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I finished it in just over an hour, this story being the fastest book I’ve read yet. As someone who is huge on visual learning, it was really interesting to have illustrations accompanied with the text. Personally, I feel like the pictures made it easier to break down and really understand the characters a bit more as well as provide a fun and vibrant landscape to the plotline. Molly Knox Ostertag did an amazing job bringing in concepts of symbolism, allegories, and foreshadowing with the combination of her writing and the images that coincided. I also really enjoyed the bridge that she approached on the topics of gender roles and the expectations of society. Those particular topics are a huge lesson to learn in the world and this story discusses it in a way that is easier to understand for children and young adults. Overall, I loved this story and would definitely recommend it as a quick read!