Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom
by Jessixa Bagley; illus. by the author
Intermediate    Simon    232 pp.
7/25    9781665922326    $14.99
e-book ed.  9781665922340    $9.99

Jazzy, this graphic novel’s protagonist, dreads the upcoming flying parade that will be held in honor of a supermoon. All the other witches in her family and community assume she’ll embrace her magical abilities, but she has a secret: bicycle racing is more her speed. As the big day approaches, her best friend, Aggie, helps her covertly but tries to steer her toward flying and witchcraft; “boring traditions,” says Jazzy, and thus begins a rift in their friendship. Dynamic digital illustrations in a palette heavy on purple reflect the swooping fun of flying and complement the story’s amusing witchy details (a wisecracking bat familiar, rhyming spells, oatmeal that may or may not contain pond scum). Amid the magic, this is a community-expectations-versus-individual-interests tale told with nuance, much of which Jazzy discovers along with readers. Witchcraft hasn’t always come as easily to the adults in her life as she thinks, and her interests don’t have to be all or nothing. Cozy family scenes with Mom, Mama, and Granny Titch, who along with Jazzy are depicted with varied dark skin tones, are a highlight and bring elements of real-world traditions into this magical world (e.g., Mom and Mama recall jumping the broom at their wedding). Cartoon instructions for making broomsticks—and spore prints, because Aggie finds an interest of her own—are appended.

From the September/October 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.