Baba Yaga's Assistant (Family Comic Friday)

That's one scary looking witch.

   Masha is a young woman raised by her grandmother. Her mother died when Masha was very young and with her grieving father absent from most of her life, the girl learned many things from her Russian Nana. Along with a little magic, Masha was taught the stories of the Baba Yaga: a child-eating witch from Central European folklore. But one day, Masha finds an ad requesting a new assistant for an ancient witch. Grandma's stories were true- Baba Yaga is real!

   But before Masha can become Baba Yaga's assistant, she must accomplish a series of tests. The very first mission is to discover a way to enter a house propped up with chicken legs and no visible entrance. Good thing Masha is armed with the knowledge of her grandmother's accounts of the legendary spellcaster and a litany of subtle compliments.

   I meant to read this 2015 graphic novel during the Halloween season, but it kept getting put off for some reason. I found it at my local library and as my 2 renewals had almost run out, I needed to read this or return it for a later time. I'm glad I decided to read it.

 Usually, I say that the books I read for Family Comic Friday that there isn't much for parents and guardians to object to. Well, this time, it's not the case. The book is about a witch. Some parents may not want their children exposed to witchcraft. However, this witch doesn't do anything worse than the baddies in Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or the Wizard of Oz.

   The next issue is that this book is about a witch that eats children. Parents may object to this as well. But remember, the witch in Hansel & Gretel had plans to eat the heroes of that story. In Baba Yaga, there is a trio of kids that get captured and held prisoner by the sorceress and it's up to Masha to save them. This may be too intense for some readers, so discretion is advised.  (By the way, Amazon says this book is appropriate for those in grades 4-7.)

   A very interesting read that I think very well could be the beginning of a series. It was a quick read with art in the style of old-world European woodcuts mixed with New Yorker cartoons. But is this book set in Europe or the States? Sadly, this book doesn't answer that question.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.