Hellaween

Gr 5-9--For a brief period every year, the young witch Gwen gets to see her friends Miles (a vampire) and Sloane (a werewolf). Like other teens, they just like to hang out, and do the occasional haunting. This Halloween though, the boys from the Hallowlands give Gwen a grimoire and magical tools to aid the witch's magical prowess. Delighted, she tries out new spells to further their fun, which lands them in the sights of Hiro. The young man is determined to prove the supernatural exists, and as he hounds them, the chaos, and punk aesthetic, ramps up. This graphic novel is a slice-of-life character piece with supernatural high jinks humor. Natural dialogue, everyday interactions, and expressive designs reveal much about each teen's personality and motivations. Even the central conflict revolves around them, as it ultimately sprouts from Gwen and Hiro's desire to prove themselves. By the end, a cease-fire, unanswered questions about witches, and the consequences of everybody's actions linger, giving Lawton plenty of potential for more Hella-fun. VERDICT With its punk paranormal style, easygoing dialogue, and story of belonging and friendship, many tweens and young teens will find this graphic novel a relatable read.--Rachel Forbes

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Lawton fashions a raucous All Hallows' Eve tale with a cheeky Halloweentown vibe in this wickedly funny graphic novel debut. Teenage human witch-in-training Gwen--who lives in the mortal world and must hide her powers--is excited for the Halloween season. As the holiday approaches, the veil weakens between the human realm and the Hallowlands, a parallel supernatural dimension where her two best friends reside. This year, her pals--vampire Miles and werewolf Sloane--arrive with a gift for Gwen: a grimoire that the duo hope will help Gwen to create a worlds-spanning door for easier year-round travel. Meanwhile, Gwen's paranormal-obsessed human peer Hiro is determined to track down the vampire he believes he once saw. When he learns about a supernatural prank that Gwen and company pull on unsuspecting high schoolers, Hiro seeks to expose the jokesters on his blog. Via angular, spindly limbed characters and shadowy atmospheric settings, Lawton explores themes of miscommunication and connection through the lens of a good-intentioned witch with a chaotic approach to problem-solving. Human characters are portrayed with varying skin tones. Ages 10-14. (Aug.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Stylishly spooky and outrageously fun. A spooky but sweet story about the importance of relying on your friends, especially when you feel alone." —Kirkus

"A slice-of-life character piece with supernatural high jinks humor. With its punk paranormal style, easygoing dialogue, and story of belonging and friendship, many tweens and young teens will find this graphic novel a relatable read." —School Library Journal

"Lawton fashions a raucous All Hallows' Eve tale with a cheeky Halloweentown vibe in this wickedly funny graphic novel debut. [They explore] themes of miscommunication and connection through the lens of a good-intentioned witch with a chaotic approach to problem-solving." —Publishers Weekly

"It's not that often that you come across a comic with so much charm and character. Such a beautiful book." —Rad Sechrist, creator and executive producer of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

"The kind of book that makes you feel like trash for not being a cool witch, werewolf, or vampire." —Jhonen Vasquez, creator and executive producer of Invader Zim