Copyright Date:
2023
Edition Date:
2023
Release Date:
10/10/23
Illustrator:
DuVall, Teo,
Pages:
230 pages
ISBN:
Publisher: 1-646-14268-3 Perma-Bound: 0-8000-5498-9
ISBN 13:
Publisher: 978-1-646-14268-2 Perma-Bound: 978-0-8000-5498-4
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2023931663
Dimensions:
24 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Starred Review ALA Booklist
(Mon Nov 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)
Starred Review Experience a fascinating, alternative history of 1930s Mississippi where magic is legal for some, illegal for others, and secret broom racing happens nightly in the woods. Sisters Mattie and Emma, both Black and Choctaw and one deaf, have recently developed their powers. Their family desperately needs money to petition the government or else the girls will be shipped off to residential schools. Their cousin, who lost her powers at such a school, introduces them to her girlfriend, the leader of the Night Storm racing team, who trains them and introduces them to the exciting world of racing. The characters are drawn in a comic style popular with teen readers and inked in a variety of skin tones. Often set against an ethereally blue setting, the characters express themselves through their outfits cap and suspenders for a queer cis woman, a skirt and hair bandanna for a trans woman owing readers how dressing for your identity could be possible in any time period. Though readers will enjoy the dramatic racing scenes, this is truly a story about queer folk and people of color who have created a space where they can joyously and freely be themselves.
School Library Journal
(Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
Gr 6 Up— In a magical 1930s Mississippi, a group of queer broom racers of color struggle to survive systemic oppression. To avoid her young cousins getting forcibly taken to a residential magic academy, Luella (who is Choctaw) suggests twins Mattie and Emma join the world of underground broom racing, where they could earn money to pay for exemption. Billie Mae, Luella's sweetheart and captain of the Night Storms, has racing in her blood, but Black folks are banned from using magic in most states. Billie Mae wants to lead the team to victory and raise enough money to head out west, hopefully to more tolerance and racing opportunities. Between best friend Loretta (who is also Black), Chinese closeted transmasculine Cheng-Kwan, and the twins, these teammates have a lot at stake just by existing as their authentic selves. As law enforcement closes in and the biggest race yet looms near, the Night Storms must rely on their community more than ever to hit the big score that could save them all. This graphic novel offers a rich world and endearing characters. Flashbacks set up existing interpersonal dynamics, though they are occasionally tough to distinguish from present-day plot lines. DuVall's palette is warm and dynamic; traditional line work and paneling shape a compelling plot. Characters are depicted with a range of skin tones and abilities that Walls expands on in a creator's note; Loretta uses an assistive device, and one of the twins communicates using sign language. VERDICT A sweet, entertaining found-family story that weaves magic with historical injustice; recommended for teen graphic novel shelves.— Ashleigh Williams
YALSA TOP 10 GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR TEENS
BEST OF THE YEAR:
Booklist · Kirkus · Polygon · Chicago Public Library · New York Public Library
3 STARS:
★ PW ★ Booklist ★ BCCB
Mississippi, 1930s. Magic simmering beneath the surface, kept in check by unjust laws and societal expectations. But for six extraordinary women, the roar of enchanted engines and the thrill of the forbidden broom race offer a chance to rewrite their destinies.
Meet Billie Mae, captain of the Night Storms racing team, and Loretta, her best friend and second-in-command. They’re determined to make enough money to move out west to a state that allows Black folks to legally use magic and take part in national races.
Cheng-Kwan – doing her best to handle the delicate and dangerous double act of being the perfect “son” to her parents, and being true to herself while racing.
Mattie and Emma -- Choctaw and Black -- the youngest of the group and trying to dodge government officials who want to send them and their newly-surfaced powers away to boarding school.
And Luella, in love with Billie Mae. Her powers were sealed away years ago after she fought back against the government. She’ll do anything to prevent the same fate for her cousins.
"Brooms" is a heart-pounding graphic novel soaring with magic, friendship, and rebellion. It's a Fast and the Furious with broomsticks instead of cars, a historical spotlight on struggles silenced by time, and a celebration of the indomitable spirit that dares to defy the odds. Buckle up, witches and dreamers, for this ride is about to take flight.
P R A I S E
★ “Draws on the fantastical to amplify and confront issues of both the past and the present. The result is a heartfelt, gripping, and resonant story about power—how the majority wields it, and how marginalized groups reclaim it.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred)
★ “Fascinating… Though readers will enjoy the dramatic racing scenes, this is truly a story about queer folk and people of color who have created a space where they can joyously and freely be themselves.”
—Booklist (starred)
★ “Pulse-pounding broom races and comforting domestic sequences… An evocative Fast and the Furious–flavored graphic novel.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)
“This is the queer, magical, broom-racing version of A League of Their Own that I didn’t know I was missing… The representation in this graphic novel is so diverse and among the best I think I’ve ever seen. It’s clear that Walls and Duvall put equal parts passion and research into this beautiful story. If you don’t read it, you’re missing out.”
—Rachel Brittain, Book Riot
“A sweet, entertaining found-family story that weaves magic with historical injustice; recommended for teen graphic novel shelves.
—School Library Journal
“Six witches get caught up in the excitement and danger of illegal broom racing in an alternate historical Mississippi… highlights the broadly diverse experiences of folks in the South… highlighting the fact that there has always been and will always be room for queer folks in our communities.”
—Kirkus
"[A] mix of exciting racing scenes, a story about overcoming the odds, and mesmerizing depictions of magic, plus some of the not-so-pretty parts of our country’s history, and it’s done in a way that is compassionate and uplifting."
—GeekDad
“Brooms Is Your Next Favorite Fantastical LGBTQIA+ Sports Story”
—The Mary Sue
“Brings vivid characters (queer, broom-racing witches) to life in an equally vivid setting.”
—Gizmodo (io9)
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