Plum Woods is a magical woodland filled with unusual creatures. It is also home to a grumpy witch by the name of Alcatoe, who despises large crowds and would much rather keep to herself. Emma, Holly, and Chris have always been intrigued by Alcatoe, and when they find her lost hat, they think it's the perfect opportunity to meet her and beat their nasty neighbor, Mr. Pokeweed, in a vegetable pageant judged by Alcatoe's rival witch, Goonwartha. Alcatoe can't resist the urge to cause a little mayhem and agrees to help the kids grow a magical, oversize turnip for the competition. The kids are in for a surprise, however, when they realize the turnip's sentient! Lenkiewicz' cartoon artwork in autumnal tones sets just the right witchy atmosphere, and the bobbleheaded turnip child and exaggerated figure designs are particularly charming. The cantankerous narration from Alcatoe is a nice touch, especially when, despite herself, she finds some warmth and kindness in Plum Woods.

A misanthropic witch helps three children take revenge.Alcatoe, a witch who lives in the Plum Woods, isn't exactly bad. But she does like a fair amount of mischief, especially if it means creating chaos for Goonwartha, a witch who runs the local witches' Social Club and who organizes the club's annual Harvest Feast. So when a trio of children come to her looking for help upstaging grumpy gardener Mr. Pokeweed in the harvest festival vegetable pageant by magically growing a mega-turnip, Alcatoe is in. She sends the children-Emma, Chris, and Holly-on a hunt for magical ingredients. Alcatoe's magic works but creates a turnip child that impresses Goonwartha a little too much. Realizing her macabre machinations didn't go quite as planned, Alcatoe has to swoop in and save the day-with zany results. This graphic novel won't be a story for everyone, but for that niche group of readers who appreciate bone-dry humor-and who can often be found cheering on the big bad in any story-Alcatoe will be as welcome as a cooling breeze on a scorching hot day. Those readers will also be begging to know when the next Alcatoe story will be told-hopefully very soon, because this witch is a short-tempered delight. Lenkiewicz's art features a warm, autumnal palette and appealing cartoon characters, many with round, oversize heads. Alcatoe is tan-skinned and white-haired, Emma and Holly have brown skin and straight black hair, Chris has brown skin and cropped black hair, and Goonwartha is light-skinned and brown-haired.This witch is odd, offbeat, and awfully good. (Although she'd never admit to the last.) (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Lenkiewicz (Triassic Terrors) sets this mischievous graphic novel in a community of witches that exists adjacent to an ordinary British suburb. Tan-skinned Alcatoe, the small, crabby witch who narrates, admits she might be responsible for some friction between the Plum Woods witches and Plumtown’s inhabitants (“The townsfolk never really appreciated my youth club for worms”). Self-important Goonwartha, the pale-skinned head of the witch’s social club, believes its harvest festival will result in better PR. Approached by Chris, Holly, and Emma—three human children, all portrayed with brown skin—Alcatoe sends them to find ingredients for a spell to create a turnip child. The kids hope it will beat their grouchy neighbor’s prize turnip entry, while Alcatoe intends to spoil Goonwartha’s vegetable pageant in the bargain. Polished artwork in a palette of autumnal hues and smoky blue-grays represents a succession of busy, seasonably appropriate scenes, featuring Alcatoe’s kitchen, the local pub, and Goonwartha’s limelight-stealing familiar. It’s a story that trundles merrily along, eschewing scariness in favor of action, humor, and irascible revenge. Ages 7–10. (Oct.)