Witches of Brooklyn: S’More Magic

S'More Magic is the third installment of the popular middle-grade graphic novel series “Witches of Brooklyn”. Fans of the series will be delighted to see Effie and her aunts back in action, this time at summer camp.

It’s finally summer time, but Effie is not too happy. Instead of spending the summer with her friends in Brooklyn like she wanted to, her aunts are sending her to Camp Raccoon, a magical summer camp for witches that helps them connect to nature.

On her first morning at camp, Effie is met with a big surprise: her hair is entwined with ivy and her hands are glowing green. Unbeknownst to Effie, she has bonded with ivy and has found her green thumb which is critical for a witch as it teaches her how to make her magic flow. Not surprisingly, her magic is really strong, and Effie must learn how to control her newfound powers with the help of her camp counsellors.

Also on Effie’s side are her new witch friends who have magical powers of their own. They understand Effie’s new magic and help her to come to terms with it. But not everyone at camp is happy with Effie’s new power. Mean girl Sonia, who has not discovered her green thumb yet, constantly bullies Effie and puts her down at every turn.

Things come to a head one night as the entire camp is playing a game of truth or dare around the campfire. Sonia dares Effie to go on the forbidden island in the middle of the lake in the hope that she will get kicked out of camp, but, lucky for Effie, her new friends stick up for her and decide to go on the dare with her. While getting closer to the island, Effie’s hands start to tingle. Upon landfall, Effie learns that the island is not an island at all; it is actually a dragon which she has awakened. With the help of her newfound friends and, of course, her aunts, Effie is able to use her new powers to put the dragon back to sleep.

A truly bewitching story, S’More Magic is a fun, engaging read for lovers of fantasy and magic. Fans of the series will be particularly happy with this newest addition to the series as it really delves into Effie’s coming of age story as a witch in training. Effie is a truly relatable character, and, in this book, she must contend with very real problems like bullying, impulse control, and how to face her fear of the water. Children of any age (and adults too) can relate to all these issues, and Sophie Escabasse expertly weaves these themes into the overarching plot. Additionally, Escabasse’s illustrations really stand out here. The lush colour scheme of her designs add depth and meaning to Effie’s story, heightening the reader’s experience.

Overall, a fun, magical coming of age story, Witches of Brooklyn: S’More Magic is definitely recommended.