Alcatoe and the Turnip Child

by Isaac Lenkiewicz

Overview

Welcome to Plum Woods, where spells come alive and witches gather for the Annual Harvest Festival to celebrate the season! Perfect for fans of Aster and the Accidental Magic and Hilda who aren't quite ready for Pumpkinheads.

"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."
—Kirkus Reviews

“...A a slice of fresh, folklorish fun. Those familiar with the Flying Eye catalog, best known for the troll-focused “Hilda” series, will recognize a kindred universe in Lenkiewicz’s witchy world..."
—School Library Journal

“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.” —Booklist




Alcatoe the town witch and the local children of Plum Woods are up to some witchy business...like casting spells and growing a prize-winning turnip. But after their grouchy neighbor Mr. Pokeweed chases them out of his garden, the kids decide to take action and ask Alacatoe for help to win the Annual Harvest Festival Vegetable Pageant. From cursed fruit salad to potions filled with the sneeze of a donkey and the tail hair of a copy cat, Alcatoe knows all the right ingredients to make the magic happen. But when their prize-winning vegetable comes alive, their home-grown food soon becomes a friend, in danger of being prepared for the feast. Will they save Turnip Child in time?

The kids halloween book you've been looking for, with zany and loveable characters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781838740146
Publisher:	Flying Eye Books Ltd.
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Series:	Alcatoe , #1
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	1,041,996
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Isaac Lenkiewicz is an illustrator and comic artist currently living in the South West of England. He spends most of his time drawing things. A lot of giants, moon men and creatures that lived hundreds of millions of years ago pop up in his work.

Editorial Reviews

10/31/2022

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.)

Publishers Weekly

Included in the CBC's October 2022 Hot Off the Press reading list

“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.”
—Booklist

“...A a slice of fresh, folklorish fun. Those familiar with the Flying Eye catalog, best known for the troll-focused “Hilda” series, will recognize a kindred universe in Lenkiewicz’s witchy world..."
—School Library Journal

"A story that trundles merrily along, eschewing scariness in favor of action, humor, and irascible revenge."
—Publishers Weekly

"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."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Presented like an illustrated book but has the storytelling sensibilities of a graphic novel...There are several instances of droll or pun-laden humor with a high, hit joke ratio of about one per page."
—Daddy Mojo

"Freaky and fun, witty and wild – a great graphic novel for younger readers."
—The Great British Bookworm

From the Publisher

10/14/2022

Gr 3 Up—This graphic novel drops young readers into Plum Woods, a sylvan hamlet populated by witches, anthropomorphic vegetables, and adventurous kids. Alcatoe is a young witch determined to get the best of her elder, the great (and bossy) Goonwartha. In a stroke of fate, she finds a trio of human siblings hoping to best a cranky neighborhood gardener, aptly named Mr. Pokeweed. Together they create the titular Turnip Child to win the local Harvest Festival and wreak havoc on their rivals. The winding journey through field and forest, filled with silly spells and raucous neighborhood potlucks, is a slice of fresh, folklorish fun. Those familiar with the Flying Eye catalog, best known for the troll-focused "Hilda" series, will recognize a kindred universe in Lenkiewicz's witchy world, visualized with maze-like illustrations in dark, autumnal colors. VERDICT Alcatoe's world of everyday magic is a funky, fun place to stay a spell, great for light fantasy fans.—Emilia Packard

School Library Journal

2022-07-13
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)

Kirkus Reviews