Snapdragon
Kat Leyh
“Snap’s town had a witch.
At least, that’s how the rumor goes. But in reality, Jacks is just a crocks-wearing, internet-savvy old lady who sells roadkill skeletons online–after doing a little ritual to put their spirits to rest. It’s creepy, sure, but Snap thinks it’s kind of cool, too.
They make a deal: Jacks will teach Snap how to take care of the baby opossums that Snap rescued, and Snap will help Jacks with her work. But as Snap starts to get to know Jacks, she realizes that Jacks may in fact have real magic–and a connection with Snap’s family’s past.”
-Goodreads
This is a wonderful middle grade read, perfect for readers who might feel a little weird, a little different, a little left out. There is a darkness to it, and this book has a lot of bones in it, but ultimately tells a soft, affirming story about innate will-power, magic, and friendship. And not necessarily in that order either.
Snap is a wonderfully curious protagonist, unafraid of being different though it does often weigh on her at times when people make fun of her. She is brash and open and her capacity for learning and asking questions, delving into her passions — as quirky as her — make her complex. Her femininity is called into question many times, but she never stops being herself even as she questions her identity too.
The supporting characters in this book are also incredibly developed. Despite being magical realism, this felt like a slice of life a la Addams family, with all the radical acceptance that comes with invoking that family name. Lu’s transition is handled amazingly and realistically by the other characters, especially her family, something we don’t see a lot of in most stories with trans characters– especially as it pertains to disenfranchised or marginalized kids.
Snap’s mom is given nuance and self-reflection in her own scenes as well, owning up to her perceived short comings as a parent in a way that I think offers insight as perhaps a window and/or a mirror for readers depending on their life experience. Too frequently adults can come out as one dimensional or passive in YA literature, especially by portraying them in direct opposition to a protagonist’s individual growth. Not necessarily a villain all the time, but I think portraying what healthy and functional relationships look like with parents as kids age is important for readers to see too.
I think this would be a fantastic book to read as a family because it demonstrates the importance and impact of found family, as well as the possibilities of what love and acceptance mean for kids that see themselves or know themselves to be “different” when the default doesn’t reflect them in so many facets.
My singular gripe with the piece, which after a reread is more of a hint at plot developments down the line, is that when Snap declares herself as “Snapdragon” to Jacks, the illustration that follows isn’t of Snapdragons. Something that, until I read the read of the comic, I was annoyed about to say the least. I think the visual allusion there is powerful now that I look back on it, but snapdragons — a flower literally tattooed on my body — don’t get nearly the love they deserve from artists. Look at them, they’re so cool! I think a better work around would have been to have both flowers appear, and it’s something I’m sure FirstSecond talked about with Leyh.
The art style in this comic is deceptive. It first appears cartoonish, but there is amazing detail — especially in the animals and animal skeletons that have been rendered. To my untrained eye, they definitely seem accurate. There are no inconsistent panels with character art either, and they’ve all been painstakingly drawn to show nuance and emotion. You are shown things with intention, and it’s clear there was a vision for this book the whole way through it. The attention to detail in other scenes, as well as the mastery of purposefully shifting art style and color palette, has led to a story that bends with the art, lending an overall tone to certain scenes that are unattainable in a traditional novel.
I hope more people read this remarkable comic – I found myself chuckling and even crying at certain points. It handles death in a spectacularly respectful way without using empty platitudes, and offers hope and solace for people looking to find themselves in books. I hope you’ll pick a copy of Snapdragon up from your local library or local bookshop, and enjoy it!
The Little Book Witch 