Baba Yaga's Assistant: A Graphic Novel
Age 10+
Comic Strip Fiction / Graphic Novels
Russian folklore icon Baba Yaga mentors a lonely teen in a wry graphic novel that balances gleefully between the modern and the timeless.
Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga’s house-on-chicken-legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu! Spooky and poignant, Marika McCoola’s stunning debut—with richly layered art by acclaimed graphic artist Emily Carroll—is a storytelling feat and a visual feast.
Creators
Marika McCoola has an MA in writing for children from Simmons College and is a former children’s book buyer at an independent bookstore in Massachusetts. Baba Yaga’s Assistant marks her publishing debut. She lives in Massachusetts.
Emily Carroll is the author-illustrator of the acclaimed and best-selling graphic story collection Through the Woods, as well as numerous web comics. She lives in Stratford, Ontario.
Reviews
The two stories come together on a positive note. The illustrations are in subdued colours, but the old crone and her active surrounds leap out at the reader. Here is a new slant on an old story.
Reading Time
