Alcatoe and the Turnip Child

(Paperback)

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Description

Alcatoe, the one witch of Plum Woods, is always ready to use her mischief and misguided magic. When the village decides to hold a vegetable growing contest, the children are set to compete against the grumpiest old man in all of Plum Woods. They enlist Alcatoe's help, and beg for a spell to grow the biggest turnip. But a lot can go wrong even with a perfectly simple turnip-enlarging spell...like growing a few arms and legs. Will Alcatoe manage spoil the entire harvest festival, even if it means the Turnip Child gets turned into a casserole Disaster, chaos and magical fun ensue in this laugh-out-loud illustrated title that is perfect for middle-grade readers.

Reviews

If you're looking for something a little spooky and fun for the children this halloween then you need to pick this up. -- Dapo Adeola, illustrator of Look Up!
Wonderful! Sumptuous, sweet and just the right amount of sinister. The Turnip Child is the root veg I am rooting for. * Jack Noel, creator of Comic Classics *
There are a lot of fun witchy details to spot in the autumnal-coloured artwork, while the interaction between the children and the turnip child is charming. Quirky and unique, this will appeal to anyone wanting to read something very different. -- BookTrust
Using a gorgeous palette of autumnal colours- browns, reds, golds- author Isaac Lenkiewicz brings Plum Woods and its Harvest Festival to convincing life! -- Children's Books Ireland
. 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. Alcatoe's world of everyday magic is a funky, fun place to stay a spell, great for light fantasy fans. -- School Library Journal
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 [.] This witch is odd, offbeat, and awfully good. (Although she'd never admit to the last.) * Kirkus Reviews *
It's a story that trundles merrily along, eschewing scariness in favor of action, humor, and irascible revenge. -- Publishers Weekly
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. -- ALA Booklist
Holding aloft the flaming baton for graphic novels this hilarious read will be the perfect getaway book for newly independent readers looking to dip their tow into the comic book world. -- Wrd Magazine, Issue 31 Autumn/Winter
We like the charm exuded by Alcatoe and the Turnip Child, with great attention grabbing spreads servicing an enjoyable all-ages romp. -- Slings and Arrows Graphic Novel Guide
There's plenty of creepy crawlies hiding in crevices and curious eyes peering out of the gloom to make this an engaging and interactive read. Fun throughout and beautifully illustrated, Alcatoe is a thoroughly enjoyable graphic novel that is perfect for younger readers. * Comics in Class *
Brilliantly scrunchy autumnal read, with a fantastic world and characters to boot! If your fans of Hilda or Studio Ghibli you will be in for a treat. -- Shelf Editions Bookstore
It's a fun little adventure book, with plenty of magical creatures to grab kids attention. The art is a very cute, cartoony style, and it feels very autumnal with all the warm colours, so it will make a perfect Halloween read! * @comicsvstheworld on Instagram *
Start with a large amount of creative talent, add several spoonfuls of magic, umpteen vegetables, sprinklings from the condiment containers, drams of determination and the result is one cute character, a fair bit of mayhem and a wonderfully funny, tremendously tasty tale. * Red Reading Hub *
Visually the book is a delight to read, the characters and world are charming in their cuteness, both full of feelings but simplistic. * @Raisingsmallreaders on Instagram *
I really found this fun to read * BookBound blog *
This is fun, completely goofy and wonderful from start to finish -- @bookishwaytoplay on Instagram
This is such a creative and imaginative story that screams fall from the bewitched vegetables to the tiny spooky details hidden in each page -- @kidslitislit on Instagram
The story is quirky, festive, and perfectly paced for young readers. -- @ecocraftkids on Instagram
This is the perfect graphic novel to read at Halloween. -- @thekidsbookstagrammer on Instagram
A spooky and sweet Halloween tale about the mischievous witch of Plum Woods. -- @littlelibraryowl on Instagram
These illustrations by Isaac are honestly just gorgeous (.) This has gone down so well with the chunk of my class who have read it! * A Little But A Lot *
The autumnal colours used throughout create the perfect seasonal feel and the Turnip child is delightful. This is a quirky, unique story that is sure to find a keen following of fans! -- Through the Bookshelf

Author Bio

Isaac Lenkiewicz is an author and illustrator currently living in Devon, UK. He spends most of his time drawing things, and a lot of giants, moon men and creatures that lived hundreds of millions of years ago pop up in his work. Isaac is the author of Triassic Terrors and also self-publishes many of his own comics.