Name: The Hidden Witch
ISBN: 9781338290707

Molly Knox Ostertag

Aster and his family are adjusting to his unconventional talent for witchery; unlike the other boys in his family, he isn't a shapeshifter. He's taking classes with his grandmother and helping to keep an eye on his great-uncle whose corrupted magic wreaked havoc on the family. Meanwhile, Aster's friend from the non-magical part of town, Charlie, is having problems of her own -- a curse has tried to attach itself to her. She runs to Aster and escapes it, but now the friends must find the source of the curse before more people -- normal and magical alike -- get hurt.

The Hidden Witch

The acclaimed graphic novel world of The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch comes to a thrilling conclusion in this story of friendship, family, and finding your true power. Magic has a dark side . . . Aster always looks forward to the Midwinter Festival, a reunion of the entire Vanissen family that includes competitions in witchery and shapeshifting. This year, he's especially excited to compete in the annual Jolrun tournament-as a witch. He's determined to show everyone that he's proud of who he is and what he's learned, but he knows it won't be easy to defy tradition. Ariel has darker things on her mind than the Festival-like the mysterious witch who's been visiting her dreams, claiming to know the truth about Ariel's past. She appreciates everything the Vanissens have done for her. But Ariel still craves a place where she truly belongs. The Festival is a whirlwind of excitement and activity, but for Aster and Ariel, nothing goes according to plan. When a powerful and sinister force invades the reunion, threatening to destroy everything the young witches have fought for, can they find the courage to fight it together? Or will dark magic tear them apart?

The Midwinter Witch

kait

this one was a very sweet wrap-up to the story and it was good to see our main character get to be himself openly with others around, it kind of hit close to home which was incredible to feel. i think the family still has a long way to come to fully accept him but i am hopeful they will get there. overall, very sweet.

guys this one is so cute, he is learning how to be a witch and i just love how is family is becoming more open to him being the first boy witch in the family. super cute and i can't wait to read the third one.

A truly adorable comic series with diversity and an underlying message of kindness and acceptance. I don't think I would have in any other way. While not explicitly stated as being queer, this absolutely reads into the concept of how a transgender child might feel through a fantasy lens.

Kirsten Simkiss

Izza

4.5 stars | I simply adore this series ♥

Jude Moon

3.5/5 ✰

The illustrations in this series are so wonderful I just can't stop looking at them. However,,, I enjoyed the first book a lot more than this one. I liked it! I just wasn't as trapped in the storyline... Although I really hope to see more of Ariel in the future because she seems an interesting character that could bring some spice to the protagonists.

Maggie Gordon

I've enjoyed the Witch Boy series, but am sad to see a conclusion before Ostertag really delves into some of the interesting issues she brings up about gender and power. Good reads for younger readers, but could be so much more compelling if allowed to grow a bit more.

Ethan Hill

From the creator of the acclaimed graphic novel The Witch Boy comes a new adventure set in the world of magic and shapeshifting -- and ordinary kids just trying to make friends.

Sophie 

I adored this second installment of the witch boy trilogy. It was somehow better than the first. The message was beautiful, and the new characters (and additional depth to old characters) really made me fall in love with this series

The acclaimed world of The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch comes to a thrilling conclusion in a new adventure about magic, family, and finding your true power.

I read the entirety of this series in a day, and I still can't get over how exceptional it is. This one might be my favourite, and its because of the sense of wonder and joy I felt when I read it. The magic in these books is everything, along with the challenges of acceptance and self discovery the characters face. 

Flavia Louise

An absolutely stnning conclusion to this super cute series.

Kim Tyo-Dickerson

I so enjoyed the latest instalment in The Witch Boy series, my whole family is reading it this weekend. Aster continues to embody his talents as a witch in the Vanissen family where only girls are witches and boys are supposed to be shapeshifters. Intrigue and secrets surrounding foster sister Ariel's family come to light as the Vanissen family travels to a wintery family reunion called the Midwinter Festival and Aster decides to compete in the young witches-only competition, the Jolrun. A surprise competitor in the Jolrun and the fallout from their unexpected participation round out a fun family adventure where friendship triumphs over temptations to darker powers and corrupt purposes. There were a couple of decisions in the story that don't fully make sense/work, although I see what Ostertag was trying to do and they don't ultimately detract from another enjoyable read. Really looking forward to the next one, my library members grades 6 and up can't get enough of this series!

August Stone

real good and cozy vibes.

still needing a more complex story written/illustrated by Molly Knox Ostertag (though i haven't checked out The Girl from the Sea yet) or y'know, Strong Female Protagonist to have an ending.

Samantha Seeman

This one was just okay. It was still really well illustrated, and the characters are still super loveable and the magic was cool, but in comparison to the first one, it was pretty middle of the road at least in my opinion.

Erin Pitstra

Renee Delcourt

Both my son and I preferred this book to the first. You see Aster coming into herself and are able to see some more of the family dynamics. I enjoyed the character development for Aster, Sedge, Charlie and the new introduction to Ariel.

I think this is my favorite from this series so far. I really enjoyed the competition aspect of it and getting to see more of Aster, Sedge, Charlie, and Ariel's friendship grow and expand.

Kelsey Holtaway

This series is so friggin cute and this one was my favorite by far. Hoping this isn’t the last of the series!

Lisa Beasley

The second volume in this series was just as good as the first. The new character was really interesting and I liked Aster and how his confidence has grown from the previous story. Looking forward to the next volume.

I really enjoyed this volume, the whole series has been really enjoyable and entertaining.