I was excited to learn that “The Witch Boy,” a wonderful middle grade graphic novel by Molly Ostertag, is coming to Netflix as an animated musical.
The book, which is the first in a series, is the story of a boy named Aster. All of the girls in his family grow up to be witches, while the boys become shapeshifters.
The trouble is, Aster would rather be a witch. The women in the family won’t teach him magic, but he has picked up a few things. Using his abilities openly could cause the family to shun him, so he has to be secretive.
When Aster ventures into town, he meets a new, entirely non-magical friend named Charlie. She doesn’t judge him for his choices. Spending time with her is a relief, but he can’t relax for long. His cousins begin to disappear in the woods.
Something is luring them away. Aster believes he can use his abilities as a witch to help them. With his new friend’s support, he must face a grave danger and learn to be true to himself.
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In thirteen-year-old Aster’s family, all the girls are raised to be witches while boys grow up to be shapeshifters, and anyone who dares cross those lines is exiled. Unfortunately for Aster, he still hasn’t shifted–and he’s fascinated by witchery, no matter how forbidden it might be.
This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and as an eBook on Hoopla.