Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss. ( )

Mentioned in a blog post at https://booksbeyondbinaries.blog/2019/12/23/2019-in-review/

This is a heartwarming tale of monsters with irrational fears but it is also about lending a hand to help others overcome them. It wasn’t only the Cyclops Witch that needed a kind helping hand but more monsters than she thought. My daughter (nearly 3) loved this rhyming adventure that touches on so much more than the synopsis. This is my third title for my daughter from Hazy Dell, Kyle Sullivan, and Derek Sullivan – I love their heart-warming “monster” tales that are full of important lessons for kids and some inside humor for adults to enjoy.

The Cyclops Witch and the Heebie-Jeebies would be a perfect pre-Halloween gift for young readers. The content other than the monster characters is not based on or around the holiday so it would make a good year-round title as well. I would highly recommend it for young readers who enjoy monsters and/or as a Halloween title. It is a little long for a nearly three-year-old but she still loved the story and I think children a little bit older would understand the theme of the story a little more. A big thank you to Hazy Dell and Amazon Vine for the opportunity to share yet another fantastic title with my daughter – all opinions are my own. *Rounded from 4.5 stars* ( )

The Cyclops Witch wasn't afraid of any of the denizens of Hazy Dell, from the Hobgoblin to the Mothman. She lived a mostly carefree life with her best friend, Lenore the raven, until the day that the one thing she did fear - namely, children - appeared on her doorstep. Hatching a plot to scare the children away by leading them into Hazy Dell and exposing them to the various monsters there, she discovered to her chagrin that the child were unafraid and undeterred, continuing to pursue her. It is only when they all end up in the tentacles of the Sea Beast, that Cyclops Witch learns that the children, AKA the Heebie Jeebies, are on a mission to help her conquer her fears...

The Cyclops Witch and the Heebie-Jeebies is the first full-sized picture-book from Kyle and Derek Sullivan, twin brothers and co-founders of the Hazy Dell Press, a small independent publishing company based in the Pacific Northwest. They have previously produced a series of board books about the monstrous denizens of Hazy Dell. I found the story here entertaining, and the message about conquering one's fears and not prejudging others welcome. That said, I think the story would have worked better if it had concluded with the Cyclops Witch realizing her mistake, and befriending the Heebie Jeebies. The final portion, in which she too sets out to help others, while very much in keeping with the didactic purpose of the book, makes the story feel too overtly message-driven, and feels a little redundant, from a narrative perspective. The rhyming text itself worked fairly well, save for a few stumbles, where it became rather awkward. I appreciated the reference to Edgar Allan Poe, in the form of Leonore the raven, and found the artwork cute, in a cartoon-like way. All in all, despite my small criticisms, this was an engaging new witchy picture-book - an interest of mine! - and I look forward to seeing more from the Sullivan brothers. ( )