Snapdragon

Snapdragon is about a girl named Snapdragon (also goes by Snap)- her family names their daughters after their favorite flower - as she befriends an old woman everyone in town believes is a witch after she saves her dog, Good Boy.

This book is full of representation and trans positivity and it’s just beautiful and wonderful. Everyone in Snapdragon’s family is so supportive of each other and full of love. One of my favorite conversations in the book was when Snap’s Mama asked if she felt like a boy. Snap’s response and her Mama’s reaction melted me.

One of this book's themes is that what is shown on the outside, isn’t always what’s on the inside. The neighborhood witch who wears a trenchcoat outside, has an eyepatch and cleans show more up roadkill, wears crocs and graphic t-shirts when she’s inside her house. Snapdragon is labeled weird and angry by other kids, but has a thirst for knowledge and doesn’t follow what’s labeled as “girlie”.

The art really worked well for this book. I’ve loved the Lumberjanes, so upon finding the art of Kat Leyh again in her own story I immediately grabbed it.

I borrowed this book from my library, but you can bet your dollar I’ll be searching for a copy of this book the next time I go to the bookstore. I don’t usually purchase Graphic Novels since I rarely read them again, but this one I feel like is different and I can see myself rereading it in the future. show less

I enjoyed what a unique take on the “neighborhood witch” scenario that this proved to be, getting to know Jacks, learning about her backstory including her unexpected romance (and the connections it makes in the story) and the bond she forms with the book’s heroine, Snapdragon.

I liked that while there are bullies in the story for the most part this book is all about embracing what makes someone different, Snapdragon’s mom in particular embodied that openheartedness. She stood out as one of my all-time favorite fictional parents, every kid should be as lucky as Snap to have someone like her mom guiding and accepting them.

I knew nothing about this book when I started reading, but I found myself quickly swept away by a feel-good fantasy about roadkill(!), magic, and nonconformists with LGBTQ+ and Black American characters. I loved the art and the writing. And here's my vote for a sequel ASAP.

Your friendly neighborhood cooky old lady and her newly found local weird girl who struggles to fit in. It's a match made in heaven. Jacks is such an amazing character- the witch at the edge of town that I aspire to be (and a hopeless romantic of a lesbian to boot). Snap is the girl that so many girls can relate to- weird interests, intense interests, struggles to really fit in. She gains the best of friends in Lulu, who quickly proves how great friends are capable of being- standing up to bullies for each other and accepting every quirk and intricacy of themselves. Snap was allowed to be a weird girl, in fact she became a weirder girl, and magic is real. Truly a lovely story and the art is so bright and captivating. I loved it.

Loved this book -- great features -- Snap explores curiousity about dead animals -- the necrmancy/ghost/taxidermy angle is fascinating and not particularly off-putting. Love the eventual reveal on the family connection. Love the general acceptance of trans people throughout the book, both in the historical parts and in the current situation with Snap's new friend. It's just a good story.

Snapdragon—Snap, for short is my new hero. I hope there are more instalments with this bold character.

Snap isn’t afraid of the witch living in her town. Even though she’s known for feeding her eye to the devil, eating roadkill and casting spells with the bones... Snapdragon knows the rumors, but after the “roadkill witch” rescues Snap’s beloved dog, Snap starts to think all may not be as it seems. The town’s “witch,” is a Crocs-wearing, white-haired, one-eyed “witch.” Snap brings a box of orphaned possums to Jacks’s house, so that the old crone can look after them. Jacks agrees to help Snap take care of the possums in exchange for assistance with her “work,” Why not, Snap is up for adventure. As Snap learns show more more about Jacks and her strange ways, she learns they have more in common than she thought, and that their connection goes back for decades.

Gruff but nurturing, Jacks takes Snap under her wing, teaching Snap her work of using bones from roadkill to build and sell anatomically correct skeletal systems. It is called articulating. But it also turns out that Jacks is a witch, using magic to release the souls of roadkill back into nature, and Snap is desperate to find out if she can also channel magic. The sub plots support the story as Snap and Lou, (Snap’s new best friend who transitions to wearing skirts, loving nail polish, wants to be being called Lulu,) are bullied at school, economic struggles are apparent, and Snap’s mom’s abusive ex-boyfriend shows up more than once. The ex-boyfriend was much scarier than any witch!

Jacks is white while Snap, her family, Lulu, and most secondary characters are coded as black—all, refreshingly, presenting with a realistic variety of skin tones and hair colors and textures.

This is a beautiful graphic novel with a unique plot and a little bit of a spooky element with beautifully illustrated characters.

It could be a good book for opening up conversations about respecting the earth’s creatures. Jacks was once a licensed animal rescuer.

I really liked Snap’s hair but I did want Good Boy to have eyeballs.

If you love Raina Telgemeyer’s work Kat Leyh is right up there.

Sweet and fierce, this is a must-have. (Graphic fantasy. 8-14) But I’m a senior and I loved show less

Snapdragon’s (Snap for short) town has a witch that eats roadkill and people’s pets. At least, that’s how the rumor goes. So, when Snap’s dog Good Boy goes missing, she knows she needs to confront her. Instead of a scary witch, Snap finds that Jacks is just a crocs-wearing, internet-savvy old lady who sells roadkill skeletons online—after doing a little ritual to put their spirits to rest. Creepy….
The two agree to a deal -- Jacks will teach Snap how to take care of the baby opossums that Snap rescued, and Snap will help Jacks with her work. But as Snap starts to get to know Jacks, she realizes that Jacks may in fact have real magic -- and a connection with Snap’s family’s past.
The graphic novel has magic, a unique show more storyline, and lots of LGBTQ characters. That said, I have several issues with this book…. the biggest is a lack of positive examples of relationships. Snap has a wonderful relationship with her mother, but the romantic relationships have issues – such as violence, bullying, being in a heterosexual relationship when they are queer. Also, the portrayal of a few of the Black characters gives me pause. Louis/ Lulu comes to terms with her identity off-page, it seems to just passively develop in the background. Finally, Snapdragon feels less like a book for kids and more like a book for older readers that just happens to have a kid as a protagonist. show less