Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers on August 4, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In the eerie town of ‘Allows, some people get to be magical sorceresses, while other people have their spirits trapped in the mall for all ghastly eternity.
Then there’s twelve-year-old goblin-witch Beetle, who’s caught in between. She’d rather skip being homeschooled completely and spend time with her best friend, Blob Glost. But the mall is getting boring, and B.G. is cursed to haunt it, tethered there by some unseen force. And now Beetle’s old best friend, Kat, is back in town for a sorcery apprenticeship with her Aunt Hollowbone. Kat is everything Beetle wants to be: beautiful, cool, great at magic, and kind of famous online. Beetle’s quickly being left in the dust.
But Kat’s mentor has set her own vile scheme in motion. If Blob Ghost doesn’t escape the mall soon, their afterlife might be coming to a very sticky end. Now, Beetle has less than a week to rescue her best ghost, encourage Kat to stand up for herself, and confront the magic she’s been avoiding for far too long. And hopefully ride a broom without crashing.
My Thoughts
Beetle & The Hollowbones is a short, sweet, fun story. Within just over 250 pages, Aliza Layne has crafted a rich, detailed world. The art is bright and vibrant with its palette of pinks, purples, greens, and oranges, which gives cute spooky vibes. Along with the magical inhabitants of ‘Allows (goblins, ghosts, undead skeletons, dragons, and more), it made me think of Halloween—though I would read this book during any season of the year.
Beetle immediately caught my heart and made me want to root for her. She is energetic and creative. She loves reading manga, watching cartoons, and writing fan fiction with sapphic romances. Young readers will relate with Beetle’s interest in pop culture and digital life. But she also struggles with doubts and insecurities. Though she wants to study sorcery—that is, real magic—like her friend Kat, she’s stuck learning goblin magic with her grandmother, and she feels like she’s getting left behind. If that wasn’t enough, Beetle’s other friend, Blog Ghost (aka. BG), is stuck spending their afterlife in the mall, and she can’t figure out the right spell to free them.
Sorcerers get magic crystals and do big spells, like growing magic circles and stars and illusions … Goblins don’t learn that. We do, like, little spells with bones and potions and things like that.
The side characters are equally wonderful. Each is realized person with their strengths and weaknesses, and I love the strong bonds that they share with Beetle. Kat is a talented sorceress being oppressed by her demanding family. BG can’t speak, but they are expressive and communicate through pictures. Beetle’s grandmother is fierce, loving, and feels like home. She is a stern teacher, but she listens to Beetle and will fight on behalf of her granddaughter and her friends.
Beetle-bug, you can make your own path in this world … yesterday when you walked down the stairs, I saw magic around you so thick that I was worried you would burst.
Beetle & The Hollowbones communicates positive messages about family, friends, and embracing one’s heritage. Interwoven through it all is a casual sapphic romance that develops slowly as events unfold. It is written for young readers, but much will resonate with teens and adults. While this book stands alone, I can see Beetle and Kat getting entangled in more magical adventures and would love to see more from this world. Regardless of whether Aliza Layne writes another book set in this world, I look forward to her next work!
Representation
Lesbian (main characters), nonbinary (side character), tween girls, grandmother-granddaughter relationship
Trigger Warnings
View Spoiler »Recommended to…
Fans of middle-grade fantasy, cute spooky vibes, and graphic novels
Let’s Chat
Have you read Beetle & The Hollowbones or plan to read it?
What are your thoughts?
Lindsi says
This sounds like something I’d read with my son! I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before, but this is the first review I’ve seen for it. Lovely review!
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬