Over My Dead Body: A Witchy Graphic Novel

by Sweeney Boo, Sweeney Boo (Illustrator)

Overview

Fans of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will love diving into the mysterious and witchy world of award-nominated creator Sweeney Boo. Enchanting full-color illustrations will be sure to charm readers as they explore the halls of Younwity's Institute of Magic and the forbidden forest that lies beyond.

In the days leading up to Samhain, the veil between the world of the dead and the living is at its thinnest.

One day, everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. And the next, the closest thing Abby ever had to a sister, Noreen, was just… gone.

Distracted by the annual preparations for the Samhain festival, Abby’s classmates are quick to put Noreen’s disappearance aside. The Coven will find her, Abby’s friends say. They have it under control.

But Abby can’t let it go. Soon a search for answers leads her down a rabbit hole that uncovers more secrets than Abby can handle. As mounting evidence steers her toward the off-limits woods that surround the academy, she begins to see that Noreen’s disappearance mysteriously has a lot in common with another girl who went missing all those years ago…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063056312
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/30/2022
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	300,885
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

Editorial Reviews

2022-05-25
Foundling witch Abigail risks everything to find her missing friend.

Legend at the Younwity Hidden Institute of Witchcraft says that 100 years ago, a monstrous demon took a student who had entered the Untamed Woods. Now Noreen, one of Abby’s dearest friends, is believed to be missing in these same forbidden woods. With preparations for the Samhain festivities underway and the Coven supposedly looking for her, most students are quick to dismiss Noreen’s disappearance save for Abby and a few of her close friends. After breaking curfew and doing unsupervised magic, the young witches get into trouble, prompting her friends to give up searching, but Abby is convinced Noreen can be saved and persists in her search. Her investigation reveals secrets and truths about the century-old legend that might help her find Noreen. Spooky, mysterious, and also full of heart, this graphic novel is an enchanting story of friendship and found family. Each witch has a familiar—an animal companion with its own personality—that adds to the depth and charm of the story. Seymour, Abby’s familiar, is a Sphynx cat who suffers from anxiety. The luminous, full-color illustrations are striking and vibrant, adding to the magical, mystical feel. Abby presents as White, with pale, freckled skin and brown hair; her classmates and teachers are diverse in race as well as gender identity and sexual orientation.

An exciting fantasy full of mystery and witchcraft. (Graphic fantasy. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews

06/27/2022

Boo’s bewitching debut celebrates found family via a fantastical mystery centering a teenage witch’s troubling disappearance. Noreen, a student at the Younwity Hidden Institute of Witchcraft, was last seen entering the demon-infested Untamed Woods that border the school days before Samhain, when the border between the living and the dead is weakest. When she’s declared missing, white, freckled Abby recruits professor’s daughter Goldie, who is Black; closest friend Enver, who is white; and Asian-cued roommate Violet, in her search for clues about Noreen’s disappearance. But their inquiry leads to consistent dead ends, and classmates continue preparing for the institute’s yearly Samhain celebration as if nothing has changed, tanking group morale. Though they encourage Abby to let the administration handle the case, she refuses to give up, especially when further investigation uncovers ancient and sinister school secrets. Atmospheric lighting renders hazy sunsets and mystical night skies, autumnal color palettes evoke an appropriately witchy aesthetic, and expert character design portrays a racially diverse cast featuring varied body types. Boo capably juggles the mystery’s intrigue with interpersonal drama, such as previously antagonistic relationships revealing hidden romantic yearning, in this eerie mystery that sits well within the magic school canon. Ages 14–up. Agent: Britt Siess, Britt Siess Creative Management. (Aug.)■

Publishers Weekly

Spooky, mysterious, and also full of heart, this graphic novel is an enchanting story of friendship and found family. An exciting fantasy full of mystery and witchcraft.  — Kirkus Reviews

Boo capably juggles the mystery’s intrigue with interpersonal drama in this eerie mystery that sits well within the magic school canon. — Publishers Weekly

The star attraction here is the glorious artwork, with well-placed shadows and vivid splashes of dramatic hues. Boo has an eye for how colors can interact to tell as much of a story as the text itself, and these startling, almost cinematic illustrations are the truly memorable elements. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

A wonderful addition to Halloween collections that will continue to be checked out long after the season is over. — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/30/2022

Gr 8 Up—Abigail, a student at the Younwity Hidden Institute for Witchcraft, has woken up late for the morning's assembly. Upon arrival, she finds that one of her closest friends, Noreen, has vanished overnight, having last been seen heading into the Untamed Woods. While most students are able to leave the search in the hands of The Coven, the united group of teachers at the school, Abby knows she must intervene. Abigail works together with her friends Goldie, Enver, and Violet to try and solve this magical mystery—only to find that it goes deeper and has similar circumstances to the last time a student went missing. Award-winning French Canadian author and illustrator Boo uses a full palette of colors to show off her unique digital illustrative style, a strong comparison to modern animation. She puts the cast of characters to the forefront here, allowing both her expertly written dialogue and the vibrant diversity of the students to give off the true magic of this tale, rising over even the spells and rituals they perform. VERDICT This graphic novel about a witchy school will resonate with fans of spooky season and is a great story about the power of friendship helping to solve a mystery. A wonderful addition to Halloween collections that will continue to be checked out long after the season is over.—Adam Fisher

School Library Journal