BABA YAGA'S ASSISTANT
by Marika McCoola / art by Emily Carroll
Candlewick, August 2015
Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga’s house-on-chicken-legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu! Spooky and poignant, Marika McCoola’s stunning debut—with richly layered art by acclaimed graphic artist Emily Carroll—is a storytelling feat and a visual feast.
Select praise for BABA YAGA'S ASSISTANT:
- #3 debut on The New York Times HC graphic books list
- 2015 NEIBA Book Award winner
- 2015 Junior Library Guild selection
- Shortlisted for the 2015 Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Awards in the Favorite Graphic Novel/Book category
- Kirkus starred review: "A magnificently magical must-read for all fairy-tale fans."
- PW review: "Strong, complex characters and the inventive fusion of contemporary and fairy tale elements make this a noteworthy collaboration."
- Booklist review: "Carroll’s dark yet luminous artwork is a perfect match for McCoola’s tale...full of eerie shading and delicate detail."