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A review by xterminal
Only a Witch Can Fly by Taeeun Yoo, Alison McGhee
4.0
Alison McGhee, Only a Witch Can Fly (Feiwel and Friends, 2009)
There's a great celtic-rock band from Canada called Enter the Haggis that not nearly enough people are familiar with. On their first album, Let the Wind Blow High, back in 1999, there's a song called “Skyswimmer”. On an album full of solid songs, it's my favorite, and I'm telling you about it because if you like this book, you definitely need to check that song out, which covers some of this same ground, though from a much bleaker perspective (“he told me in a cardboard tone how once ago he long had flown...”). McGhee, of course, is writing for the kidlit set, and keeps things light. All well and good, and the verse that drives the action is a fine reflection of our protagonist's determination—almost a chant. The “if at first you don't succeed” message at the bottom of this is well-presented, and Taeeyun Yoo's illustrations bring Maurice Sendak to mind. I liked this one. *** 1/2
There's a great celtic-rock band from Canada called Enter the Haggis that not nearly enough people are familiar with. On their first album, Let the Wind Blow High, back in 1999, there's a song called “Skyswimmer”. On an album full of solid songs, it's my favorite, and I'm telling you about it because if you like this book, you definitely need to check that song out, which covers some of this same ground, though from a much bleaker perspective (“he told me in a cardboard tone how once ago he long had flown...”). McGhee, of course, is writing for the kidlit set, and keeps things light. All well and good, and the verse that drives the action is a fine reflection of our protagonist's determination—almost a chant. The “if at first you don't succeed” message at the bottom of this is well-presented, and Taeeyun Yoo's illustrations bring Maurice Sendak to mind. I liked this one. *** 1/2