Mizuna, Tomomi. The big adventures of Majoko. Vol. 1. Richmond Hill, Ont: Udon Entertainment Corp, 2009. ISBN: 978-1897376812.
Author / Illustrator Website: None
Media: Pen and Colored Ink
Special Notations: Manga
Annotation: Majoko is a young witch with just enough magical ability to get herself into mischief. Majoko uses a spell to buddy up with girl named Nana in the human world and the two set off on a series of adventures.
Personal Reaction: The first book in the Majoko series introduces readers to Majoko, a witch with a desire for adventure and mixed results when it comes to spell casting. Majoko sets out to find a human friend and pairs up with the more sensible Nana. The two explore Majoko’s magical world, trying out spells, returning magical items and chasing rainbows. The adventures are often unrelated, but they are full of fun and whimsy that will appeal to certain readers. This book is a nice choice for girls in upper middle school who were (or are) Hello Kitty fans and enjoy their fiction sprinkled with magic. The artwork is large and cheerful, drawn more simply than much manga. I found the illustrations easier to follow than more detailed manga and for that reason, would recommend this book to readers trying Japanese comics for the first time. This would be a good book for young readers who have outgrown the very funny BabyMouse by Jennifer and Matthew Holm or fans of Eva Ibbotson.
