SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.jessixa.com/
CITY: Seattle
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: SATA 404
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
First name pronounced “Jessica”; born in OR; married Aaron Bagley (an illustrator); children: Baxter.
EDUCATION:Attended University of Washington; Cornish College of the Arts, B.F.A. (painting and printmaking), 2004.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Fine artist, comics creator, and illustrator. Accoutrements, Seattle, customer service representative, 2004-08; Hornall Anderson, Seattle, office manager, 2008—. Comics instructor and illustrator for 826 Seattle, 2006-08.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
AWARDS:GAP grant, Washington State Artist Trust, 2009; Portfolio Showcase runner-up, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Western Washington Conference, 2012 and 2014; Portfolio Showcase runner-up, SCBWI New York Conference, 2013; Notable Children’s Books designation, American Library Association, Washington State Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award, and SCBWI Golden Kite Award for best picture book text, all 2016, all for Boats for Papa; Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award honor, 2018, for Laundry Day; numerous Junior Library Guild Selections
WRITINGS
Contributor to periodicals, including the Chicago Reader, Seattle Weekly, Nickelodeon, Highlights, and Stranger.
SIDELIGHTS
An artist, comics creator, author, and illustrator, Jessixa Bagley received a prestigious Golden Kite Award for her debut picture book, Boats for Papa. Bagley is also the author and illustrator of children’s books such as Laundry Day and Vincent Comes Home, a collaboration with her illustrator husband, Aaron. Her work has also appeared in the Chicago Reader, the Seattle Weekly, and Nickelodeon magazine, among other publications.
A graduate of the Cornish College of the Arts, Bagley has drawn on her childhood experiences to inform her works. Boats for Papa, for instance, was inspired by her visits to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast with her mother as well as her long-distance relationship with her father, and the plot of Before I Leave was based on her memories of moving to a new home. Bagley illustrates her books using primarily ink and watercolor.
As she told Brown Bookshelf interviewer Don Tate, “I use pretty inexpensive watercolor paper to help create my pooling affect in my paintings (pooling is what I call [it] when the watercolor builds up in areas to create unique textures). I also use an eyedropper to help me spread my paint—a technique I created for myself so I can paint large areas fairly evenly with small brushes to retain the right look I want for my pooling.”
In Boats for Papa, Bagley presents a “somber but never maudlin story about sadness, resilience, and an emotional coming of age,” according to a Publishers Weekly critic. Buckley, a young beaver, lives with his mother in a small cabin on the seashore. Buckley spends his days combing the beach for driftwood, from which he carves miniature ships, and he sends his favorite boats to sea with a handwritten note that reads, “For Papa. Love Buckley.” A year passes, and Buckley discovers that his mother has been retrieving the boats that he set adrift. His reaction to this finding shows the tight bond that has developed between the two since their devastating loss.
Bagley’s debut picture book earned a strong critical reception. “Emotional resonance in literature for little kids is difficult to attain,” remarked School Library Journal contributor Elizabeth Bird, who added, “In Boats for Papa we’ve a picture book that doesn’t go for the cheap emotional tug. It comes by its tears honestly.” Bagley’s “portrayal of Buckley’s hope and his mother’s acts of love are heartbreakingly beautiful and authentic,” observed Jenna Boles, another School Library Journal reviewer. A writer in Kirkus Reviews offered praise for Bagley’s poignant artwork. “Done in washes of color in a gentle, earthy palette, the ink drawings have an honesty and earnestness worthy of the story,” the critic stated.
Before I Leave, Bagley’s next self-illustrated work, centers on the relationship between Zelda, a tiny hedgehog, and her best friend, Aaron, an anteater. Though initially frustrated and saddened when Zelda’s parents announce that the family is moving—Zelda tries to pack Aaron in her suitcase—the two decide to spend a day simply enjoying one another’s company, reveling in such activities as playing on the swings and communicating via a tin-can telephone. When Zelda arrives at her new home, she finds a special gift from Aaron that reinforces their friendship. Like its predecessor, Before I Leave demonstrates Bagley’s ability to depict a “heartfelt … moment into a few spare words while portraying it with an earnestness that respects both characters and readers,” a Kirkus Reviews writer explained. “The pen-and-watercolor illustrations, awash in soft greens and browns, show an inviting and reassuring environment,” commented Randall Enos in Booklist.
Laundry Day follows the antics of Tic and Tac, a pair of energetic badgers. Bored after reading countless books, building and then deconstructing a fort, and catching a load of fish, the brothers accept Ma Badger’s invitation to help her place their laundry on a clothesline. Tic and Tac love their new task so much that they mount a search for additional items to hang, and their mother returns home after running an errand to find an alarm clock, a fishbowl, a bunch of carrots, and numerous other household items dangling from the line. “The text is accessible and expansive fun for young readers,” a Kirkus Reviews contributor stated, and a Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that Bagley “uses her tidy, detailed rendering style to great comic effect.”
In Henry and Bea, Bagley provides “a gentle story with a lesson about what true friends are made of,” according to School Library Journal reviewer Kelly Roth. Grade-schoolers Henry and Bea share a close connection and spend all of their free time together. Imagine Bea’s surprise and dismay, then, when Henry grows quiet one day and begins keeping to himself. After giving her companion some much-needed space, Bea finds Henry alone in a barn while on a class field trip, during which he confesses the true reason behind his recent unhappiness.
As in her previous titles, observed a Publishers Weekly contributor, Bagley “conveys her deep understanding of the ways children process loss and her deep respect for their capacity to regain resilience.” A writer in Kirkus Reviews praised the “emotionally resonant” illustrations, particularly Bagley’s “use of white space, perspective, and the expanse of the double-page spread to communicate emotional closeness, distance, and isolation.”
Vincent Comes Home presents a “delightful story of discovery,” in the words of School Library Journal critic Maegen Rose. A seafaring feline, Vincent has spent his entire life aboard a cargo ship, and although he has visited countries such as Zanzibar, Iceland, and Greece, he has never set foot upon their shores. After overhearing the crew speak fondly of traveling “home,” Vincent grow curious and follows one of the sailors off the ship the next time they reach port. As he wanders about town, noting how family members and friends interact with one another, Vincent realizes that home is more than a place on a map.
Writing in Booklist, Carolyn Phelan described the work as “a well-crafted picture book with a simple, heartfelt theme, delivered with a refreshing lack of sentimentality.” “Realistic pen-and-watercolor illustrations vary in size and placement and effectively combine soft textures and crisp lines,” a writer explained in Kirkus Reviews.
Vincent Comes Home, Bagley stated in an interview on the Booking Biz website, was based on the couple’s experiences of changing residences frequently. “The resolution is based on our experiences moving around and how incredibly sad I would get whenever we moved because it felt like we were leaving our home, but I would always realize that we took our home with us (in ourselves) when we left,” she remarked. “I have found that taking inspiration from my life has been the most rewarding type of writing, because I am able to connect with myself and also my readers.”
Bagley illustrated A Girl, a Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by author Karen Romano Young in 2019. Pearl was born in the library—the Lancaster Avenue branch of the New York Public Library. Her mother is a librarian, and at ten years old, Pearl has gotten to know the library and its inhabitants very well. The books, the staff of the library, the surrounding neighborhood, and the statue of Edna St. Vincent Millay out in the library’s garden have been Pearl’s world for as long as she can remember. One day while playing out in the garden, Pearl comes across the statue, but something is wrong. The head of the statue is missing. Pearl shrieks, and all the neighbors come to her call. News of the stolen head makes the papers and draws the ire of some local developers bent on replacing the underused community building. Pearl and her mother set out to save the library and enlist the help of everyone they can think of. However, it is when Pearl teams up with the raccoons living in the basement that Pearl’s quest finds a sure path. “Part mystery, part coming-of-age journey, Young’s … story interweaves realistically flawed, fully formed characters with real-world issues … and fantastical elements,” wrote a contributor to Publishers Weekly. In Horn Book, Sarah Rettger concluded, “Pearl’s growth over the course of the story is satisfying, and the book effectively delivers its multiple messages without overwhelming readers.”
Commenting on her 2021 book, Daisy on the Holiday House website, Bagley explained her inspiration for the story: “Daisy is my version of the age-old story of being different than the other kids in school. I think growing up as usually one of the only children of color (and almost always the only black kid) at school and my community, I automatically always felt pushed to the outside of things.” Named for her mother’s favorite flower, Daisy is an outsider. As a warthog, she does not quite fit in with the other girls at school. “Daisy is a perfectly adorable warthog with a winningly expressive snout; she, like all the animals, goes unclothed but on hind legs, using human tools and accessories,” wrote a contributor to Kirkus Reviews. Her refuge most of the time is a secret fort in the woods where she brings special treasures she finds around the forest. When one day items begin appearing around her fort that she did not put there, Daisy becomes suspicious. It turns out the mysterious artifacts have been left there by Fern, a skunk with a similar outsider disposition to Daisy. The two become fast friends sharing in their unique perspective of the world. A contributor to Publishers Weekly concluded, “The story’s power—and genuine hope—comes from an author acknowledging and validating her protagonist’s feelings.”
In the charming picture book When I Wake Up, written by Seth Fishman with watercolor and pencil illustrations by Bagley, a child imagines various activities to do when they wake up early and their parents are still asleep. The child imagines four different scenarios: make breakfast of cereal and marshmallows, draw a city filled with dragons, ride a scooter and climb a tree, and plant a garden. The child also thinks of dangers, such as getting hurt climbing the tree. In the end, the child decides to crawl into bed and curl up between Mom and Dad.
Bagley described her attraction to working on this book in an interview with Libby Morse in Publishers Weekly: “There was all this subtlety in the storytelling that left room for me to add to this soft gentle exploration that felt very childlike.” In further discussions with School Library Journal interviewer Betsy Bird, Bagley remarked that it was a “book that really captured the way a child’s mind can move from one thing to another. It was simple and had a literary bend to its simplicity that I thought was magical.”
In Booklist, Shelle Rosenfeld praised When I Wake Up ‘s “portrayal of a child’s imagination and view of their world, as well as the reassurances and comfort of family and home. School Library Journal critic Amy Nolan reported: “A lovely additional purchase, encouraging imagination while capturing a child’s first glimpse at independence.”
Author Kate Hoefler and illustrator Bagley offer tips on gaining courage in Courage Hats. Mae, a girl, and Bear, a bear, are riding the train to summer camp. Each one is alone and afraid—Mae is afraid of the forest and Bear is afraid of the city. When they meet and become friends, they draw each other on a paper bag and make masks out of them to show the world that they are not afraid anymore. “It’s a moving celebration of the joys of a new and unexpected friendship,” explained a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Rachel Mulligan in School Library Journal took note of the “distinctly abstract tone at times.”
The picture book Bad Drawer combines text by Seth Fishman and illustrations by several award-winning illustrators including Bagley. The unseen narrator in the book has a great idea for a story, about a mouse and a combination cat-bird who save the kingdom from dragons, and wants his book illustrated, but because he is a bad drawer, he needs the help of his friends who can draw well. A good baker of cookies, the narrator trades cookies to his friends for drawings for his story. The book starts with the narrator’s bad stick figure drawings and progresses with beautiful professional illustrations from his friends. “A creative story with a sound message: If at first you don’t succeed, ask a friend for help,” according to a Kirkus Reviews writer. A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt “overarching message is worthwhile: collaboration is worth seeking out because it makes the most of everyone’s talents.”
Bagley wrote and illustrated the soulful book Maurice about a dog in the all-dog city of Paris, playing his accordion to entertain passersby. His pet birds accompany his music with merry singing. But as the city changes and fewer people put coins in his cup, he can no longer afford birdseed for his birds, so he sets them free. When spring arrives, the birds return so Maurice can play music with them once more. The happy ending shows “Maurice, and readers, that love and the pursuit of beauty endure across time and seasons,” declared a writer in Publishers Weekly.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 1, 2015, Jeanne McDermott, review of Boats for Papa, p. 101; January 1, 2016, Randall Enos, review of Before I Leave, p. 96; December 15, 2017, Carolyn Phelan, review of Vincent Comes Home, p. 101; November 1, 2021, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of When I Wake Up, p. 73.
Horn Book, March-April, 2017, Minh Le, review of Laundry Day, p. 66; January-February, 2020, Sarah Rettger, review of A Girl, a Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon, p. 90.
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2015, review of Boats for Papa; November 15, 2015, review of Before I Leave; November 1, 2016, review of Laundry Day; December 15, 2017, review of Vincent Comes Home; September 15, 2019, review of Henry and Bea; December 15, 2020, review of Daisy;August 1, 2022, review of Bad Drawer; March 1, 2023, review of Maurice.
Publishers Weekly, April 27, 2015, review of Boats for Papa, p. 73; June 29, 2015, Matia Burnett, “Flying Starts,” author profile; November 2, 2015, review of Before I Leave, p. 82; December 5, 2016, review of Laundry Day, p. 11; August 26, 2019, review of Henry and Bea, p. 130; October 14, 2019, review of A Girl, a Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon, p. 70; November 9, 2020, review of Daisy, p. 72; January 10, 2022, review of Courage Hats, p. 59; August 15, 2022, review of Bad Drawer, p. 73; March 20, 2023, review of Maurice, p. 80.
School Library Journal, May, 2015, Jenna Boles, review of Boats for Papa, p. 82; January, 2016, Grace Oliff, review of Before I Leave, p. 66; February, 2017, Jasmine L. Precopio, review of Laundry Day, p. 64; February, 2018, Maegen Rose, review of Vincent Comes Home, p. 54; October, 2019, Kelly Roth, review of Henry and Bea, p. 63; October, 2021, Amy Nolan, review of When I Wake Up, p. 68; March, 2022, Rachel Mulligan, review of Courage Hats, p. 88.
ONLINE
Booking Biz website, https://thebookingbiz.com/ (July 2, 2018), author interview.
Brown Bookshelf, https://thebrownbookshelf.com/ (February 13, 2016), Don Tate, author interview.
Holiday House website, https://holidayhouse.com/ (August 19, 2021), author profile.
Jessixa Bagley website, http://www.jessixa.com (August 19, 2021).
Literary Arts website, https://literary-arts.org/ (August 19, 2021), author profile.
Picture Book Builders, https://picturebookbuilders.com/ (September 18, 2018), Linda Ashman, interview with Jessixa and Aaron Bagley.
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com/ (November 30, 2021), Libby Morse, “Q & A with Seth Fishman and Jessixa Bagley.”
School Library Journal, http://www.slj.com/ (July 8, 2015), Elizabeth Bird, review of Boats for Papa; (November 26, 2021), Betsy Bird, “When I Wake Up: An Interview with Seth Fishman and Jessixa Bagley.”
SCBWI Wisconsin website, https://wisconsinscbwi.wordpress.com/ (October 28, 2019), Jane Kelley, author interview.*
The 'x' is pronounced like a 'c'
I grew up in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon where I developed a love of hamburgers, drawing, and anthropomorphic food. Upon becoming an adult, I decided to follow my childhood dreams of being a cartoonist and picture book maker. I attended the University of Washington and then Cornish College of the Arts where I graduated in 2004 with a BFA in painting and printmaking.
My artistic career has been a mix of comics, fine art, and illustration. I've worked with publications such as: The Chicago Reader, The Seattle Weekly, The Stranger, Nickelodeon Magazine, Highlights, and New American Paintings. But my love of comics and picture books has been my lifelong dream and passion.
My books have even won awards! Like my debut picture book, Boats for Papa! It received numerous awards and accolades including the 2016 SCBWI Golden Kite Award for best picture book text and a 2016 Washington State Book Award. My picture book Laundry Day received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for writing. And my first graphic novel, Duel, (illustrated by Aaron Bagley) was winner of the 2024 Washington State Book Award for Young Readers. And that same year my picture book Maurice was a finalist for a 2024 Washington State Book Award! Most of my books are also Junior Library Guild Selections, which is extra cool because it means lots of librarians love my books and they are the biggest champions of stories!
I also illustrate for other writers and collaborate with people on books! Especially funny and amazingly talented husband, Aaron Bagley, whom I love working with on books, art, and Halloween costumes.
I live in Seattle, Washington in a castle in the sky with my wonderful husband, talented and funny son, and a slew of houseplants that all have names. I still love hamburgers, drawing, and anthropomorphic food.
Follow your dreams, kids!
Jessixa Bagley is a children’s book author-illustrator with a background in fine art and comics. She has had work featured in publications such as New American Paintings, Highlights Magazine, The Stranger, and Illustoria Magazine. She’s also the author of the middle grade graphic novels Duel and Dear Jackie (illustrated by Aaron Bagley) and the author-illustrator of the middle grade graphic novel series Jazzy the Witch. Jessixa is a two-time Washington State Book Award recipient; first in 2016 for her debut picture book, Boats for Papa, and again in 2024 for her graphic novel, Duel. Jessixa also received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for picture book Laundry Day. Many of her books are Junior Library Guild Selections. In her work, she’s drawn to animals and emotional themes often inspired by her own experiences. Jessixa also teaches and speaks about writing and illustration. She often illustrates for other writers and artistically collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle with her husband and son.
Interview With Jessixa Bagley (DUEL)
November 10, 2023No Comments
Written by Cherokee Crum, Blog Manager and Staff Reviewer
Posted in Authors, Interviews, News & Updates
Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Jessixa Bagley (DUEL)!
Meet the Author: Jessixa Bagley
Jessixa Bagley is an award-winning children’s book author/illustrator. Along with her book work she is a fine artist, comics creator, and teacher of writing and watercolor. Her picture book BOATS FOR PAPA won the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for best picture book text as well as Washington State Book Award for Children’s Books. Her picture book LAUNDRY DAY received an Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for writing. Many of her picture books are Junior Library Guild Selections. She often illustrates for other writers and collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle, WA with her husband and son.
Website * X * Instagram
About the Book: DUEL
Sixth grader Lucy loves fantasy novels and is brand-new to middle school. GiGi is the undisputed queen bee of eighth grade (as well as everything else she does). They’ve only got one thing in common: fencing. Oh, and they’re sisters. They never got along super well, but ever since their dad died, it seems like they’re always at each other’s throats.
When GiGi humiliates Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy snaps and challenges GiGi to a duel with high sisterly stakes. If GiGi wins, Lucy promises to stay out of GiGi’s way; if Lucy wins, GiGi will stop teasing Lucy for good.
As the clock ticks down to the girls’ fencing bout, the anticipation grows. Their school is divided into GiGi and Lucy factions, complete with t-shirts declaring kids’ allegiances. Both sisters are determined to triumph. But will winning the duel mean fracturing their family even further?
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
The idea just sort of came to me but pulls from a couple of places in my life. 1) I used to fence 2) When I was a kid I didn’t always get along with my older sister, SiSi. One day I guess I was thinking about fighting with my sister and I thought “What if back then we had a fencing duel to settle our squabbles?” And the idea was born!
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Lucy’s best friend Sasha is my favorite character in the book. She’s so funny! And she is based off of my real life fencing coach, Peet. He’s an incredibly smart, funny, and goofy guy and I modeled Sasha’s toughness, silliness, and encouragement off of him!
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Writing was always a part of me, ever since I was a little kid. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing and coming up with stories or comics.
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
They say writers write to the age they are inside, and for many years of making picture books, I thought my inner child was seven and a half years old. But in writing DUEL, I became VERY aware that there is also a self-conscious tween living inside of me. She’s the one telling me to read all the graphic novels I can get my hands on and she is the one I’m writing for. I also listen to kids in public and ask my friend’s kids about language they use to try and not sound too antiquated.
YABC: What word do you have trouble overusing?
In my speaking voice, I’m a rampant user of ‘like’ and ‘um’. In my writing, I tend to say ‘well’ ALL THE TIME. To the exhaustion of my editor. And I am a shameless exclamation point fanatic.
YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?
We are having the launch at the fencing club I used to fence at- Salle Auriol Seattle! It’s on December 3rd from 11-1pm. They were so excited to have us celebrate there! There will be fencing demonstrations and everything! I couldn’t think of a more perfect place to have it!
YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?
I love making things out of cardboard. This skill comes most in handy for Halloween. If I ever had to give up making books, making costumes for people out of cardboard would be a good alternative career.
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
Nothing fun! Procrastination for me is just getting lost in indecision about what I need to do. Or I trick myself into thinking that whatever I’m doing instead of working is way more important at that moment. Like, “Yes, I absolutely need to learn about the cast of Smallville- RIGHT NOW.”
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
I’d like to give my hand at writing YA at some point. Aaron REALLY wants me to write a YA graphic novel so he can illustrate it. I feel like I could easily tap into those feelings and put them on paper. Anything from my youth feels so close to the surface.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Aaron and I are currently working on two more middle grade graphic novels (both are unrelated to DUEL). I’m also working on my own on younger middle grade graphic novels! I’m SO excited because I’m illustrating those so they will be my first author/illustrated graphic novels!
Title: DUEL
Author: Jessixa Bagley
Illustrator: Aaron Bagley
Release Date: November 7, 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Genre: Middle Grade
Meet Jessixa Bagley
Avatar photo
Stories & Insights
February 22, 2024
Share This Article
We recently connected with Jessixa Bagley and have shared our conversation below.
Jessixa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I’d say the most meaningful project I’ve worked so far has been my recent middle grade graphic novel, DUEL, that I wrote and my husband Aaron Bagley illustrated. It was my first foray into the middle grade world, which was a little intimidating at first, but I really found my own voice inside of the genre very quickly. I feel like it’s a very natural space for me to write in.
When I first got the idea for the book, it was from thinking back to my relationship to my older sister SiSi when we were younger and how we didn’t always get along. We had a conversation not many years back about our childhood and it was the first time it really sunk in that she had her own side and feelings to those times. Having the vantage point as adult now, I see that as a kid, I didn’t think about her perspective. It made me really want to explore a story where you get to see both sides of a situation where everyone thinks they are right but in reality, both sides are true and real. I also used to be a fencer, so part of me wondered (jokingly) ‘What if we had settled our disputes with a duel?’ And the story was born.
There’s also a large component of the story that deals with the sisters losing a parent, something that I too went through. Navigating grief is hard in a family and I wanted to include that as a catalyst for their behavior. So I pulled from my own life and mixed it with fiction to create a story that was it’s own thing, but reflected the sentiment of what I was feeling about my childhood and my family relationships growing up. There are moments in the work that still make me feel vulnerable when I read them, but that is important when making art. I try to bring myself and my experiences into my work as much as possible. I feel like authenticity builds a connection with readers and if they can see themselves in your work, then it gives them a safe place to show who they are, or maybe process something they’ve gone through. Many kids (and adults) have told me how much they related to the themes in DUEL, both to fighting with a sibling or losing a parent as a child. When I hear those comments, for a moment, we are the same, and it feels good I think for both of us, to not be alone. There’s a reciprocal healing that happens for the creator and audience because of that shared experiences/emotions that is bigger than just a book.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Making art and stories was something I’ve always done since I was a very young child. I always wanted to make comics and picture books. But that longing and life practice didn’t immediately translate into working into that profession- it took time. At some point though in high school I think, I thought that I should pick something that was “a real job” (oddly without knowing that being a writer or illustrator was a real job). So I started my college path with the mindset of becoming an interior architect. That didn’t last long though when I realized the part of that idea I liked most was the drawing part-not the actual study of architecture and definitely not the math part.
So after a windy college path, I finished out my BFA at Cornish College of the Arts. I focused on painting and printmaking there, even though I circled back in my heart my passion to making picture books. They didn’t offer classes in making picture books, so I sort of cobbled together my education with fine art classes, letterpress/bookmaking classes, and one illustration class.
Also those last couple of years in college, I got really into indie comics- my other rekindled passion from my childhood. I interned at the comics publisher Fantagraphics, doing, well, a lot of shelving of comic books and talking to the other employees. Ha! But it was a time to immerse myself in comics and publishing and find out what I liked and what I didn’t. I got A LOT of free comic books then. It was great! By the end of my senior year of college, I got my first published comic in the Chicago Reader. Once that happened, I was like, “Oh, that’s what you do? You just send in comics to places and see if they want to publish them? I can do that.” That’s how I started getting comics published in newspapers and magazines. (I even eventually had a weekly comic in The Seattle Weekly for about a year and a half. It was pretty cool.)
So after graduating, I was getting comics published and also was a practicing fine artist, showing in cafes and some galleries, but I still wanted to make picture books. At this same time, I was submitting manuscripts and artwork to publishers. That’s when the rejections started coming, pretty steadily for MANY years. It wasn’t until I finally joined SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) that things started to happen. I learned more about how to make books and the children’s book publishing world. I was able to meet actual agents, editors, and art directors. It was a humbling time and one filled with lots of learning. I made every mistake possible while trying to get published and made a lot of bad work. But eventually I managed to figure out what kinds of books and stories I wanted to write. Once I found my writing and visual voice, I was making stories with more confidence and authenticity, and that’s when the doors finally opened. All in all, it took me nine years from my first submission to get an agent and sell my first picture book.
I’d say I am most proud that I never gave up. I cried A LOT. And doubted myself A LOT. But I just kept doing what I loved when I was a kid- drawing and writing stories. I think little me is very proud that I actually ended up doing the thing that I loved and now it’s my “real job.”
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
When I was in college it was reinforced that in order to be a successful artist, you had to have a recognizable style that people could see and know exactly who made it. And that as an illustrator that’s your biggest asset to get work. And so many illustrators do have one distinct style. So I really clung to this idea that I had to “find my style” artistically.
After I’d made several picture books, all in the same signature style, I really started to hate my process and product. It didn’t feel like me or the kind of illustrations that I loved. One day I was looking at all of my favorite picture books for an interview and I realized that all the illustrators I admired the most made work completely differently than my own. When I noticed that, a little voice said inside, “You’re not allowed to do that-to make good art like them.” It was shocking. I really heard this voice holding me back saying I wasn’t good enough, or cool enough to make work how I really wanted to. I think that voice was there in part because I didn’t feel like I was allowed to grow artistically.
But there’s so much pressure with the idea you have to find your “one style.” It leaves no room for play or experimentation or mistakes or vulnerability, which is where artistic discover and beauty is born. So now I try to let each project tell me what it needs and allow for change and growth instead of just doing it the way I already know how. Will I always envy artists who have one special amazing thing they do? Probably! Ha ha! But I also know, that isn’t who I am. I have to evolve or else I will hate what I do.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I went to my first SCBWI book conference, I was unknowingly very underprepared. I entered my portfolio in the showcase competition for publishing editors and art directors to look at. When I looked around at hundreds of children’s illustration portfolios and I knew instantly that I had no clue what I was doing. I felt very embarrassed, like I had totally missed the mark. Later at the conference, I ended up meeting a famous childcare’s book illustrator. He offered to look at my portfolio and give me feedback. When I showed it to him, he ripped me to shreds. He told me I couldn’t draw, that I didn’t love to draw, that I didn’t know how to use watercolor. It was awful. (I held in my tears until I got in the car to leave the conference.) But I decided that I wouldn’t let those comments stop me. I’d extract anything of value from what was said and I’d keep going.
Contact Info:
Website: www.jessixa.com
Instagram: @jessixabagley
Linkedin: Jessixa Bagley
Twitter: @JessixaBagley
Author-Illustrator Spotlight: Jessixa Bagley
Summary
Interview with author-illustrator Jessica Bagley about her new middle-grade graphic novel Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom.
In today’s Author Spotlight, Landra Jennings chats with author-illustrator Jessixa Bagley about her new middle-grade graphic novel, Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, July 15). She’ll share her inspiration behind writing it, her creative process and a few hints about the next Jazzy book!
Book Summary:
“Whimsy abounds in this playful” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) middle grade graphic novel about a young witch who struggles to fit in—perfect for fans of The Okay Witch and Hooky!
In her town full of witches, Jazzy’s always been a little bit different. She’s not excited about magic. She forgets the steps to spells. And even though her parents run the town’s broom shop, she doesn’t want to fly.
Then, one day, she discovers what she was born to do: cycling! Now she just has to find a way to get a bicycle…and learn how to ride it. But will her new passion come between her and her best friend—and possibly get her in big trouble?
Interview with Jessixa Bagley
LJ: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Jessixa! Thanks for joining us today.
JB: Thank you so much for having me.
LJ: First off, I want to tell you how much I enjoyed this novel. Your characters’ expressions—those nuances—really take us into the heads of the characters and into the story. There are so many laughs and so much heart. Can you tell us about your inspiration for writing this book?
JB: It’s a funny thing how the idea came about. I had a dream, and when I woke up in the morning, I drew a picture of a little witch that looked kind-of like me as a kid. It made me think of a lemonade stand or Lucy’s advice booth in Peanuts, but the kid in my dream was selling bicycle seats for broomsticks to witches. I posted it on Instagram and the feedback was: This needs to be a book!
Around that time, my son was learning how to ride a bike and I was reflecting on how I had a really hard time learning how to ride a bike myself. As I began developing my little witch character, I found myself putting more of “me” into her. I also added some snark and sass because I love characters with some texture. So, my inspiration was a mix of the unconscious, my childhood, and some bits from real life.
Developing Ideas
LJ: I’m always curious about how author-illustrators work. How do you develop your ideas?
JB: My process has changed over the years. Before I was published, I was looking everywhere for a story, trying really hard. I didn’t feel the ideas were coming to me very easily; the stories didn’t feel interesting or personal and I didn’t have much of a connection.
These days, as I’ve tuned more into my own experiences and my childhood, I might be inspired by something in a dream, I might get ideas while I’m meditating, or something in the world might catch my eye. I try to capture these moments. During school visits, I show the students the place in my sketchbook where I do just that—I jot down words or phrases or an animal that I like, because there’s something inside of those that was inspiring.
Writing and Illustrating
LJ: What’s your creative process like? Does the writing come first, or the pictures?
JB: These things are usually happening simultaneously. I jot down some ideas and then I’ll sketch a little and go back and forth.
For illustrations for Jazzy, I had my stylistic approach from that initial sketch. I was also inspired by Adrienne Adams’ The Woggle of Witches, which has a beautiful and moody quality to the artwork, and Norman Bridwell’s The Witch Next Door series, with those minimal illustrations and simple colors. I wasn’t intentionally creating something retro or vintage, but I was picking up on the things that I liked.
As far as the writing, my process is that after I get the initial concept, I outline the novel, considering total word count and what I plan to happen. Then I’ll reverse-engineer, writing the whole manuscript before I start sketching. My years of creating picture books (those page-turn moments!) and making comics really informs my work. For this project, I was focused on dialogue, because graphic novels are all dialogue.
Overall, making graphic novels is fun because there’s that sense of the unexpected that comes through during the process. I just try to go with the flow and stay loose and let things happen.
Creative Tools
LJ: What’s your medium? Do illustrators still use pen and paper or is everything software-driven now?
JB: I used to be much more of a traditionalist. Thumbnail, then pencil, ink, color. That’s how I did my comics. For most of my picture books there was very minimal involvement of digital tools. I created everything by hand and with watercolor. I loved doing that.
But making picture books the traditional way creates so much pressure because if you don’t get it right, you’re starting over. And an entire graphic novel done in traditional fashion can also take a real physical toll.
The newer tools allow for moving things around, changing things. They make the process easier and more fun. I’m trying to be freer with how I make art. For me, that’s allowing for the opportunity to work smarter. I enjoyed using Photoshop for iPad for this project, my first attempt to do an entire book digitally.
Character Expressions
JB: You mentioned the facial expressions that you loved. I created this postcard, as part of my pre-order goodies, reflecting Jazzy’s different moods.
LJ: Thank you so much for sharing the postcard! It really nails Jazzy’s feelings. For those interested in obtaining a copy, Books of Wonder may still have some of the pre-order goodies available with purchase.
Deep relationships
LJ: I love how you handled relationships, with Jazzy and her family, with her best friend Aggie, with her mentor Madame Melcha (even the bickering familiars got a relationship arc!). How did you balance all those threads?
JB: Collaborating on graphic novels for upper elementary with my husband Aaron had me thinking on character arcs for that slightly older reader. So, I was used to keeping an eye on what was happening with the different characters, building that muscle memory, like, “When’s the last time we saw Aggie or Madame Melcha?” And making sure that the characters all evolved a little bit differently.
One of the relationships I loved the most was that minimal arc that Aggie’s familiar, Cassie has with Jazzy’s familiar, Fiona. Cassie hates Fiona. Fiona likes to needle her. I enjoyed having a moment where they come together. So even though this novel is for a middle grade audience that’s a bit younger than the books I did with Aaron and the relationship arcs are simpler and more straightforward, I still wanted to make sure that they were there.
Favorite Scene(s)
LJ: There were so many scenes that were hilarious with a lot of fun details. There were also others like the “I found it” scene (where Jazzy stares into the television) that were simpler, but impactful. What was your favorite scene to create?
JB: There’s three that come to mind. I really love the conversation that Granny Titch has with Jazzy where she’s telling the family history over the course of a few pages. It was an opportunity for me to go outside the panels and do more of a flowy composition. I also liked being able to tuck in bits about the history of witches.
A similar moment occurs with Madame Melcha where she’s telling Jazzy about her past. Witches have a complicated history and I really liked the opportunity to acknowledge some of the things we know about witches and witchcraft, like, for instance, that relationship to nature and to the harvest, while also keeping the story sweet and joyful and age-appropriate
My other favorite scene is when Jazzy and Aggie go to the junkyard and they make the bike. We see Aggie coming prepared. She has her spell and Spellopedia and she’s very confident. But Jazzy has to bring her own magic to it too. And she’s a little unsure, but she makes it work because she really wants this and she really loves this. I loved that element—that when we really want something, we can bring a lot more of ourselves to it and we can actually make it happen.
On Learning How to Ride a Bike
LJ: There are actually quite a few panels about riding a bike after that scene. What was your thinking there?
JB: I mentioned that I was a very late learner to riding a bike and I fell a lot. I was very much like: Why can’t I just do this thing? Well, it takes practice. You have to form this energy force effectively between yourself and this object. You have to find your balance.
So, after Jazzy created a bike for herself, I found a really fun opportunity to have all that in there. What are the things you need to think about when riding a bike? Because maybe some of the kids who are going to read this novel don’t know how to ride a bike yet. I wanted that little tutorial and also the message: You’re going to fall and that’s part of it. It’s okay.
To the heart of Jazzy
LJ: The theme of being your own person is meaningful for so many. Can you share with us what drew you to that theme?
JB: If I were to have had a theme in mind from the beginning, I don’t think the book would’ve worked. I didn’t want to make a self-help book for kids or beat anyone over the head with theme. I wanted to create this as much from a “kid feeling” as I possibly could. So, I really just set out to create this little book about this witch and her world.
It was only when it was done that I realized this book actually speaks to larger themes that could apply to kids in so many different ways: You don’t have to be what others expect you to be. Jazzy perceives that she’s supposed to be a certain kind of witch. And her family just assumes she’ll be into witchcraft because it’s their whole world. These sorts of expectations come in so many forms in real life for kids, be it academic, athletic, religious, cultural, or community. And that can be very hard when you don’t feel those things are your identity.
What I absolutely love about making books, about making art in general, is that people will look at it and reflect and bring their own feelings to it. I don’t get to decide what this book means to somebody, the same way I don’t get to decide what a painting means.
On Creating
LJ: Anything else you want to share?
JB: I hope I’ve set a tone for Jazzy’s world. That it can feel real in people’s minds and these characters feel big and rich. Making graphic novels is not for the faint of heart, for sure. But I have loved every second of this, even the hard parts, because it was just so much fun. I would encourage anybody that has an interest in it to give it a try. I know that it can be daunting. But kids love graphic novels so much. I feel like I’m trying to make up for all the books that I didn’t get to have when I was a kid.
More Jazzy
LJ: What will the next Jazzy book be like?
JB: I have so many more of those big, full-page moments that really add emotional heft to the book. This next book is even more expressive, even more yelling, more faces.
LJ: I already know we’ll love it!
Lightning Round
No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so. . . .
Coffee or tea?
I drink tea, but I like the idea of coffee way better. Like, I love the ritual and the idea. My body just doesn’t love coffee as much.
Sunrise or sunset?
Oh, that’s really hard. I’ll say sunsets. But what I have learned in living in a place where I get to see the sunrise, is that it does give you a sense of hope.
Favorite city besides the one you live in?
I have two. I’m a bit of a Francophile. I love Paris. And I do really love New York. My dad was from there.
Favorite childhood television show?
Pee Wee’s Playhouse. I’m staring at things from the show right now!
Favorite ice cream.
I like inclusions. So, I’ll say Mint chocolate chip.
If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation, hands down.
Favorite book from childhood?
Beatrix Potter books. I was really steeped in those when I was a kid. And that definitely led me as an adult to making books that featured animals. They were “delicate,” those books, with whimsy before I knew what whimsy was.
LJ: How can readers obtain a copy of the book?
JB: The book can be ordered at your local independent bookstores, Books of Wonder, Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon, or any place books are sold.
About the Author
Jessixa Bagley is a children’s book author-illustrator with a background in fine art and comics. She has had work featured in publications such as New American Paintings, Highlights Magazine, The Stranger, and Illustoria Magazine. She’s also the author of the middle grade graphic novels Duel and Dear Jackie (illustrated by Aaron Bagley) and the author-illustrator of the middle grade graphic novel series Jazzy the Witch. Jessixa is a two-time Washington State Book Award recipient; first in 2016 for her debut picture book, Boats for Papa, and again in 2024 for her graphic novel, Duel. Jessixa also received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for picture book Laundry Day. Many of her books are Junior Library Guild Selections. In her work, she’s drawn to animals and emotional themes often inspired by her own experiences. Jessixa also teaches and speaks about writing and illustration. She often illustrates for other writers and artistically collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle with her husband and son.
Interview With Jessixa Bagley (Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom)
July 16, 2025No Comments
Written by Cherokee Crum, Blog Manager and Staff Reviewer
Posted in Authors, Interviews, News & Updates
Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Jessixa Bagley (Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom)!
Meet the Author: Jessixa Bagley
Jessixa Bagley is children’s book author-illustrator with a background in fine art and comics. She has had work featured in publications such as New American Paintings, The Chicago Reader, Nickelodeon Magazine, and Highlights Magazine. Her first picture book, Boats for Papa, received numerous awards and accolades including the 2016 SCBWI Golden Kite Award and a 2016 Washington State Book Award. Her picture book Laundry Day received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for writing. Many of her books are Junior Library Guild Selections. She’s the author of the middle grade graphic novels Duel (winner of the 2024 Washington State Book Award for Young Readers) and Dear Jackie as well as the author-illustrator of the middle grade graphic novel series Jazzy the Witch. In her work, she’s drawn to animals and emotional themes often inspired by her own experiences. Jessixa also teaches and speaks about writing and illustration. She often illustrates for other writers and artistically collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle with her husband and son.
Website * Instagram * BlueSky * Substack * TikTok
About the Book: Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom
In her town full of witches, Jazzy’s always been a little bit different. She’s not excited about magic. She forgets the steps to spells. And even though her parents run the town’s broom shop, she doesn’t want to fly.
Then, one day, she discovers what she was born to do: cycling! Now she just has to find a way to get a bicycle…and learn how to ride it. But will her new passion come between her and her best friend—and possibly get her in big trouble?
Amazon * B&N * IndieBound
~Author Chat~
YABC: What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve always loved witches. But funny enough, the idea for Jazzy came about by way of my unconscious! I had a dream that I was selling bike seats for witches’ broomsticks. I ended up drawing a picture of me as a little witch with a booth selling the bike seats and I posted it on Instagram. I got a flood of comments saying I should make it into a book! I was like, “Oh yeah! Good idea!” And I knew right away it had to be a graphic novel. There’s so much physical comedy and action with the riding a bike and flying on a broom that the sequential art format was the best way to tell the story. It makes it feel very active and full of movement and underscores the magical moments from the characters.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I think the scene where Jazzy and Aggie build her bike and then she is learning how to ride the bike for the first time. It felt fun and realistic—you know, because building a bike is VERY realistic. HA! It was very fun to come up with the spells for assembling the bike. And I wanted to make sure that scene came off as a little bike riding tutorial. I show Jazzy struggling at first (like kids do) then taking real steps on how to approach riding. I personally had a hard time learning how to ride a bike when I was a kid. So, laughing at Jazzy falling over was okay because it was a little like me just laughing at myself. Sometimes it’s funny when you fall as long as you get back up and try again, like Jazzy does!
YABC: What is the main message or lesson you want your reader to remember from this book?
I want readers to follow what’s in their hearts, even if it’s different than what they think other people expect of them. I always tell my son the key to life is, “Love yourself, love others, and find something you love to do.” I feel like all of that is in Jazzy and I hope readers can take that away for themselves after reading the book.
YABC: What are your favorite themes or tropes?
You can’t beat the classic tropes of witches: Pointy hats, black cats, flying on brooms, brewing things over caldrons…Basically all the things in the book that Jazzy is bored with! (Oddly though, I can’t stand witch cackles.) I have always loved when witches are more cute and spooky– there’s just a nice irony to someone who’s supposed to be scary, but they are actually nice and kind. That played into why I included nods to the history of witches and their origins of being healers. Witches have largely gotten a bad rap, and I wanted to show them as having those tropes but in fun, positive ways.
YABC: Do you have a playlist you listened to while writing?
I made a playlist on Spotify called “Jazzy’s Jams.” It’s full of classic stuff like “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder, “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones, and a bunch of others. There are also several versions of “I Put a Spell on You” and “Season of the Witch,” which have both been covered a lot! It’s a very fun and sassy witch vibe!
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
What a good question! I think I’m a good at manifesting things. I often can really see something that I want to do, and I do it. One example that comes to mind is acting on inspired ideas. I think a lot of the time writers get a good idea for a story and don’t act on it. Then they might forget the idea or someone else gets a similar idea and runs with it. I try to act fast and grab good ideas when I get them and make them reality– like I did with Jazzy!
YABC: What new release book are you looking forward to in 2025?
So many amazing books have come out very recently that I just love. A lot of very beautiful picture books in particular. I’d been waiting for His Fairy Tale Life by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes for some time. The artwork is stunning. Same with Blue by Suzanne Kaufman which is beautiful in its illustration and meaning. A new favorite is Otto and the Story Tree by Vivien Mildenberger, which is both funny and moving with very unique artwork, the best combo. And A Gift of Dust by Martha Brockenbrough illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal is such a deeply special book with gorgeous illustrations. These are all books to be treasured.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’m so excited to share the next collaboration with my husband Aaron Bagley. It’s called Dear Jackie. This one I wrote, and Aaron illustrated, like our first graphic novel Duel. Dear Jackie, is a cringy middle school romp about fitting in and being true to yourself. The main character, Jackie Barnes, is having trouble navigating the new social expectations of middle school so she invents a secret admirer and starts sending herself love letters in a botched attempt to fit in. Apparently, it made a young reader want to hide under her blanket out of embarrassment for Jackie. I couldn’t ask for anything more. It comes out September 9th!
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
I put a lot of myself into my work wherever I can and there’s a lot of me in Jazzy. She doesn’t always get things right, and sometimes she gets hyper-focused and loses sight of what’s around her. But she follows her passions and tries to be herself as much as she can. All traits I have, so she’s very close to my heart. So, I hope people love Jazzy and her world as much as I do! She has more adventures coming up soon that I also can’t wait to share.
Title: Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom
Author: Jessixa Bagley
Illustrator: Jessixa Bagley
Release Date: July 15th 2025
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Age Range: 8-12
Dear Jackie
Jessixa Bagley, illus. by Aaron Bagley.
Simon & Schuster, $24.99 hardcover (288p); $14.99 paper
ISBN 978-1-5344-9658-3; ISBN 978-1-5344-9657-6
* | Though childhood best friends Jackie and Milo--who were born on the same day at the same hospital--are dreading entering middle school, they're comforted by the fact that they'll have each other. Once the school year begins, however, Jackie struggles to maintain their dynamic as Milo opts to bond with his new soccer teammates. On top of feeling lonely, Jackie endures cruel critiques from her peers about her appearance: Milo's teammates disparage her for dressing "like a dude," while female classmates encourage Jackie to change up her style so "at least people would know you're a girl." She resolves to give herself a makeover for picture day, but when students ridicule her visible body hair--and Milo joins in the jeering--things begin to go downhill for the once-close besties. Slice-of-life vignettes by the Bagleys (Duel) portray Jackie's grappling with issues surrounding puberty, body image, and shifting relationships; glimpses into Milo's own challenges navigating toxic male environments deepens the graphic novel's authentic presentation of kids in social transition. Characters are depicted with varying skin tones. Ages 8-12. Agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. (Sept)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Dear Jackie." Publishers Weekly, vol. 272, no. 26, 30 June 2025, pp. 110+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A846626895/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b8e7c4e. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Bagley, Jessixa DEAR JACKIE Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $24.99 9, 9 ISBN: 9781534496583
Middle school pulls best friends in different directions in this latest collaboration from husband-wife duo the Bagleys.
Jackie and Milo have always been inseparable, spying on neighbors (and their dogs) and hiding from the world in their HQ. But as they enter sixth grade, middle school hits fast. The two begin to drift apart, with Milo joining the soccer team and making friends with the "dude brahs," while Jackie is thrown together with Adelle, her mom's friend's daughter, who's into fashion and makeup. As her classmates obsess over who likes whom, Jackie, who prefers video games and comics and appreciates a comfy hoodie, starts to feel like she's doing girlhood all wrong. Her parents--loving but stuck in old-school ideas of femininity--aren't much help. Jackie turns to Jabari, her college-age gender-nonconforming sibling, for advice on how they came to accept themself. Jackie also tries to alleviate the pressure from peers by typing herself a fake love letter on Jabari's old typewriter--but her scheme causes more problems than it solves. With lively, expressive art and the creative use of typewritten narration boxes to reflect Jackie's unspoken thoughts, this graphic novel captures the cringey, confusing mess of early adolescence. A diverse cast of side characters brings depth to a story that champions self-acceptance and individuality. Jackie and her family appear Black, and Milo presents East Asian.
A funny, heartfelt look at growing up and pushing back against narrow expectations. (author's note, illustrator's note)(Graphic fiction. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Bagley, Jessixa: DEAR JACKIE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A845697103/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=483f9a73. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Bagley, Jessixa DUEL Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $24.99 11, 7 ISBN: 9781534496552
Constantly fighting sisters face off in a high-stakes duel.
GiGi has worked hard to be the perfect eighth grader and the best athlete on the fencing team. New sixth grader Lucy is nervous about starting middle school. The only thing they have in common is a love of fencing, and ever since their father died, their bickering has worsened. Everything culminates in a public scene in which GiGi humiliates Lucy in the school cafeteria. Lucy pulls out her foil and challenges GiGi to a duel. As the sisters prepare for their bout, the whole school begins picking sides. GiGi and Lucy must also choose: themselves or each other? The story is told from both sisters' perspectives, allowing readers to sympathize and understand each of their sides, ensuring that neither one is seen as merely cruel. Each chapter opens with a sepia-toned page resembling an excerpt from an old sporting manual that explains an aspect of fencing. Those not interested in fencing may get bogged down in the technical details, but those who reflect on them retroactively will notice the clever way they relate to the events of the story. The artwork is simple, with flashbacks drawn in light indigo against a white background and contemporary events in full color with an emphasis on the characters' expressions. The sisters read biracial, with a white-presenting mother and a father who appears Black.
Intense and complex, exploring siblings' grief, love, and forgiveness. (author's note, photos, sketches) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Bagley, Jessixa: DUEL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A766904144/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=661b0025. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
* Duel. By Jessixa Bagley. Art by Aaron Bagley. Nov. 2023. 320p. Simon 8c Schuster, $24.99 (9781534496552); paper, $14.99 (9781534496545). Gr. 5-8. 741-5
Lucy's entering a new school for sixth grade, where her sister, GiGi, is an eighth-grader. Almost right from the start, the thick tension between them at home spills over at school when GiGi trips Lucy and Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel with GiGi's own fencing foil. Despite warnings from the principal, Lucy sticks to her plan and secretly trains with the help of her late father's fencing guidebook, hoping to take GiGi, the best fencer in school, down a peg. Jessixa Bagley's story of sister rivalry gradually builds in emotional depth, as the origin of GiGi and Lucy's conflict eventually comes to the fore: still dealing with the grief of losing their father, a notable fencing instructor, each girl is jealous of the time he spent with the other, feelings that intensify as they practice techniques he taught them. Aaron Bagley's nimble cartooning makes great work of the speedy, minute moves in fencing matches, as well as the expressive faces and body language that signal the girls' big emotions. Each chapter opens with a page from the guidebook, which neatly echoes the story's plot. With an uncommonly keen eye for the convoluted way kids deal with grief, this heartening story of growth and a family healing from loss is a natural pick for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. --Sarah Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Hunter, Sarah. "Duel." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 4, 15 Oct. 2023, p. 39. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A770323898/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c1b26a86. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Bagley, Jessixa JAZZY THE WITCH IN BROOM DOOM Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $14.99 7, 15 ISBN: 9781665922326
Jazzy is the least witchy witch in her entire school.
Jazzy just doesn't haveit. When Madame Melcha, her teacher, takes the class for their first flying lesson, Jazzy barely leaves the ground. It's pretty humiliating for a girl whose family runs St. James Besom Co., the local broommakers. Jazzy confides in her familiar, a purple bat named Fiona, that she doesn't have the "spark for the craft." But later that evening, Jazzy finds her spark while watching a bike race on television. Cycling begins to occupy all of Jazzy's time. Her pale-skinned, green-haired friend Aggie encourages her to keep practicing flying and studying spells, but Jazzy doesn't make the time. Instead, she focuses on cycling--and hides her lack of progress from her family. But will Jazzy learn to fly in time for the upcoming supermoon parade, or will she be outed as a bad witch? In this series opener, readers meet Jazzy, who, along with her two loving mothers and grandmother, presents as Black. Jazzy's story is lighthearted but still explores deeper themes of being honest and finding your place. This graphic novel features lively, cartoon-style, full-color illustrations that accentuate the characters' emotions and expressions. The color palette skews toward darker tones of charcoal, purple, and grayish green.
A comical, witchy, and sweetly affirming read. (how to make a besom and spore prints, mini comic, author's note)(Graphic adventure. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Bagley, Jessixa: JAZZY THE WITCH IN BROOM DOOM." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A837325612/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3190c0b4. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom. By Jessixa Bagley. Art by the author. July 2025. 232p. Simon & Schuster, $14.99 (9781665922326). Gr. 3-7. 741.5.
Gentle witchy vibes abound in this comic about a young witch who's trying to follow her own path. Jazzy's not that excited to practice flying on a broomstick; her moms and grandma run the town broommaker and are a little too eager for her to start flying. A top-tier procrastinator, Jazzy keeps finding reasons to skip flying practice, especially when she discovers her true passion: bikes! Jazzy cobbles together a bike from broken parts and secretly spends her time riding all over town, but there's a supermoon in a few weeks, and Jazzy's class is supposed to fly their brooms in a parade in celebration. Can Jazzy learn to fly in time? Bagley's soft, invitingly cartoonish artwork nicely expresses emotional turns alongside lots of playful detail and imaginative world building. Though she folds in some real folklore about brooms and witchcraft, Bagley keeps the story centered in relatable middle-grade concerns, such as cultivating passions, being honest with family, and finding the confidence to proudly do something different. Ideal for middle-graders who love witches but shy away from scary stories.--Sarah Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Hunter, Sarah. "Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom." Booklist, vol. 121, no. 19-20, June 2025, p. 65. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A847198066/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=67fdbc12. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.