School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Content to harvest pumpkins with her owl sidekick, Winslowe, Bera is a one-headed troll (most trolls have two heads) who has never left her island. When she saves a human baby, Bera realizes she must leave her quiet solitude and seek help from the ancestors in order to return the infant to the land of the humans. On the way, Bera meets friendly hedgehogs and fights off multiheaded trolls, goblins, and Cloote, the former Head Witch of the Troll King, a Baba Yaga-esque character who travels in a Viking boat with legs. Can meek and gentle Bera protect the child? Evoking an eerie, surreal mood, Orchard's rust-colored illustrations, populated by odd, grotesque creatures, are similar to Dave McKean's art in Neil Gaiman's Coraline. A masterly artist, Orchard makes excellent use of shading and light. There is sweet humor to be found throughout, from Bera's first encounter with dirty diapers to her attempts to use old and out-of-date maps. Persistent, resourceful, respectful of her ancestors, and true to herself, Bera is a heroine with heart. VERDICT Fantasy readers, graphic novel aficionados, and those with an interest in folklore will gravitate to this tale.-Laura Dooley-Taylor, Lake Zurich Middle School North, IL © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Troll Bera's solitary life consists only of tending her pumpkin garden...until a human baby shows up. With bird companion Winslowe, Bera embarks on a quest past other trolls and magical creatures to find a hero who can protect the child and return her to the humans. Will Bera become the hero herself? Fine sepia-toned art enlivens the creatures and the imaginative landscapes in this graphic novel. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Humble troll Bera is content to stay on her tiny island and harvest pumpkins for the troll king, but when a human baby washes ashore, she's determined to find its home. Bera travels with her trusty owl, Winslowe, to find a troll hero who can do the job right, and along the way, she tussles with goblins, mermaids, and one terrible witch, who wants to turn the baby into a monster. Though in many ways the plot is standard magical-quest fare, Orchard's eerie, sketchy artwork elevates the atmosphere considerably. Delicate ink hatching gives his odd, exaggerated figures lots of depth, while watercolor washes add a rusty red tinge to each scene. His stylized, hulking creatures, with hunched backs, expressive faces, and ominous noses, recall Maurice Sendak's Wild Things. While sharp teeth and empty eyes make Orchard's characters, even the good ones, look spooky, the warm conclusion and Bera's intrepid, compassionate quest imbue this story with plenty of heart. Elementary-schoolers who love their fairy tales on the grim side will love Orchard's weird and dusky offering.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist