Cover Image: Sprite and the Gardener

Sprite and the Gardener

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley for access to this early copy.

This graphic novel is absolutely delightful from its simple but enjoyable narrative to its gorgeous illustrations.

If you're in need of an emotional pick me up then this one is perfect! The characters are adorable, nothing bad happens and there's a sprinkling of garden magic - all coming together in this whimsical tale about a sprite that wants to help grow things again with the help of the human, Elena.

My only complaint is that there isn't more of it!!

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the tea dragon society as this one has a similar vibe of whimsy.

Was this review helpful?

An absolute delight! The story is heartwarming, like a little hug for the heart. The art is lovely, the sprites are so cute, each have their own personalities. Wisteria is so expressive, through her hair, body posture, her outfit and those big eyes of course, I can imagine a child looking out for sprites in the garden after reading this book, it would allow them to personify and reconnect with nature, away from screens for a little while.

Was this review helpful?

I was pleasantly surprised. I came in thinking it would just be your run-of-the-mill children's/early-grade book with your one "this is your main lesson" (a.k.a. be nice to everyone) theme sprinkled in, but the book raised many elements that brings readers to reflect on progressive movements of today (e.g. sexuality, single parenting, not being afraid to ask for help)-- all through gardening (a dying art in and of itself).

Was this review helpful?

This was such a cute graphic novel! We follow the adorable Wisteria as she discovers her powers all thanks to a lone gardener she wants to help. The art is gorgeous and just so pretty. Oni press is amazing with these pretty artists.

Was this review helpful?

Sprite and the Gardener follows a young sprite named Wisteria who helps a human girl plant a garden
This was seriously the most adorable book! The art style was gorgeous and it was just so cute!
-
I loved how all the characters were drawn, and I was just smiling the entire time while reading it! This world is a world that I would want to live in!
-
It was just so so adorable!
-
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

This little illustrated story was so adorable!! I absolutely enjoyed each and every page of it! From the beginning, when the sprites and humans were stated to have no friendship with each other, to the ending being such a big step towards equality with the humans. Wisteria and Elena are such adorable characters that were so easy to fall in love with. The artwork was also so beautiful!! It was such a beautiful little short story and I hope that there is more to come!

Was this review helpful?

This book is made by the strength of it's art. The coloring and the black lines are almost reminiscent of old fairy tale art and are what make this story memorable. The plotline itself was a little slim, with nothing really going wrong for anybody, but I kept reading so I could look at more flowers and fairies! Recommend to fans of Katie O'Neill or fans of the Rainbow Magic series.

Was this review helpful?

A sweet story about friendship and gardens. The plot is very simple, but it's offset by such intricate art. It's set in a beautiful pastel and dreamlike world.

Was this review helpful?

WOW!! This debut graphic novel is so beautiful! It reminds me of Thumbelina meets Home and Garden. As a child, I always imagined sprites/fairies lived in my titas garden because how could something that beautiful not be created by magic? Well, this graphic novel brings it to life! This novel is about a Sprite named Wisteria who goes back to her roots of taking care of the gardens in the world. This book is all about friendship and the power in that. If you are looking for a cozy read please pick this one up!

Ps. the art is PURE PERFECTION!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and OniPress fro a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sprite and the Gardener is such a cute soft little comic about friendship and flowers, and would be perfect for fans of The Tea Dragon Society.

The colours and illustrations are just so gorgeous and the colour pallette is just so soothing and gentle.

Such a fun easy, and uplifting read for anyone needing a little pick me up !!

Was this review helpful?

This book is a magical love letter to gardening! The story, about a garden sprite who helps a young human revive a dying garden, is simple but utterly charming. Rii Abrego’s art is unbelievably pretty making every page a wonder. Reading this gave me the same feeling of joy and lightness that you get on a sunny spring day!

Was this review helpful?

This book was like a soft hug. There’s no other way to describe it. I love graphic novels with no high stakes, soft art, and beautiful messages behind the lovely pages. This hit all my buttons and I can’t wait to have it on my physical shelf.

Was this review helpful?

This graphic novel was absolutely adorable! It had cute art and a cute story, and it really just felt like a comforting hug in a book. Sometimes you need something really sweet, and this was exactly what I needed, It put a smile on my face and warmth in my heart!

The art and the story were whimsical, with a nice blending of reality and the fantasy of the sprites, If the writers/illustrators made more graphic novels about these characters I would definitely read them, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for any future works by them as well! This was a great debut and I can’t wait to see what else they do.

Was this review helpful?

First off, the art in this book is stunning! It has a very Sailor Moon vibe of organic lines, florals, femininity in the art, etc. It's awesome. The story itself started really cute, but I think the overall undertaking was a bit ambitious for the length of the book overall. I felt that the plot shifted about 2/3 of the way through, and that made it a bit more challenging for the writer to focus on one plotline in my opinion. Still would highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

This book was super cute! The art style was absolutely beautiful and I think it fit the story perfectly.
In my experience, a lot of graphic novels have a hard time getting character's personalities across and having an actual plotline when they are so short. I think this one manages to have good personalities for several characters and has a simple plot line that is fully resolved by the end of the book.
The "new girl" sprite, Wisteria, starts out trying to fit into a group who already knows each other very well, and since she feels left out, she finds a neglected garden to try to spruce up. She ends up accidentally meeting the girl who lives in the house, Elena, and they end up working together. It's a super simple plotline, but one that reads extremely well as a graphic novel.
I would absolutely love to read more about Wisteria and friends!

Was this review helpful?

A sweet and charming story about a garden sprite and the gardener she starts to help. This an adorable story about trying to help someone and becoming friends with the unlikeliest of people. The artwork was absolutely beautiful and the story was so charming. It made me want to go out and garden and maybe run into my own garden sprite. A whimsical story that I would highly recommend for everyone!

*Thanks Netgalley and Oni Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Was this review helpful?

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Joe Whitt and Rii Abrego team up to bring the tale of Sprite and the Gardener to life. The sprites used to help raise plants, which has now become a human task. When Wisteria is caught helping plants grow in Elena's garden, they learn that perhaps there is room for sprites and humans to work together.

Everything about this is wholesome, feel-good, and just flat out made me smile. The art style is a stunning blend of romantic and whimsical. The color palette is warm and delicate. Whitt and Abrego absolutely have a lovely story with lots of room to expand. Fans of Katie O'Neill's Tea Dragon graphic novels will not want to miss Sprite and the Gardener.

Was this review helpful?