An absolutely precious graphic novel for fans of K. ONeill. I loved the story here and Trill and Alya's slow burn from friendship to something more.And obviously the goats are incredible.

Goats? Magic? This sounded too chaotic and adorable to miss. And yes, it was both. This is a great story geared towards younger readers with a solid message about class and systems of oppression - and bonus, a queer relationship between our two MCs!
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Trill feels like her unique goat magic is dull and far too common compared to much cooler forms of magic and those that get to study in the city. However, she turns out to be the perfect person to help Princess Alya who is on the run, transformed into a goat.
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Their journey is funny, heartfelt, if a little convenient, but this is middle grade so we let that slide a little. There are great conversations throughout with various characters and we see the two not only grow closer, but grow as characters too.
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The art is lovely and the style is distinct, if a bit leaning towards the “bean mouth” that has gotten popular over the last few years. However, I found several panels to be quite stiff, especially when it came to action. I don’t think younger readers will mind the blockiness of the action but older readers will definitely notice and be taken out of the story with them.
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Overall, I think this is a great graphic novel that I would be delighted to put in the hands of middle grade readers, but would hesitate to recommend to older audiences.
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*I received an eARC from Oni Press & NetGalley. All opinions are my own*
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Hisses & Kisses 🐍

Thank you Oni Press and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. I really enjoyed this wonderful story full of magic, adventure, and goats with beautiful artwork, great world building, and such attention to details that it created a fully immersive experience for me. Definitely recommend it to any fantasy adventure lover and am looking forward to what Kate Wheeler is up to next.

Love the illustrations and the overall colour palette of this book but the story feels too simple for my liking. All in all, I don’t recommend you to pick this up.

This middle-grade graphic novel was really cute! Deals with themes of growing up, creating an identity outside of what people expect of you, self-worth, and more. Sweet sapphic romance subplot although I honestly thought it felt a little out-of-place, like there was not much build-up to the relationship that felt romantic instead of platonic, but sometimes middle grade is like that. I enjoyed this lots and thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A sweet graphic novel with a nice message, following the adventures of Trill, a goat herder, and Alya, a princess and heir, who has been through some difficult times.
At first I wasn't sure about the art style, but it grew on me, and I really enjoyed the interactions between our two main characters. As this book is called Goat Magic, I have to say that the goats were brilliant too!

Goat Magic is a story that captures your attention from the name and continues on from there. With beautiful illustrations and fun storylines and characters, I can see this being popular with people of all ages. Would love to see more from this world in the future

Goat Magic is about Trill a farmer with magic that allows her to speak with goats and Princess Alya, who has been cursed to be a goat during the day.

The art is nice, and the characters are fun, but the world building leaves something to be desired. I don't necessarily think everything needs to be a series, but I think the story could have been spread out into a duology, allowing more time for the story to unfold. The pacing is off.


Unfortunately, Goat Magic doesn't do enough to stand out from the pack of other fantasy graphic novels.

Ever wish you could follow the unlikely duo of a goat herder and a princess as they team up to defeat the evil villain threatening to steal the crown?

This book offers a fun, lighthearted adventure as the two characters gradually build a meaningful friendship throughout their journey. While the plot is straightforward, the message is clear: no matter who you are or what powers you possess, you have something unique to offer. I particularly enjoyed how the story thoughtfully explores this theme of self-worth.

Pick this up for a quick, enjoyable read with vibrant illustrations that bring the story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the exploration of different types of magic and how they tie into self-esteem! Enjoyed the world and the illustration style is great for the middle grade reader.

I loved the idea of this book - an adventure full of adorable goats in a fantasy land with two girls overcoming obstacles.

The artwork was beautiful and whimsical; the setting was so well fleshed out and I felt like I was immersed in the world. The goats’ mannerisms and quirkiness made me so happy. However, I did not <spoiler>buy into the romance at all. I genuinely thought Trill was at least twenty years older than Alya. I don’t know if it’s how they were drawn that made her look older, or if it didn’t focus enough on their chemistry to make it feel more romantic than friendly. The ending also seemed to go by very quickly and wrapped up in a way that seemed too perfect.</spoiler>

Overall, it was a super quick read and I loved how whimsical and sweet the story was. It felt like a warm hug.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc.

Goat Magic is a whimsical fantasy graphic novel. Princess Alya is cursed to be a goat during the day and human at night and must figure out who did it and stop them from overthrowing the monarchy. Trill is a magical goatherd who is traveling to a market with her herd. She comes across Alya in goat form and adds her to her group. Once her identity is revealed, Trill is reluctant to help Alya, but slowly the two grow closer as they fight common enemies. There is cool magic and a great message that will move any young reader. Some of the characters looked alike so it was hard to tell who was who at times, but I still loved this story. Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What an enjoyable story! I like a good quest, and I love it when the author puts thought into geography and animals unique to the world, and I'm curious if she intends to use it for more books. The back matter was also interesting, I love it when writers and artists include that stuff.

This graphic novel definitely took its world building seriously, which I really appreciated. It's got light queer romance, a journey, magic and action, plus a bunch of ADORABLE goats. Every time the kids appeared on page I was so happy, they were always super cute. This is a great middle-grade story about two girls from two very different spots in their class system who are forced together and uncover a political conspiracy. I had fun reading the story and it was pretty quick to get through. I liked the art style, and I enjoyed the ending.

Before I begin, I would like to thank Kate Wheeler for allowing me to read a Net Galley copy of her upcoming graphic novel, Goat Magic, which will be available on August 19th, 2025.

Goat herder Trill’s magic allows her to communicate with her flock, but she yearns for a life that doesn’t involve guarding goats in the mountains. She knows that her magic is probably too simple compared to the city’s infamous magic schools she’s forbidden to attend. In contrast, Princess Alya, or the “Ordinary Princess”, worries that she’ll ever be ready to take her place as ruler of Capeya. When there’s an assassination attempt on the queen, Alya finds herself cursed to transform into a goat every sunrise, and Trill agrees to help her figure out a way to break the enchantment. As they spend more time together, Trill and Alya form an impenetrable bond. Can Alya defeat those that betrayed her, claim her right to the throne, and guide an unstable kingdom to peace? Can Trill embrace her magic and the feelings that start to bloom for her new friend?

This was a wonderful book. You have Trill, a sassy, clever, kind, and lovely young girl that has spent her life caring for goats in the mountains and craves for something different. You have Alya, a sharp, honest, thoughtful, and pretty girl that feels confined by people’s expectations of her as the crown princess and wonders if she can ever live up to them. I enjoyed the interactions between Trill, her goats, and Alya. The art is gorgeous, and the developing romance is sweet. The magic system in this world is great, and I appreciated how the author handled the privileges that the upper class has often in detriment to the other working people and remain oblivious to their discontentment and anger. Overall, if you like beautiful art, fantastic worldbuilding, goats, LGBTQIA+ representation, and sweet romance, then I would highly recommend this book.

Goat Magic was perfect to mark 200 books for the year so far! If you love Shrek and The Emperor’s New Groove, this is the graphic novel is for you. There is the perfect balance of wholesome whimsy and real world topics covered through that wholesomely whimsical lens. I adored Trill and Alya. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Imagine The Emperor's New Groove, but goats, queer, and absolutely adorable! I loved the main characters and their road to finding themselves while also trying to break a curse.

Known as the "Ordinary Princess," Alya is heading home from a state dinner with her mother and uncle when their carriage is attacked and Alya finds herself cursed to turn into a goat every sunrise. Meanwhile, Trill doesn't think her magic is much good, as all she can do is talk to goats. She finally convinces her mother to let her go to market by herself, but when she meets a strange talking goat along the mountain trail, she realizes that even though she's just a humble goatherder, she has to help.

Honestly, the romance in this book felt a little forced, but otherwise, I'm a big fan of this book. The goats were authentic and adorable. The way this book combined political conflict with personal struggles resonates well and offers a lot to think about. I was suitably shocked by the climax but happy with the way things turned out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Sort of like "The Emperor's New Groove in the style of K O'Neill." Wholesome, queer, funny, action packed, and critical of those in power. What more do I need from a comic?

This was a delightful middle-grade adventure filled with magic, intrigue, and complicated emotions. Oh yeah, and goats!