- Fantasy
- Aster collection
- Ages 8–12
Aster
Part of the collectionAster→Best for 8–12 graphic novel readers who like their magic with attitude, a fast, funny, French-flavoured alternative to Hilda.
- Books2
- Arcs1
- Span2020–2021
- StatusOngoing
The series
At a glance.
Aster Cazenove is uprooted to the French countryside and immediately encounters a trickster spirit, ends up able to talk in dog language, and stumbles through a sequence of magical mishaps with her dog Buzz. Karensac's art is loose-line and very expressive; the colour work is bright and cartoonish. The books read fast and reread well. Originally published in France, translated and released by Penguin Random House.
Best for 8–12 graphic novel readers who like their magic with attitude, a fast, funny, French-flavoured alternative to Hilda.
Primary themes
Overall tone
- Funny
- Adventurous
- Whimsical
- Irreverent
Read in order; each volume builds on the last but is self-contained enough to start anywhere.
One arc
The shape of the series.
- INarrative arcLow sensitivity
Aster's accidental magic
Two-volume run: Aster's first encounter with countryside magic, then the consequences spilling into a wider mess.
The first volume introduces Aster, Buzz and the trickster; the second turns the accidental wishes into a larger problem and gives Aster room to grow into her decisions. Both volumes are episodic enough to enjoy out of order but reward sequential reading.
Fit check
Right for your reader?
Where the series lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 17
- 19
- Best fit · 8–12
- Read aloud · 8–11
- Independent · 8–12
Reluctant-reader friendliness
Very high
Read-aloud quality
Patchy
Adult crossover
Low
Grows with the reader
Not especially
Sensitivity envelope
Low overall, and consistent.
Where it sits
In conversation with other series.
Similar in feel
Different shelves, same wavelength.
- Hilda →
About the author