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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1 is an engaging middle grade reader fantasy school adventure by Kamome Shirahama. Published 5th May 2026 by Kodansha Comics, it's 624 pages, manga style, and is available in a collector hardcover, foil enhanced format in this edition. It includes the first three volumes of the manga, as well as behind-the-scenes content, full color artwork, and an interview with the author. 

Definitely one for the fans of manga, with beautifully intricate kinetic artwork, fast moving high stakes action and plot, and an engaging storyline, but it *also* could be a good gateway/introduction to manga for all age readers. The art style is somewhat reminiscent of P. Craig Russel (in a very good way) and Linda Medley. It's full of lush backgrounds and landscapes as well as many small sweetly humorous nods to the genre scattered throughout. 

The translation work by Stephen Kohler is impressively seamless, maintaining the *feel* of the Japanese, without sacrificing the scansion or meaning in English. Nothing gets lost in translation. 

There's a companion anime airing on Crunchyroll currently. 

Five stars, gorgeous edition. Engaging, entertaining, and well written and illustrated. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. 

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1 is an engaging middle grade reader fantasy school adventure by Kamome Shirahama. Released in 2019 by Kodansha Comics, it's 208 pages, manga style, and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

Definitely one for the fans of manga, with beautifully intricate kinetic artwork, fast moving high stakes action and plot, and an engaging storyline, but it *also* could be a good gateway/introduction to manga for all age readers. The art style is somewhat reminiscent of P. Craig Russel (in a very good way) and Linda Medley. It's full of lush backgrounds and landscapes as well as many small sweetly humorous nods to the genre scattered throughout. 

The translation work by Stephen Kohler is impressively seamless, maintaining the *feel* of the Japanese, without sacrificing the scansion or meaning in English. Nothing gets lost in translation. 

There's a companion anime airing on Crunchyroll currently. 

Four and a half stars. Engaging, entertaining, and well written and illustrated. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Book Summary:

Damndrake was hatched at a climactic time, to put it mildly. She earned her contentious name in those early moments, and she’s been fighting ever since. Always feeling a bit on the outside, Damndrake considers herself lucky to have her little sister, Blaze.

However, these two are going to have to find a way to fit into society if they want to create a safe future for themselves. This runs the risk of bringing both of their secrets into the light, which begs the question - is the risk worth the reward?

My Review:

Oh. My. Goodness. If you’re a reader who grew up devouring all things dragons, you have got to read this book! I’m serious, The Legend of Damndrake is such a fantastical and vibrant read! It’s not quite like any other dragon book I’ve read, and I’d like to think that’s saying something (I may have been a wee bit obsessed when I was younger…not that I ever really grew out of this phase).

The world of The Legend of Damndrake is rich and dangerous in equal measure. It’s a world full of good and bad, and they’re portrayed in very careful balances. There’s a whole lot to unpack about the dragon/human politics, but I won’t spoil that for you here. It’s worth diving into on your own.

N.E. White has this way of creating worlds that makes you feel. There were so many times that I wanted to jump into the pages so I could defend Damndrake or Blaze. There were other times I wanted to pop in and scream at somebody, but that’s how you know the book has got you hooked, right?

I am happy to report that The Legend of Damndrake is the first in a series and not a standalone novel. Yes, I will be keeping my eyes open for any and all news about the impending sequels. Yes, the wait is probably going to hurt, but it is undeniably going to be worth it.

Highlights:
Bold & Vibrant Characters
Dragon Lore & Politics
Found Family
Dragon Shenanigans

Trigger Warnings:
Kidnapping (dragon-napping)
Graphic injuries & Violence
Controlling Class Systems

Thanks to N.E. White for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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