The Witch in the Tower

Sardà’s intricate artwork reflects Carmela’s inner journey as much as her outer one, truly letting loose as Carmela gleefully unlocks her own free-spirited magic. A wild rumpus of sorts and a love letter to the outcasts, “the lonely, the lost, and the different ones”—and that is a beautiful, empowering thing. * Booklist (starred review) *With the second installment in her Three Sisters trilogy, Sardà has struck gold. Both narrative and aesthetic ooze style, coolly occupying the intersection between cautionary folktale and coming-of-age fantasy epic… . The result is singular, not merely a modern classic but one for the ages… . Utterly spellbinding. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *With this companion to The Queen in the Cave, Sardà offers a heartfelt invitation to unconventional, lonely kids of all ages… .The ebullient digital art complements and expands the verbal story, with maximalist detail and folk-art-esque motifs backgrounded by ample white space… .Sardà proves to be a master of composition, grounding visual abundance in carefully balanced geometric arrangements. * Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) *This mythical book shines due to the amazing illustrations, folksy charm infusing the pages with floral and faunal details… . A nearly psychedelic sensory experience of feminine power and peace. * School Library Journal (starred review) *

Júlia Sardà is a Spanish artist who has illustrated many books for children, including Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein by Linda Bailey, and The Liszts by Kyo Maclear. She has illustrated The Wolf’s Secret by Nicolas Digard and Myriam Dahman, which won Foyles Children’s Book of the Year 2020. Her work has been published around the world in many languages. The Queen in the Cave was her debut to the Walker Books list and the first book she has both written and illustrated. It was longlisted for a Yoto Carnegie Award for Illustration 2023. She lives in Barcelona.