The Sprite and the Gardener

By Rii Abrego and Joe Whitt

Follow Wisteria, an ambitious, kind-hearted sprite, as she unearths a long-forgotten, magical talent to help a young human grow her garden. Bursting with whimsical art and vibrant characters, The Sprite and the Gardener is a beautiful, gentle fantasy about blossoming gardens and budding friendships.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oni Press
• Release date: Apr 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781620109120

Rii Abrego

Rii Abrego is a Latina illustrator who resides in the very green, very humid southern USA. She is an admirer of big bugs and a magnet for stray cats. The Sprite and the Gardener is her debut original graphic novel.

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Reviews for The Sprite and the Gardener

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Once upon a time sprites used to take care of the gardens but now that's passé. But Wisteria thinks it might be fun and that human gardener really seems to need help. This was sweet and fulfilling.

[jennybeast · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The art is charming, and the story is gentle and sweet. To be honest, I could see this as a picture book, but I don't think it really has the content for a full graphic novel. It felt like the vast majority of the storyline were characters gasping or saying "huh?" and then gazing starrily at something. It's very pretty, and quite relaxing to read, but it lacks substance. I suspect young folks who are into faeries might really enjoy it.

Advanced Readers' Copy provided by Oni Press.

[oldandnewbooksmell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Long ago, sprites were caretakers of gardens and plants. But then humans came and began taking care and growing their own gardens and the sprites’ magical talents for plants became a thing of the past. But when Wisteria, a kind-hearted sprite, sees a gardener in much need of some help, she awakens her abilities. Will her magic be enough or will she need some help?The art in this graphic novel is A-DOR-ABLE and it’s what first caught my eye. The color pallet is beautiful and perfect and they all compliment each other. The drawings of the characters make their expressions easy to see.It’s a super quick read, only 88 pages and it emphasizes the importance of friendship and doing things together and not leaving it on your own shoulders. Basically, that it’s okay to ask for help.This is perfect for fans of Tea Dragon Society.

[villemezbrown · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A plucky young sprite is frustrated with seeing so many of her unemployed peers lazing about on the dole following a wave of immigrants and new technologies that have resulted in massive job displacement. She takes an unpaid internship to hone her traditional crafts and successfully works to integrate them into the new workplace processes while elevating her visibility and proving her value to management.Gentle and lovely.