Reviewed by Karen Hendriks
Hannah Fryer is an emerging UK author known for her engaging storytelling.
Ogg is the younger brother of the renowned wizard Merlin, but unlike his sibling, he struggles with his magical abilities. His spells flop, and his potions fizzle. When faced with a fearsome troll, Ogg must find his own unique magic, learning valuable lessons along the way.
Fryer uses a fairytale setting to tell a story about bravery, kindness, and staying true to oneself. Ogg, Merlin, and the Troll all embody human traits deep within us all. Merlin has discovered his talent and is recognized for it—magic. But Ogg has not. He truly struggles as a wizard. Unlike his brother, Ogg doesn’t know exactly what he’s supposed to do. However, he is helpful and kind, so he offers to find some mistletoe for Merlin, which is needed to make a potion to remove a troll. I particularly appreciate the world-building and the warmth of the characters. I also admire how Ogg keeps persevering.
The dialogue is carefully placed, moving the story forward and revealing the character without being overused. The story really gains traction when Ogg meets Troll. Are you really going to eat me? squeaked Ogg. The page turn reveals surprising honesty from Troll, who is not at all what he seems. I don’t even like eating people. I love the use of language like the word ‘agog.’ Without revealing the ending, it perfectly suits this story and its message.
The illustrations are captivating and have a fairytale quality. The cover, dominated by shades of green, is eye-catching, featuring a large troll face and Ogg looking uncertain with a crooked, broken wand. The endpapers at the beginning highlight important magical characters. Still, interestingly, they don’t feature Ogg, Merlin, or the Troll—this is reserved for the back endpapers, which is a clever touch. The varying text sizes and boldface words add visual interest and make the reading experience more engaging.
The full-page illustration of Merlin the Marvellous truly emphasises his significance, and these types of illustrative details enrich the story. The soft colour palette is also very appealing, while the use of single and double-page spreads, along with vignettes, is perfectly timed.
Ogg is a picture book that beautifully
celebrates staying true to yourself and the themes of kindness and
bravery. Fairytales never lose their charm, and this picture book with a modern
twist is sure to appeal to children. Including magic and the journey of
finding yourself when you have an older sibling who shines is a wonderful
touch. This picture book is aimed at children 4-8 years old and has appeal to
both children and parents alike.
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