Book Review
A short overview of this book
Waking the Witches: Ruby’s First Blood by Kari Hill and illustrated by Freya Rose is a graphic novel (or comic book) that encourages girls to celebrate the spirituality of menstruation.
This is not a puberty or period book, that will teach your child about what to expect. Instead, it’s a story about a young girl and how she discovered the ‘magickal’ side of menstruation.
Here is the description from the Author.
Ruby is a regular 11-year-old, until she learns the power of her blood magick! Journey with Ruby as she meets her spirit animal, Zasha, and wise woman, Hekate and learns the truth about her Menarche, her first blood and the mission to wake up the witches. The Shadow lurks within all of us and we’re asleep with the ‘cloak of forget’. What is this ‘cloak of forget’ and how will Ruby wake up the witches? A magickal adventure exploring girls’ rites of passage. Be surprised, delighted and transformed!!
For parents wanting to talk more about the spirituality or periods and growing up, this may prove to be a helpful guide.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 10 years and older.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Waking the Witches: Ruby’s First Blood by Kari Hill from the Author.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. This is where I lend a helping hand to parents who want to have easier and better conversations with their kids about sex, puberty, and growing up. Trust me, these talks are super important, and it’s best if they hear it from you, not someone else. You can also find me on my YouTube channel, where I have loads of videos, mostly about books. I truly believe that books can make these conversations a whole lot easier.
Now, let’s dive into a book called Waking the Witches, Ruby’s First Blood by Carrie Hill, Jane Hardwick Collings, and Freya Road. This awesome Australian book was sent to me for review. Just so you know, I’m not really into all that New Age stuff. I’m a nurse, so I’m all about practical, evidence-based information. But I have done some training on celebrating girls’ transition into womanhood, so I understand that for some women, menstruation and puberty are all about rites of passage and embracing their womanhood. And that’s what this book is all about.
Every parent is different, which is why I love having a wide range of books to recommend. This particular book isn’t about puberty or the nitty-gritty details of periods. It’s more about the journey of becoming a woman, the sacredness of it all, and the rites of growing up. Let me quickly show you some pages. The illustrations are soft and lovely, like little uteruses. They’re not overly anatomical, which I think is great. You could even use them as fabric for a dress!
So, this book is basically a comic book that tells a story about Ruby’s journey into womanhood. It’s a beautiful way to approach these conversations and fits in nicely with the idea of becoming a woman and going through important milestones. If you’re looking for a resource that helps you explore the different meanings of periods and aligns with your values on womanhood and rites of passage, this book will be a valuable tool for those conversations. If you have any questions, just ask me. Cheers!
