Canadian Goonies

It’s Goonies cause there’s a weird ghost type thing and a spooky hand and teenagers. But it’s Canadian, because it’s Canadian, and it’s about feelings.

This should have really been called Friends with a Boy and a Girl, because that’s actually what happens.

This is a short graphic novel about a girl named Maggie who is about to have her first day of high school. Like every other YA (graphic) novel, her dad is the police chief and her mom has run away. She’s got three older brothers and all four of them had been homeschooled. And now Maggies doesn’t know how to make friends.

Don’t worry though, a boy and girl with weird hair totally just walk up to her and make it happen.

Also Maggie can see a ghost.

It’s kind of like a primer book for kids before they sit down to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It’s not that Maggie doesn’t have troubles, but one of them is a ghost, and the other one is way bigger and kind of talked about but no real shrift is given to it.

It’s a perfectly fine book, but it’s limited appeal beyond the age range is, well, limiting. I would happily give it to one of my students and they would likely enjoy it because it’s funny and quirky and there’s an outsider. But pardon me for being from the US, I guess, but I just can’t get behind the evil jocks being on the volleyball team. Sorry.