Thursday, June 23, 2022

Shirley & Jamila’s Big Fall by Gillian Goerz - HIGH

Shirley & Jamila’s Big Fall by Gillian Goerz
, 236 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2021. $13

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Shirley and Jamila are back for a second adventure. Jamila is finding a new friend as she makes the basketball team and has after-school basketball practice. Shirley has a new mystery to solve: her old enemy is blackmailing students at school. Shirley is approached by desperate students and involves Jamila as they hatch a plan to set things right.

Though this is a second book, these books don’t need to be read in order. Shirley is an intense Sherlock Holmes type and Jamila her Watson. The characters are engaging and the plot works as they tackle themes of friendship, bullying, and intimidation. I found myself cheering for Shirley’s quirky character who is strong and independent despite being so different from her peers.

Michelle in the Middle 

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