Most people don't have their first day of school when they're in high school, but most people aren't Maggie. She's always been homeschooled by her mom and the only classmates she's known have been her brothers. But now everything's different. Her mom left, her dad's the chief of police (and cutting his long hair!), she's starting high school with a bunch of strangers, and she's being haunted by a 19th century ghost. Getting through the day has never been so complicated.
I really enjoyed this book. Maggie is the anchor of the story; when she's in a scene with other characters she grounds what's happening and blends into the group, but when she's alone she grows to fill the entire page. Her eyes give away her fear, sadness, surprise, and - more rarely - happiness. Friends with Boys includes high school staples like identity, fitting in, and friendship, but with a family spin (both with Maggie and her brothers and her friends, siblings Lucy and Alistair). I love explorations of families, particularly the relationship between brothers and sisters and how you can know someone so well in one persona (like Maggie knows her brothers in their role as brothers) but not in another part of their lives (how little she knows about their lives at school). I'm so excited for people to discover this book and get to know Faith Erin Hicks' storytelling and style.
For more information, check out Friends with Boys online and Faith Erin Hicks' website.
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley courtesy of First Second.
Find it at IndieBound.
Read it with:
Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge
The Gravesavers by Sheree Fitch
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