Shirley and Jamila are best friends, especially after spending every day of the summer holidays together. Although close, they are very different even at only 10 years old.

Shirley is incredibly intelligent, her manner of speaking more like a well educated adult, even having to explain words she uses to Jamila. She sees herself as a detective, even wearing a trench coat at school. She’s confident with her quirkyness, not bothering about what others think. Once she’s ‘in the zone’ on a case, she doesn’t even notice anyone else.

Jamila is more reserved, and worried about the first day at her new school. It’s great having Shirley there already though, and it’s not long before Jamila is settled in. A new school means new activities available too, and both girls are soon busy with other things. Jamila joins a basketball team and makes a new friend in Seena, a talented and determined player. Jamila and Seena hit it off immediately and Jamila wonders if she’s letting her friendship with Shirley down.

Seena thinks Shirley is weird and wonders why Jamila is friends with her, making Jamila feel uncomfortable. She wants to defend Shirley but isn’t sure how.

But Shirley being Shirley, she isn’t feeling left out or ignored. She’s on another case. It’s important to their entire school because someone is blackmailing students for money. Secrets are being gathered and sold and people’s reputations, school life and happiness are at stake.

This case reminds Jamila of why she is friends with clever, fearless, meticulous and loyal Shirley as she jumps in to help, not knowing someone close is also a victim of this blackmailing ring.

The contrast between these two girls is engaging and the new friends dilemma an authentic and common one. A group of three can be a problem if they aren’t all close, but this is dealt with well within this graphic novel.

Friendship – both real and false, sports, secrets and growing up are key themes and a brilliant comeuppance for a over-the-top nasty bully is a delicious conclusion.

I loved the style of this graphic novelist/illustrator, the illustrations effortlessly speeding up the narrative or slowing it down when tension is key. This is the second in this series and I’m keen to read the award winning 1st book Shirley & Jamila Save their Summer.

Author / Illustrator – Gillian Goerz

Graphic Novel

Age – 9+

(2022, Action, Bullies, Crime, Friendship, Growing up, Peer Pressure, Revenge, New School, Secrets, Series, New Friends, Basketball, Sneaking out, Sticking by friends, Quirky character, Graphic Novel, Blackmailing students, Payback, Theft)