Book Review:

 

Bibliography-

Hicks, F. E. (2015). Friends with boys. POPCOM Publishers.

ISBN 3842025602

 

Plot Summary-

Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough housing with her older brothers, it's time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend, one who isn't one of her brothers.

 

Critical Analysis-

This story included ghosts, pirates, homeschooling kids, and zombie theatre to name a few! I specifically enjoyed seeing the brothers with their play-fights, funny banter, and their realistic relationships between them. I love comic books that are only black, white, and grey. The panels convey the emotions and feelings of the characters perfectly. I think of this book as a contemporary graphic novel and appreciated the progression of the story. Each brother added a new layer of fun to the story, and to Maggie. The family dynamic was the heartbeat of this story for me. I could feel their love, connection, camaraderie, and protectiveness for each other on every page. At the conclusion of the story, I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions still. So much was not explored or given a reason.

 

Review Excerpts-

 “A charming story of growing up and letting go of the past while still acknowledging the inevitable pain that comes with it.”-Booklist review

“Friends With Boys started as a daily web comic, still available online, but was designed to work as a book and is a pleasurable read in both formats. The art is easy to follow, lively, and engaging, with plenty of effective silent moments. For all the expected family and high school angst, the book is rife with humor. Maggie is a sympathetic and likeable character and carries the story capably. Hicks handles it all with warmth and aplomb.” ―VOYA

 

Connections-

-Have students use a graphic organizer (printed out in their readers response journal or Google slides) with writing prompts to think about character development and their role in the story.

-Have students re-read with color: Have students pick 2 pages to read in the text, and each time they read those pages, they are reading it for a different purpose. Focus on story elements. 1st time: Students read text, pose the question- What is the setting of the story? They use 1 color and sketch their thoughts on a post it note. Have students re read the text for a 2nd time, pose the question: What are specific details of the setting? In another color, students add onto their sketch with more details. Students will re-read it a 3rd time and focus on the final question: How does the setting impact the plot? In the third color, students add final ideas. Afterwards, you can ask students to respond to the prompts in their journal to better understand their thinking.

 

 

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