Shirley & Jamila Save Their Summer

Shirley & Jamila Save Their Summer
Gillian Goerz
Dial, July, 2020 221 pages
Grades 3-6
Graphic Novel

Basketball loving Jamila has recently moved to a new neighborhood where she has no friends and a looming summer ahead filled with dreaded science camp. A chance encounter with an eccentric girl buying a trench coat at a yard sale leads to her first new acquaintance: Shirley! The following day Shirley and Jamila's mothers decide that the two girls do not have to go to their horrible respective camps: if they promise to hang out together and follow the rules. Both girls jump on the offer and a friendship of convenience is formed. Every summer morning, they head to the basketball courts and Jamila shoots hoops, while Shirley meets with clients. It is revealed that Shirley is an amateur detective and many of the neighborhood kids use her services. Jamila gets dragged along as her new friend solves the case of the missing gecko and she finds that she is enjoying the chase. When Shirley won't let Jamila in on her thought process, the two get in a fight and the friendship seems over. Will the dynamic duo work out their differences before their mother's force them to go to camp?

A new graphic novel that is sure to appeal to young readers by an emerging talent. Shirley and Jamila are likable protagonists who are both opposite and eccentric in their own ways. They learn to appreciate the other's talents and develop a friendship, even though both of them have little experience in this department. This new title is sure to appeal to realistic graphic novel fans who may prefer something a bit lighter than the usual problem-heavy fare. Readers will enjoy the mystery and seeing Shirley expertly solve the case. I appreciate that Jamila's parents are immigrants from the middle east; an underrepresented population in contemporary children's literature. I also like that she is into basketball. Although the story features two girls, it is far from "girlie" and boys will enjoy the story as much as their female counterparts. The comics are well drawn, scan well, and will be presented in full color. Reading this forthcoming title while stuck in quarantine has made me nostalgic for days when kids could run around their neighborhoods with friends. I think many readers will need their “summer saved”, much like Shirley and Jamila, and will enjoy experiencing the adventures through the book's pages. I can see a series following this first stand-alone title, continuing the adventures of these unlikely friends.