It seems like First Second Books has a corner on the market of 'social misfit teen girl haunted by a ghost' graphic novels, what with the awesome Anya's Ghost of last year. This year's foray into the 'genre,' Friends with Boys is also good, but doesn't have the same focus as Anya's Ghost.

I like the art in Friends with Boys very much. There's a lot more details than a more stark and bold graphic novel like Anya's Ghost or
The Complete Persepolis, but it still has those graphic qualities. It's fun to see the clothes and books strewn across Maggie's room. I also thought it was a fun, quick read (can be easily read in one sitting, for me about 45 minutes), thus making it perfect for reluctant readers. However, I thought that there were way too many storylines. They were all pretty interesting: Maggie starting public high school for the first time after being homeschooled all her life, trying to be more like her brothers and eschewing doing "girl stuff," Maggie coping with feelings of abandonment and guilt after her mom has left the family, the mysterious backstories of her new friends Alistair and Lucy, and of course, the ghost that haunts her. But although Maggie is a likable character, the stories weren't as compelling as they could have been, and not all of the loose ends get tied up.

Ages 12 and up