08/23/2021
If the popular girls at a Bay Area high school seem overly eager to befriend smart, queer, Asian-cued Becca, they have a specific reason in mind: they’re werewolves in need of another packmate. Every full moon, bubbly blonde Marley; assertive Amanda, cued as Black; and rich, ruthless Arianna, who reads as white, choose one sexually aggressive male as their victim—attacking at the moment when a party hookup turns nonconsensual—and they require a fourth person to help them fully devour their prey. Despite being conscripted into the pack, Becca enjoys the power that comes with the bargain, as well as having an outlet for her anger and hunger. But when Arianna’s trophy boyfriend attacks Becca, she lashes out in wolf form, and the group begins to splinter—Amanda challenges Arianna’s leadership, and Becca crushes on Marley as the FBI searches for the missing boys. Literalizing pack mentality, Tokuda-Hall (The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea ) smoothly explores the complexities of so-called sisterhood. Sterle’s (Long Lost , for adults) long, lean characters don neo-1980s and ’90s fashions in art that dovetails with the economical storytelling to create an intersectional examination of high school social dynamics that doesn’t shortchange readers on adventure. Final art not seen by PW . Ages 14–up. Author’s agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.) ■
"A story you can't help but sink your teeth into. Twists and turns you never see coming. I devoured this book."
People call them all kinds of names—creeps, jerks. But the right word is predator. And that’s who we hunt. Becca wants what every high-schooler does: to have a group of friends, a squad. But Becca’s new friends are more than a clique, they’re a pack, and this pack is hungry. Squad is a fast-paced and feminist horror story for every girl who’s ever felt like prey, and asks how far a girl should go to hunt the hunters.
A fast-paced and deeply satisfying read. Squad is a story fitted with the sharpest teeth that chomps down on the patriarchy, and I adored it with my entire vicious heart."
Squad is monstrously delightful and delightfully monstrous. This book is transformative, healing, and deeply powerful.
Becca’s first day as a junior at Piedmont High goes surprisingly well after golden girl Marley invites her to sit with the popular girls . . . but she doesn’t feel like one of the pack—until some creepster dude tries to assault her and the girls show up, turn into wolves, tear him to pieces, and invite Becca to become one of them. . . . This feminist vigilante tale is made especially entertaining by the graphic novel’s contrast of bubbly, Barbie-esque illustrations with nightmarish scenes of blood and guts . . . Perennially satisfying.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"If the words 'badass lady-werewolves' aren't enough to convince you to read this book, the luscious art and brilliantly complicated portrayals of female friendship will. Squad will surprise, delight and horrify you. Get ready for this story to sink its teeth right into your heart."
After she attends a party with the coolest girls in school, Becca realizes they’re not a squad—they’re more like a pack. . . . Author Maggie Tokuda-Hall upends many classic werewolf tropes in Squad . . . a revenge narrative and a quasi fable about consent . . . Illustrator Lisa Sterle’s bold, energetic artwork perfectly complements the novel’s themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal and the possibility of love. . . . A story of dramatic contrasts and surprising transformations.
BookPage (starred review)
Cool-girl Marley invites new-girl Becca to join her clique, thus setting into motion a Heathersesque tale about a smart teen who discovers the darker cost of fitting in. . . . Female friendship sits front and center in this supernatural vigilante story, even when plans unravel. Readers who want thrilling carnage, sharp dialogue, and sapphic romance mixed into their teen dramas will devour this transformative tale.
Becca’s first day as a junior at Piedmont High goes surprisingly well after golden girl Marley invites her to sit with the popular girls . . . but she doesn’t feel like one of the pack—until some creepster dude tries to assault her and the girls show up, turn into wolves, tear him to pieces, and invite Becca to become one of them. . . . This feminist vigilante tale is made especially entertaining by the graphic novel’s contrast of bubbly, Barbie-esque illustrations with nightmarish scenes of blood and guts . . . Perennially satisfying.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Squad is monstrously delightful and delightfully monstrous. This book is transformative, healing, and deeply powerful.” — Sarah Gailey, author of When We Were Magic
"A story you can't help but sink your teeth into. Twists and turns you never see coming. I devoured this book." — Colleen AF Venable, author of National Book Award nominee Kiss Number 8
“People call them all kinds of names—creeps, jerks. But the right word is predator. And that’s who we hunt. Becca wants what every high-schooler does: to have a group of friends, a squad. But Becca’s new friends are more than a clique, they’re a pack, and this pack is hungry. Squad is a fast-paced and feminist horror story for every girl who’s ever felt like prey, and asks how far a girl should go to hunt the hunters.” — Laura Ruby, National Book Award Finalist and Printz Medalist
"If the words 'badass lady-werewolves' aren't enough to convince you to read this book, the luscious art and brilliantly complicated portrayals of female friendship will. Squad will surprise, delight and horrify you. Get ready for this story to sink its teeth right into your heart." — Mallory O'Meara, bestselling author of The Lady from the Black Lagoon
“A fast-paced and deeply satisfying read. Squad is a story fitted with the sharpest teeth that chomps down on the patriarchy, and I adored it with my entire vicious heart." — Chloe Gong, author of New York Times– bestselling These Violent Delights
“After she attends a party with the coolest girls in school, Becca realizes they’re not a squad—they’re more like a pack. . . . Author Maggie Tokuda-Hall upends many classic werewolf tropes in Squad . . . a revenge narrative and a quasi fable about consent . . . Illustrator Lisa Sterle’s bold, energetic artwork perfectly complements the novel’s themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal and the possibility of love. . . . A story of dramatic contrasts and surprising transformations.” — BookPage (starred review)
“New student Becca can hardly believe her luck when Arianna, Marley, and Amanda, who sit at the top of the Piedmont High School hierarchy, pick her to join their exclusive friend group. . . . The story highlights important topics, including internalized misogyny and codependent friendships. . . . An exciting look at girl power gone wrong.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Becca’s first day as a junior at Piedmont High goes surprisingly well after golden girl Marley invites her to sit with the popular girls . . . but she doesn’t feel like one of the pack—until some creepster dude tries to assault her and the girls show up, turn into wolves, tear him to pieces, and invite Becca to become one of them. . . . This feminist vigilante tale is made especially entertaining by the graphic novel’s contrast of bubbly, Barbie-esque illustrations with nightmarish scenes of blood and guts . . . Perennially satisfying.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“If the popular girls at a Bay Area high school seem overly eager to befriend smart, queer, Asian-cued Becca, they have a specific reason in mind: they’re werewolves in need of another packmate. . . . Literalizing pack mentality, Tokuda-Hall smoothly explores the complexities of so-called sisterhood. Sterle’s long, lean characters don neo-1980s and ’90s fashions in art that dovetails with the economical storytelling to create an intersectional examination of high school social dynamics that doesn’t shortchange readers on adventure.” — Publishers Weekly
“An outsider back in Los Angeles, Becca hopes to turn things around . . . and gets an unexpected invitation to join [Marley’s] clique. . . . She soon learns that this pack is literally that—Arianna, Amanda, and Marley are werewolves who feast on boys, but only those they believe are dangerous predators. . . . The story offers a fresh look at the cost of fitting in and how the line between predator and prey often blurs. Sterle’s artwork is strong, whether conveying the girls’ disdain or gruesomely illustrating the werewolves feasting. Her use of bright colors throughout adds intensity. . . . Using supernatural elements, this graphic novel deftly explores the cost of belonging.” — School Library Journal
“Cool-girl Marley invites new-girl Becca to join her clique, thus setting into motion a Heathersesque tale about a smart teen who discovers the darker cost of fitting in. . . . Female friendship sits front and center in this supernatural vigilante story, even when plans unravel. Readers who want thrilling carnage, sharp dialogue, and sapphic romance mixed into their teen dramas will devour this transformative tale.” — Booklist
Cool-girl Marley invites new-girl Becca to join her clique, thus setting into motion a Heathersesque tale about a smart teen who discovers the darker cost of fitting in. . . . Female friendship sits front and center in this supernatural vigilante story, even when plans unravel. Readers who want thrilling carnage, sharp dialogue, and sapphic romance mixed into their teen dramas will devour this transformative tale.
10/01/2021
Gr 9 Up— An outsider back in Los Angeles, Becca hopes to turn things around at her new school. She meets Marley, one of the school's queen bees, and gets an unexpected invitation to join her clique. The other members, Arianna and Amanda, aren't especially welcoming, but they accept Becca after she works hard to fit in. She soon learns that this pack is literally that—Arianna, Amanda, and Marley are werewolves who feast on boys, but only those they believe are dangerous predators. Becca agrees to be turned and joins the hunt, but things soon spin out of control. The narrative is solid, though a slow-to-evolve subplot about Becca's queerness feels like an afterthought and is sometimes borderline homophobic. Issues around Becca's fraught relationship with her mother also feel tacked on. Nevertheless, the story offers a fresh look at the cost of fitting in and how the line between predator and prey often blurs. Sterle's artwork is strong, whether conveying the girls' disdain or gruesomely illustrating the werewolves feasting. Her use of bright colors throughout adds intensity. Becca is Asian, Marley is white, Arianna is tan-skinned, Amanda is Black, and their classmates are diverse. VERDICT Using supernatural elements, this graphic novel deftly explores the cost of belonging.—Carla Riemer, Berkeley, CA
2021-07-27
She does her best to remain in their favor, taking cues from Marley and Amanda about how to go along with whatever Arianna requires of her. One night, the three girls arrive just in time to rescue Becca from being assaulted at a party, revealing themselves to be man-eating werewolves who target predatory boys. It doesn’t take much to convince Becca to join their ranks and help them enact vigilante justice. There is a price, however: a hunger that must be satisfied by consuming human flesh during the full moon. But the girls assure Becca that with the four of them looking out for each other the risk of discovery is low. The story highlights important topics, including internalized misogyny and codependent friendships. Becca yearns for the support and closeness that the squad offers, and this fuels her willingness to overlook their offenses—from microaggressions to murder—until things get out of control. The color illustrations are reminiscent of classic comics; the familiar normality of the everyday high school scenes portrayed stands in stark contrast to the werewolves’ meting out of justice. Becca is gay and Asian, Amanda is Black, and Marley and Arianna read as White.
An exciting look at girl power gone wrong. (Graphic paranormal. 13-18)
