Heebie Jeebies by Matthew Erman & Shelby Criswell

There isn’t anything super innovative about the plot of this terrific middle grade graphic novel, but the storytelling choices that the creative team have made give it a truly profound 21st century edge.

Blue literally lives on the wrong side of the tracks. Their mom works multiple crappy jobs to make ends meet and they’re constantly bullied by a trio of mean kids. At least they have their best friend Herschel, who got held back a grade and is obsessed with his Cranky the Quillhog video game. Herschel might not be the brightest but he’s loyal and sweet. When he stands up to the bullies, the latter claim that they’re only picking on Blue because Blue could be rich like them, too, if only Blue had the gumption. Apparently, the Amberline School is built on buried treasure that hunters have been seeking for decades. Maybe Blue could be the one to finally find it.

Lured by the siren call of no longer having to struggle so hard, Blue decides to break into the school one night with faithful Herschel at their side. Despite a fairly thorough search, the friends are discouraged at finding no clues to where the treasure may be, at least until new groundskeeper Madison shows up for her shift. She’s seen some really spooky things at Amberline since she’s started, but she’s prepared to take care of a few ghosts… or so she thinks. Soon enough, Blue, Herschel and Madison will have to join forces if they want to unearth the treasure and escape the curse of Amberline alive.

Gosh, I really don’t want to give away any of the plot twists but this was such a sweet, affirming and at times genuinely suspenseful tale of ghosts and treasure hunting that had a really solid message at its core. While firmly anti-capitalist, the book doesn’t pretend that money doesn’t help make life easier for people. It isn’t even wealth that Heebie Jeebies is against, but the hoarding of it that leaves others harmed and impoverished. Honestly, this is a superlatively American book in its promise of a future of equal opportunities once people start working together against the hoarder/monarch class. The way the characters worked together to make life — or the afterlife — better for everyone who wasn’t dead set on self-sabotage felt like a brilliant metaphor for where we are today, in the United States or otherwise.

I also loved the unobtrusive representation of diversity, as well as the very cute — tho not persistent — breaking of the fourth wall. The art is cartoony but surprisingly expressive: perfect for middle-grade readers, tbh. This is honestly the kind of book I want to see available in libraries for all kids to read. It isn’t devastatingly clever but is something more important: a really accessible way to learn about solidarity and friendship, and how even the dramas of middle school can be applied to building better societies for everyone involved.

Heebie Jeebies by Matthew Erman & Shelby Criswell was published September 17 2024 by Papercutz and is available from all good booksellers, including