Squad
Square Fish · Paperback · March 10, 2020
In the darkly comic Squad, a YA debut novel by award-winning playwright Mariah MacCarthy, a high school cheerleader slowly loses her best friend and the trust of her teammates after an incident at a party.
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- Who it’s for
- A cheerleader’s shifting friendships open onto a wry story of identity, loss, and unexpected connection.
- Genres
- YA LGBTQ+, Sports Stories, YA Romance - LGBTQ+
- Published
- Square Fish, March 10, 2020
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For younger readers: Bea Mullins Takes a Shot, The Squad: a Graphic Novel (the Tryout #2), Taking Up Space
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Start with this bookAbout this book
In the darkly comic Squad, a YA debut novel by award-winning playwright Mariah MacCarthy, a high school cheerleader slowly loses her best friend and the trust of her teammates after an incident at a party. Jenna Watson is a cheerleader. And she wants you to know it’s not some Hollywood crap: they are not every guy’s fantasy. They are not the “mean girls” of Marsen High School. They’re literally just human females trying to live their lives and do a perfect toe touch.
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And their team is at the top of their game. They’re a family. But all that changes when Jenna’s best friend stops talking to her. Suddenly, she’s not getting invited out with the rest of the squad. She’s always a step behind. And she has no idea why. While grappling with post-cheer life, Jenna explores things she never allowed herself to like, including LARPing (live action role playing) and a relationship with a trans guy that feels a lot like love. When Jenna loses the sport and the friends she’s always loved, she has to ask herself: What else is left?
Beyond the Squad
A cheerleader’s shifting friendships open onto a wry story of identity, loss, and unexpected connection.
Come here for
- A darkly comic take on cheerleading, friendship, and finding new interests
- A romance that feels a lot like love
Expect
- High-school team dynamics without the usual mean-girl shorthand
- Jenna exploring life beyond cheer, including LARPing and a trans romance
Where it sits
| Sports Stories | 59% |
|---|---|
| YA Romance - LGBTQ+ | 51% |
| YA LGBTQ+ | 43% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Dance Stories for Teens
- Friendship for Teens
- Sports Stories
- Authors
- Maccarthy
- Publisher
- Square Fish
- Published
- March 10, 2020
- Format
- Paperback
- Reading lane
- Dance Stories for Teens