Shauna finds herself at loose ends when her fellow crime-obsessed classmates-Lottie, Mildred, Jack, Linton, and Sonny-fall under the spell of mysterious Lem. With the help of Little Claire and a trio of D&D nerds, Shauna must find the out-of-this-world secret behind Lem's appeal. Allison's series, originally a webcomic, is a truly unique blend of fantastical occurrences, British small-town life, and middle-school troubles. Here he focuses on smart, sensitive Shauna, who muddles along despite knowing that the nerds helping her aren't a good substitute for the friends who have left her behind. The mystery is an amusing one and ends in a satisfying manner, though the puzzling final page is likely only to be explained in a later volume. New readers might be a bit at sea with the large cast of characters and the off-kilter storytelling, but the cheerful, silly art combined with the realistic frustrations of young adolescence, make this a wonderful addition to graphic-novel collections. - Booklist In the conversation about young superheroes, John Allison should be right up in there with the very best writers and artists that comics has to offer. I think I've recommended every volume of Bad Machinery as part of 'Best Comics Ever' thus far, but there's a dashed good reason-it's a blinding good comic. - Comics Alliance Think Scooby-Doo via Daniel Clowes with a healthy dollop of sharp British sarcasm-it really is so much fun and shows off Allison at the top of his powers. - An Englishman in San Diego Originally published as a serialized webcomic, The Case of the Team Spirit introduces a group of British tweens involved in a mystery. A series of strange events leads some people to believe that the local Tackleford City Football Club is cursed. Meanwhile, plans for a new stadium are being blocked by tough old Mrs. Biscuits. Six students become unlikely detectives, unraveling the case while navigating life as first-year grammar school students. Each comic is built to stand alone while connecting to the larger story, sometimes stalling momentum. The quirky dialogue includes significant doses of snark. The vivid, full-color illustrations are lovely. The line work is smooth, well defined, and efficient, successfully conveying the emotions of the characters. The large trim size and simple panel layouts add to the visual appeal. Back matter includes a glossary of lesser-known UK terms and phrases used in the book, brief bios of each character, and a mock newspaper history of the Tackleford Football Club. Unique in both story and tone, this title is perfect for graphic-novel fans looking for something a bit different. - School Library Journal Six classmates find themselves at odds over the football stadium in their town of Tackleford, England. The girls are worried about an old lady who is about to lose her home to the stadium upgrade, whereas the boys are more worried about the curse plaguing the owner. But those issues are hard to handle when the kids are also trying to navigate their way through their first year at grammar school. This volume kicks off Allison's popular webcomic, which is itself a spin-off from his older webcomic Scary Go Round. Likely owing to its serial origins and its prequel nature, the story can be choppy, switches abruptly between slice-of-life and story arc, and sometimes seems to leave things out. But fans of the online strip and its predecessor, as well as teens and adults who like a bit of smart snark and sass, will appreciate Allison's unique humor and offbeat story as well as the Kate Beaton-like (though full-color) art. - Snow Wildsmith, Booklist
