Samantha and Jade's sleepy California town, with its gorgeous coastline and sweet waves for surfing, doesn't seem to have much going on. But things get spooky when Samantha stumbles onto Danger Point secluded, beautiful property recently purchased by a greedy developer d discovers ghosts living there. One of them tells Sam her town is in danger, and it's up to her to protect the town and its ghosts, regardless of whether she wants the responsibility. In Dwinell's loose, sketchy artwork featuring an appropriately beachy watercolor palette, cute, snub-nosed Sam and Jade dig into the town's records, tail a ne'er-do-well to uncover a sinister plot, search for buried treasure, and rally their fellow townspeople around their cause. While the plot hinges on some lucky coincidences, those moments, along with the cheery, doodle-like depictions of people and friendly sea creatures, are perfectly in keeping with the breezy, warm-hearted tone. Sam and Jade's friendship, which is changing as they approach tweendom, adds a nice dose of realism. Perfect for fans of Faith Erin Hicks' Friends with Boys (2012).

After the owner of Danger Point dies, 12-year-old Samantha Taylor and her friend Jade Lee take to their surfboards to explore the private waterfront property in their West Coast town of Surfside. Sam discovers that ghosts are living on the grounds, and they beseech her to protect their refuge from the mayor-s plan to develop it into a resort. Samantha must persuade others that the ghosts (including a cute young pirate named Robert) need protection, but it isn-t easy. First-time graphic novelist Dwinell creates spacious panels with a less-is-more approach to detail that evokes the wide-open ocean and beach environment, keeps readers focused on the characters and their concerns, and creates a sense of otherness where the pallid ghosts are concerned. Multiple convenient revelations solve Sam-s problems a bit easily, but Dwinell confidently balances Sam and Jade-s independence and agency with the fact that they aren-t yet teenagers. With echoes of Steven Universe and Scooby-Doo in its combination of coming-of-age story and otherworldly mystery, this first book in the Surfside Girls series bodes well for future volumes. Ages 8-12. (Aug.)