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Squad Goals
Camp is in session in this cheer-tastic middle-grade novel about making new friends, finding your place, and learning to embrace your inner Magic. Magic Olive Poindexter has big shoes to fill. Her mother was a professional cheerleader, her father is a retired NBA legend, her big sister is the new face of the oh-so-glamorous Laker Girls, and her grandmother was the first black cheerleader ever on Valentine Middle School's HoneyBee cheer squad. Magic wants nothing more than to follow in their footsteps. But first, she has to survive Planet Pom Poms, the summer cheer camp where she'll audition for a spot on the HoneyBee squad. But with zero athletic ability and a group of mean girls who have her number, Tragic Magic is a long way from becoming the toe-touching cheerleader heroine she dreams of being. Things start to look up when her best friend Cappie joins her at camp--until Cappie gets bitten by the popularity bug, that is. To make matters worse, Magic's crushing hard on football star Dallas Chase. Luckily, Magic's not alone: with the help of a new crew of fabulous fellow misfits and her Grammy Mae's vintage pom poms by her side, Tragic Magic might just survive--and even thrive--at cheer camp.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 6, 2021
10 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 5, 2021
I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much while reading a book.
April 5, 2021
Check out my book tour post at https://www.bookishends.com/blog/squa...
Squad Goals was such a cute story of friendship, determination, and rising above the odds. My favorite part of the book was the Stumbles because the way the girls all came together to support each other was beautiful. It showed that even when everything around you is a competition, friendship doesn't have to be. It was also nice seeing disability rep that focused on not being limited in doing what you want. The way parent loss and grief were mentioned was also really cool.
I enjoyed the Cappie storyline because it showed some of the sacrifices you might have to make to get to where you want to be even if it involves you losing something or someone. The Dallas parts were really sweet too, and I liked seeing the difference between Cappie and the Stumble's reactions to Magic talking to Dallas.
Magic was a funny, caring MC just trying her best. The way she went out of her way to make those around her feel supported was nice to see. I did find some of the food parts a little weird as Magic turned to food for comfort, but sometimes it read more as a bit to show how far from cheerleading material she was than actually having a purpose in the story.
Overall, I would recommend this book for a hopeful read with good characters.
*Thank you to the publisher and HOV for the ARC. All opinions are my own*
Squad Goals was such a cute story of friendship, determination, and rising above the odds. My favorite part of the book was the Stumbles because the way the girls all came together to support each other was beautiful. It showed that even when everything around you is a competition, friendship doesn't have to be. It was also nice seeing disability rep that focused on not being limited in doing what you want. The way parent loss and grief were mentioned was also really cool.
I enjoyed the Cappie storyline because it showed some of the sacrifices you might have to make to get to where you want to be even if it involves you losing something or someone. The Dallas parts were really sweet too, and I liked seeing the difference between Cappie and the Stumble's reactions to Magic talking to Dallas.
Magic was a funny, caring MC just trying her best. The way she went out of her way to make those around her feel supported was nice to see. I did find some of the food parts a little weird as Magic turned to food for comfort, but sometimes it read more as a bit to show how far from cheerleading material she was than actually having a purpose in the story.
Overall, I would recommend this book for a hopeful read with good characters.
*Thank you to the publisher and HOV for the ARC. All opinions are my own*
March 29, 2022
This was such a wholesome read with amazing disability rep and memorable friendships!
June 23, 2023
This book is going to require you to suspend your belief just for a couple of the details but at its heart it's a very cute book.
Now do most middle schools have a 3 week summer cheerleading tryout camp thing set in Malibu with a jumbotron and visits from professional cheerleaders and all of this competition? No of course not That's ridiculous. Does it make for a cute story yeah kind of.
I think this would have been a better high school novel because at least then some of the pressure and competition level cheerleading would be more believable but I did enjoy it. It's about this girl named Magic whose whole family are athletes and she's just trying to follow in their footsteps but she is really clumsy and chubby and just not quite prepared to be a cheerleader even though that's all she wants. She teams up with the misfit group at the summer camp and who work their way through the training programs and the tryouts and the mean girls. It's a cute book.
It does also have disability rep and the main character because she uses an inhaler and then there's also a secondary character who uses a wheelchair.
Now do most middle schools have a 3 week summer cheerleading tryout camp thing set in Malibu with a jumbotron and visits from professional cheerleaders and all of this competition? No of course not That's ridiculous. Does it make for a cute story yeah kind of.
I think this would have been a better high school novel because at least then some of the pressure and competition level cheerleading would be more believable but I did enjoy it. It's about this girl named Magic whose whole family are athletes and she's just trying to follow in their footsteps but she is really clumsy and chubby and just not quite prepared to be a cheerleader even though that's all she wants. She teams up with the misfit group at the summer camp and who work their way through the training programs and the tryouts and the mean girls. It's a cute book.
It does also have disability rep and the main character because she uses an inhaler and then there's also a secondary character who uses a wheelchair.
January 27, 2022
Wow!! This book had me bouncing toward the end “will she make it or not”?? And she did! I love that we saw the characters grow and develop! Magic even made some new friends along the way! I love that Magic kept her Grammy Mae with her the whole time! It makes me so happy that all the Stumbles made it on the team!! Also the reptile handshake in the end made my heart happy!! Great book all in all!!❤️❤️🐝🐝
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
*arc provided by Hachette Book Group and Hear Our Voice book tours*
Squad Goals really is a charming, cute read that reminded me a lot of the kind of books the Disney Channel Original Movies are adapted from. There's a plucky, awkward heroine, embarrassing but loving parents and older sister, a "from-diapers" type of friendship with best friend Capricorn, and the main character's dream to step into her family's legacy, specifically her middle school's cheerleading HoneyBees where her grandmother was the first Black member. Magic Poindexter has got her own thing going on, but her anxieties and self-esteem take a hit on multiple occasions and I couldn't help rooting for her and the rest of the friends she made at the summer cheerleading camp.
The story also doesn't shy from bullying, it's effects, or retaliation for that matter and the latter was fun to follow. There are also cringe worthy moments in spades but are totally appropriate given the age group and circumstances that bring them forth. I also appreciate that all the characters sound like actually middle school kids, and this is definitely something that both younger and older readers who read contemporary middle grade will be able to enjoy.
Extra special love towards Magic's new friend group, aka the StumbleBees. While all added something special to the group and love and supported Magic in spades, I'm completely biased towards Brooklyn and the special connection she and Magic shared as they got to know each other better through workouts and the duration of the camp.
All in all, a solid read and one I will gladly recommend.
Squad Goals really is a charming, cute read that reminded me a lot of the kind of books the Disney Channel Original Movies are adapted from. There's a plucky, awkward heroine, embarrassing but loving parents and older sister, a "from-diapers" type of friendship with best friend Capricorn, and the main character's dream to step into her family's legacy, specifically her middle school's cheerleading HoneyBees where her grandmother was the first Black member. Magic Poindexter has got her own thing going on, but her anxieties and self-esteem take a hit on multiple occasions and I couldn't help rooting for her and the rest of the friends she made at the summer cheerleading camp.
The story also doesn't shy from bullying, it's effects, or retaliation for that matter and the latter was fun to follow. There are also cringe worthy moments in spades but are totally appropriate given the age group and circumstances that bring them forth. I also appreciate that all the characters sound like actually middle school kids, and this is definitely something that both younger and older readers who read contemporary middle grade will be able to enjoy.
Extra special love towards Magic's new friend group, aka the StumbleBees. While all added something special to the group and love and supported Magic in spades, I'm completely biased towards Brooklyn and the special connection she and Magic shared as they got to know each other better through workouts and the duration of the camp.
All in all, a solid read and one I will gladly recommend.
December 25, 2023
The absolute best thing about Squad Goals is how it completely subverts all expectations regarding friendship between children.
One of the most frustrating things about middle grade is that it is often written to caution the readership to a course of action that is idealized rather than one that reflects reality. Forgiveness for misdeeds that, if a person was an adult would be perfectly acceptable to cut them off for, runs rampant. Kids should be allowed to abandon a relationship that does not serve them if it is actively not doing them any good. Being friendly is a given (depending on what the conflict is over), but you don't have to stay at the same intensity of friendship forever.
That's what Squad Goals nails so perfectly. Cappie makes big mistakes. Magic forgives her on a personal level, however, she decides to not be friends in the same way as before. The book ends without forcing a resolution where Magic has to compromise with an unreasonable party nor does she have to apologize for doing what is right for her. She mourns the relationship as anyone would do. But, she does not have to force herself into a box to sell the lie that all friendships can be salvaged or even should be.
So much middle grade seems to be written with the subconscious idea in mind that when children fight it is inherently silly and as such all their conflicts can be mended regardless of what a character has done. It is a reflection of how much children are subconsciously devalued in society.
Magic has a group of like-minded, wonderful friends who support her unconditionally. I loved the evolution of these friendships. I loved how each one had a unique relationship to Magic. I loved how Cappie was held accountable for her behavior while allowing Magic the space to choose what that looked like for her.
The romance was cute. The family dynamic was lovely. The villains got their just desserts, no half-baked redemption arc in sight. What more can you ask for?
One of the most frustrating things about middle grade is that it is often written to caution the readership to a course of action that is idealized rather than one that reflects reality. Forgiveness for misdeeds that, if a person was an adult would be perfectly acceptable to cut them off for, runs rampant. Kids should be allowed to abandon a relationship that does not serve them if it is actively not doing them any good. Being friendly is a given (depending on what the conflict is over), but you don't have to stay at the same intensity of friendship forever.
That's what Squad Goals nails so perfectly. Cappie makes big mistakes. Magic forgives her on a personal level, however, she decides to not be friends in the same way as before. The book ends without forcing a resolution where Magic has to compromise with an unreasonable party nor does she have to apologize for doing what is right for her. She mourns the relationship as anyone would do. But, she does not have to force herself into a box to sell the lie that all friendships can be salvaged or even should be.
So much middle grade seems to be written with the subconscious idea in mind that when children fight it is inherently silly and as such all their conflicts can be mended regardless of what a character has done. It is a reflection of how much children are subconsciously devalued in society.
Magic has a group of like-minded, wonderful friends who support her unconditionally. I loved the evolution of these friendships. I loved how each one had a unique relationship to Magic. I loved how Cappie was held accountable for her behavior while allowing Magic the space to choose what that looked like for her.
The romance was cute. The family dynamic was lovely. The villains got their just desserts, no half-baked redemption arc in sight. What more can you ask for?
July 19, 2020
Squad Goals was an adorable MG novel about family legacies, new friendships and personal growth.
📣
Meet Magic Olive Poindexter: coder, nerd, spaz...cheerleader? Hers is a family of cheerleaders for generations. Her mom and sister even went on to be Laker girls. Before Magic can audition to be a Honeybee for Valentine Middle School, she must first survive Planet Pom Poms summer camp for cheerleaders. Many obstacles stand in Magic’s way: can she make the team or will cheering skip a generation?
📣
I adored Magic. She was so mature, introspective, sweet, kind and the kind of girl other girls should look up to. I hope this becomes a series. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC. Look for this one April 6, 2021.
📣
Meet Magic Olive Poindexter: coder, nerd, spaz...cheerleader? Hers is a family of cheerleaders for generations. Her mom and sister even went on to be Laker girls. Before Magic can audition to be a Honeybee for Valentine Middle School, she must first survive Planet Pom Poms summer camp for cheerleaders. Many obstacles stand in Magic’s way: can she make the team or will cheering skip a generation?
📣
I adored Magic. She was so mature, introspective, sweet, kind and the kind of girl other girls should look up to. I hope this becomes a series. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC. Look for this one April 6, 2021.
October 26, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Magic Olive Poindexter attends Valentine Middle School, where not only was her grandmother the first Black cheerleader, but where he older sister was a well regarded member of the squad. Now that she's old enough, Magic wants to pursue her long held dream of becoming a HoneyBee cheerleader. Even though mean girl Gia Carlyle controls the team, Magic talks her best friend and former bad girl child star Capricorn Reese into attending the three week cheer camp that leads up to the tryouts. Coach Cassidy is surprised-- she thinks that Magic is probably interested in "skating or coding". She certainly doesn't dress the part of a cheerleader, even though her father was a Los Angeles Laker and her mother was a Laker Girl. Magic would rather wear old, comfortable clothes than worry about fashion, and despite always wanting to be a cheerleader, she is out of shape, and has never taken any gymnastics, dance, or cheer classes. This puts her at a disadvantage, but Capricorn promises to help with the training, and she gets unexpected support and physical training from Dallas Chase, a ball player referred to as "Boy Wonder" on whom she has a bit of a crush. While struggling with the athletic requirements of cheer, Magic does make several new friends: Brooklyn, a Girl Scout who is into break dancing and whose mother has recently died., and Winnie, who is more interested in acting and piano. Capricorn isn't happy that Magic is asking other people for help, and the two have a bit of a falling out. As the tryouts approach, Magic feels that her training is paying off, and is glad to have vintage pom poms that belonged to her grandmother, who has recently passed away. The mean girls rev up their attacks, name calling, and pranks, and Capricorn even gets sucked into one. Will Magic be able to realize her dream of being a cheerleader and make peace with both her old and her new friends?
Strengths: There are not very many books that center cheerleading as a sport, and that's too bad. Girls sports like basketball, volleyball, and cheer have been horribly underrepresented. There are lots of good details about dances, stunts, and chants, and it's clear that the author, who was an NBA cheerleader, knows her stuff. Friend drama, and fraught interactions with other tweens is always a popular topic for middle grade stories. I appreciated that Magic had a strong and supportive family, and that it was the death of her grandmother (who seems to have been roughly... my age!) she was working through. Her interactions with Brooklyn concerning grief are well done. The budding romance with Dallas is very sweet, and it's good to see that he appreciates Magic as she is, throwing up after a work out and all.
Weaknesses: I am the complete antithesis of a cheerleader, but when my younger daughter was in kindergarten, she was enthralled by cheerleaders in the local Fourth of July Parade. This led to several years of cheerleading classes for tiny tots and at least one cheerleader Halloween costume. Once she realized how much work it was, she lost interest. It seemed unfathomable to me that Magic lived with two cheerleaders, wanted desperately to be one, never had a tumbling or dance class, and cared more about eating candy than getting in shape. The mean girls were also a little over the top.
What I really think: While I understand that the author was probably trying to embrace themes of body positivity and self esteem, I would have enjoyed this more if Magic had a better background in cheer and won a place on the team through her abilities and hard work. There need to be a lot more diverse, updated middle grade books about cheerleading to go along with older titles like Scott's I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader (2005), McCoy's The Accidental Cheerleader (2006), Rallison's Revenge of the Cheerleaders (2007) and Rock's Fly Away (2010)
Magic Olive Poindexter attends Valentine Middle School, where not only was her grandmother the first Black cheerleader, but where he older sister was a well regarded member of the squad. Now that she's old enough, Magic wants to pursue her long held dream of becoming a HoneyBee cheerleader. Even though mean girl Gia Carlyle controls the team, Magic talks her best friend and former bad girl child star Capricorn Reese into attending the three week cheer camp that leads up to the tryouts. Coach Cassidy is surprised-- she thinks that Magic is probably interested in "skating or coding". She certainly doesn't dress the part of a cheerleader, even though her father was a Los Angeles Laker and her mother was a Laker Girl. Magic would rather wear old, comfortable clothes than worry about fashion, and despite always wanting to be a cheerleader, she is out of shape, and has never taken any gymnastics, dance, or cheer classes. This puts her at a disadvantage, but Capricorn promises to help with the training, and she gets unexpected support and physical training from Dallas Chase, a ball player referred to as "Boy Wonder" on whom she has a bit of a crush. While struggling with the athletic requirements of cheer, Magic does make several new friends: Brooklyn, a Girl Scout who is into break dancing and whose mother has recently died., and Winnie, who is more interested in acting and piano. Capricorn isn't happy that Magic is asking other people for help, and the two have a bit of a falling out. As the tryouts approach, Magic feels that her training is paying off, and is glad to have vintage pom poms that belonged to her grandmother, who has recently passed away. The mean girls rev up their attacks, name calling, and pranks, and Capricorn even gets sucked into one. Will Magic be able to realize her dream of being a cheerleader and make peace with both her old and her new friends?
Strengths: There are not very many books that center cheerleading as a sport, and that's too bad. Girls sports like basketball, volleyball, and cheer have been horribly underrepresented. There are lots of good details about dances, stunts, and chants, and it's clear that the author, who was an NBA cheerleader, knows her stuff. Friend drama, and fraught interactions with other tweens is always a popular topic for middle grade stories. I appreciated that Magic had a strong and supportive family, and that it was the death of her grandmother (who seems to have been roughly... my age!) she was working through. Her interactions with Brooklyn concerning grief are well done. The budding romance with Dallas is very sweet, and it's good to see that he appreciates Magic as she is, throwing up after a work out and all.
Weaknesses: I am the complete antithesis of a cheerleader, but when my younger daughter was in kindergarten, she was enthralled by cheerleaders in the local Fourth of July Parade. This led to several years of cheerleading classes for tiny tots and at least one cheerleader Halloween costume. Once she realized how much work it was, she lost interest. It seemed unfathomable to me that Magic lived with two cheerleaders, wanted desperately to be one, never had a tumbling or dance class, and cared more about eating candy than getting in shape. The mean girls were also a little over the top.
What I really think: While I understand that the author was probably trying to embrace themes of body positivity and self esteem, I would have enjoyed this more if Magic had a better background in cheer and won a place on the team through her abilities and hard work. There need to be a lot more diverse, updated middle grade books about cheerleading to go along with older titles like Scott's I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader (2005), McCoy's The Accidental Cheerleader (2006), Rallison's Revenge of the Cheerleaders (2007) and Rock's Fly Away (2010)
April 29, 2021
When I first heard about this title, I thought it would be about AOC and the new generation of national legislators. Then, when I saw the cover, I was concerned that it would be a light and fluffy book about cheerleading. While it does focus on cheerleading, it's not the lightweight story I expected. Twelve-year-old Magic Olive Poindexter is attending a three-week boot camp to train and audition for a spot one of the Valentine Middle School HoneyBees. Magic is not in the best shape physically, and she carries a lot of baggage with her. Not only was her grandmother the first Black cheerleader on the squad, but her older sister Fortune is a Laker Girl. Her father played basketball for the Lakers, and her mother also cheered. Her best friend, Cappie, has reluctantly agreed to attend camp too, which reassures Magic. But the would-be cheerleaders are divided into groups according to their ability, and Magic falls in with a group of misfits that come to be known as the StumbleBees. At the start it seems quite unlikely that any of these girls stands a chance of making the squad, especially since the team captains, Gia and Yves, have it in for her, even calling her Tragic Magic, and belittling her at every turn. Readers will be surprised that the team coach, Coach Cassidy, doesn't know more about their characters and treatment of others. With some nudges from popular Dallas Chase and support from her friends, Magic keeps getting better, but will it be enough for her to make the squad? While I enjoyed the complexity of Dallas's motivation to help Magic and the secrets about his own formative years that he shared, I found it very unlikely that someone who was as clumsy and unskilled as Magic is described as being could morph into such a skilled performer within three weeks. Even muscles take longer than three weeks to be built and be strengthened. And some of the outlandish behavior of Gia and Yves was just too much to stomach or to be believed. While Mean Girls like them engage in physical harassment, usually their approach is to simply ignore or leave out girls like Magic and her friends. The ending, even though it was so very unlikely, still made me smile and gave me hope that others like those StumbleBees might find a place on that elite squad or one like it in real life.
April 11, 2022
Magic Poindexter comes from a family of cheerleaders: her sister, mother, and grandmother were all superstars. Magic isn't great at sticking to things, and she's often bullied about lack of coordination and sloppy clothes. With the help of her child star friend Cappie, Magic is heading off to camp for the Honeybee Squad. On the first day Magic and Cappie both get sorted into the "Stumblebees", and the trouble starts. Can Magic pull herself together, or will she lose her best friend and embarrass herself in front of her crush, Dallas?
This story had a lot of good things going for it. Magic was such a realistic character, she was slobby and had a short attention span, but was enthusiastic and honest. Cappie might have been not a great friend, but I have had friends who are so similar. There's a diverse cast of characters in the Stumblebees, and Dallas had a lot more depth than I expected. I did feel a bit like Magic's addiction to Twizzlers and her general appearance were a bit stereotyped as "fat girl" but there were aspects that were realistic. And part of me is tired of the pretty blond mean girl tropes. The ending did not feel realistic, and I also didn't like that - it felt unnecessary and didn't fit with Magic's personality. But the ending was more of a feel-good, inspirational ending, and overall the story had a lot of energy and fun which would appeal to any kids who enjoy or dream about cheerleading.
This story had a lot of good things going for it. Magic was such a realistic character, she was slobby and had a short attention span, but was enthusiastic and honest. Cappie might have been not a great friend, but I have had friends who are so similar. There's a diverse cast of characters in the Stumblebees, and Dallas had a lot more depth than I expected. I did feel a bit like Magic's addiction to Twizzlers and her general appearance were a bit stereotyped as "fat girl" but there were aspects that were realistic. And part of me is tired of the pretty blond mean girl tropes. The ending did not feel realistic, and I also didn't like that - it felt unnecessary and didn't fit with Magic's personality. But the ending was more of a feel-good, inspirational ending, and overall the story had a lot of energy and fun which would appeal to any kids who enjoy or dream about cheerleading.
October 1, 2021
A fun summer read about cheerleading, friendship, growing up, and finding new friends.
I just had to add this book to my shelves. I love books about cheerleading, about summer camps. We don’t have cheerleading here (or well not like the US in school and such) so I always love reading about it. Just a shame that there is so much bullying coming along with it. Even in this one! But there was also plenty of fun cheerleading, workouts to get stronger, and pompom shaking! I just loved reading about Magic and see her get good (and not just in the cheerleading department)! Because in the beginning she is clumsy and makes so many mistakes, but as the story continues you see that she is getting better and is being able to do routines without too much stumbling or inhalers. I found myself rooting for her!
I loved Magic’s new friends, all of them, they were such a lovely bunch of people and I love how they helped each other. I loved seeing a girl there with a wheelchair, doing her own stunts and making the routine even more kick-ass That was just so lovely! It is definitely my first cheerleading book with a girl in a wheelchair so I hope that we get more of this! This girl sure showed she could be part of the cheerleading team. I loved seeing her make up new stunts.
I also really liked the parts with Dallas and Magic.
The bullies? Urgh. I just hated those parts so much. But I am happy that when adults saw it (sadly not as often as they should) they told the girls to stop. Be more inclusive and kind. But yeah, for most there is lots of mean words and I just had a hard time reading those parts.
I did feel that while what Cappie did wasn’t cool or nice, Magic was also a bit too clingy at times. I could imagine why Cappie would flock to someone else. Not saying that I agree with the way she did it though or what she did afterwards or all the things she said. That was just too much. But I can imagine that she would also find her people and hang out with them. Just like Magic did in this book.
Could the author please make up their mind on whether to call Cappie Cappie, or Capricorn, or Capricorn Reese? No one else’s name had so many variations and it really confused me at times when our MC would call her friend Capricorn. At first I even thought it was a whole different person. XD
The ending was really sweet (predictable, but I didn’t mind that at all, I was just so happy) though I would have liked some extra conclusiveness on the bullies and what is going to happen to them now. I mean, given everything will they be thrown out of school (oh please please please) or will they just get some punishment and come back??? I want to know!
Haha, sorry for my all over the place review! I got many more things to tell, but I don’t want to make it too long. So I will just say this, read it! A fun book about a girl learning to stand on her own feet, find her magic and her crew, and a summer of glitter and pompoms!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I just had to add this book to my shelves. I love books about cheerleading, about summer camps. We don’t have cheerleading here (or well not like the US in school and such) so I always love reading about it. Just a shame that there is so much bullying coming along with it. Even in this one! But there was also plenty of fun cheerleading, workouts to get stronger, and pompom shaking! I just loved reading about Magic and see her get good (and not just in the cheerleading department)! Because in the beginning she is clumsy and makes so many mistakes, but as the story continues you see that she is getting better and is being able to do routines without too much stumbling or inhalers. I found myself rooting for her!
I loved Magic’s new friends, all of them, they were such a lovely bunch of people and I love how they helped each other. I loved seeing a girl there with a wheelchair, doing her own stunts and making the routine even more kick-ass That was just so lovely! It is definitely my first cheerleading book with a girl in a wheelchair so I hope that we get more of this! This girl sure showed she could be part of the cheerleading team. I loved seeing her make up new stunts.
I also really liked the parts with Dallas and Magic.
The bullies? Urgh. I just hated those parts so much. But I am happy that when adults saw it (sadly not as often as they should) they told the girls to stop. Be more inclusive and kind. But yeah, for most there is lots of mean words and I just had a hard time reading those parts.
I did feel that while what Cappie did wasn’t cool or nice, Magic was also a bit too clingy at times. I could imagine why Cappie would flock to someone else. Not saying that I agree with the way she did it though or what she did afterwards or all the things she said. That was just too much. But I can imagine that she would also find her people and hang out with them. Just like Magic did in this book.
Could the author please make up their mind on whether to call Cappie Cappie, or Capricorn, or Capricorn Reese? No one else’s name had so many variations and it really confused me at times when our MC would call her friend Capricorn. At first I even thought it was a whole different person. XD
The ending was really sweet (predictable, but I didn’t mind that at all, I was just so happy) though I would have liked some extra conclusiveness on the bullies and what is going to happen to them now. I mean, given everything will they be thrown out of school (oh please please please) or will they just get some punishment and come back??? I want to know!
Haha, sorry for my all over the place review! I got many more things to tell, but I don’t want to make it too long. So I will just say this, read it! A fun book about a girl learning to stand on her own feet, find her magic and her crew, and a summer of glitter and pompoms!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
July 17, 2024
I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. At the beginning, it felt exactly like a low budget Disney movie - one only used to make money for the Disney Channel. But I was wrong. I found myself invested in the story and enjoying the characters a ton. One of the best things is that Magic never turned into the perfect cheerleader - she improved a lot, but like an actual human would. Magic sort of infuriated me at times, but then again, most MCs do. Dallas was an incredible character, though he had a very odd string of dialogue in chapter 26 that I did not understand, but other than that an incredible spin on the "dream boy" trope. Cappie was one of those characters who you love, but won't defend their actions. I found myself getting mad when Magic got upset at her for finding new friends. "You made her go to a camp she didn't want to go to, then you work out with other people - which was something you said she'd do with you. She has every right to find new friends" is what I thought throughout the ending. I liked this book way more than I thought I would.
April 8, 2021
This is the happiest, most delightful, CHEERIEST book I can remember reading in a long time.
Magic is such a great protagonist. She's the fish out of water in her athletic family, but she never wallows in angst. And every time she DOES mumble something about how she's not like her family, they insist that she's different and that's a great thing to be and she's exactly who she should be. It's SO REFRESHING to have a MG book with a loving and supportive and happy family!
It's possible I've been reading too many sad books.
Recommend this for any little girl without reservations.
Magic is such a great protagonist. She's the fish out of water in her athletic family, but she never wallows in angst. And every time she DOES mumble something about how she's not like her family, they insist that she's different and that's a great thing to be and she's exactly who she should be. It's SO REFRESHING to have a MG book with a loving and supportive and happy family!
It's possible I've been reading too many sad books.
Recommend this for any little girl without reservations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2021
I really adore middle grade books and this one is really cute and charming. It's a BIPOC rep book and revolves around the protagonist "Magic". The story is about making new friends, finding your place, and learning to embrace your inner Magic. I really loved this book , the character development of Magic is great. Engaging read but not a quick read tho!! Writing and Narration is awesome. Title is apt and cover page is adorable. Totally recommended to all!! It's actually for ages 8-12 but I think it's more suitable for 13+ !!
September 19, 2021
I thought this book was a great book for middle schoolers to read! This book had great advice on friendship, like how to find good friends, and to like people for their personality, not their popularity. I liked how this book was relatable, especially for people my age, because in middle school, we go through similar things. I enjoyed having this advice, and one of the messages this book gave, which was to never give up. Overall, I found this book very motivating, and if you like motivating books, then I recommend you give this book a try!
July 13, 2021
This is cute, but completely unrealistic. Unless there really are MIDDLE schools that conduct their cheer team tryouts with a 3-week training camp in Malibu with visits by the Laker Girls and first and final cuts held in front of families and shown on a Jumbotron. Seems far fetched. Still there are characters you’ll love and love to hate, as well as good lessons about friendship, family, and perseverance.
April 10, 2022
4.25. This book was a lot of fun. I really loved the main character, Magic, and the Stumblebees - their friendship was SO cute. However, I thought that the book raised issues of toxic friendships and body image but didn't explore these as deeply as was needed.
As a side note, I listened to the audiobook for this one and while on the whole it was good, there were times were the narration was a little erratic.
As a side note, I listened to the audiobook for this one and while on the whole it was good, there were times were the narration was a little erratic.
April 16, 2021
Squad Goals is such a cute story of friendship and overcoming obstacles. I love that Magic is an inspiration to all middle school students, especially as she navigates through all the challenges of a typical middle schooler. Also, special points for representing BIPOC and those with disabiltiies!
HIghly recommend the book for children and for adults!
HIghly recommend the book for children and for adults!
April 6, 2021
This book was very cute and I loved the message that it put out into the world. I think all little girls should read this book; my daughter is currently reading it and she loves it. She stated that she can relate the the main character. Definitely would recommend this book.
April 3, 2021
3.5 stars! thank you to the publisher and to HOV for this arc!
RTC.
RTC.
August 23, 2021
I loved the topic because I love cheer and dance and all of that stuff. I like the main character Magic, because she is very enthusiastic and she never gives up.
September 6, 2021
I could not put this book down!! A must read!
January 17, 2022
Loved it! A sweet, well-paced story about friendship with a strong, fun main character!
March 21, 2022
3.5 stars
September 27, 2025
It was OK. I do think the intended audience will enjoy it, but the plot was pretty ho-him and the characters were a little all over the place for me.
June 3, 2021
Squad Goals is a feel-good summer camp story perfect for fans of friendship stories, summer camp tales, and coming-of-age books. This sporty cheer-leading story features a likable protagonist, a supportive Black family, and healthy team dynamics with zero tolerance for bullying. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and I’m looking forward to whatever this author writes next.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2023
I was enjoying this until the last couple chapters, when Magic SPOKE WITH HER DEAD GRANDMOTHER (and I don’t think she was imagining it) and the pompoms ended up being magical! Ugh!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
This is my second time reading.. I have to score this about a 3.2.
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