FP Staff List: Girlhood + Margaret Worms
Megan Milks’s MARGARET AND THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING BODY is all about girlhood, interrupted. The novel is a brilliant mashup of girl group series + choose-your-own adventure—a queer and trans coming-of-age tale like no other. Inspired by protagonist Margaret Worms, we’ve gathered a list of our most-loved pop culture about girlhood. From Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging to Lizzie McGuire, here’s a list of what to binge after you finish Milks’s new book :)
The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series
by Louise Rennison (RIP)
If you're like me, your years of YA readership were narrated by the caustic, raunchy, and intimate voice of Georgia Nicolson. She's a hilarious, self-aware, and painfully horny British teen, backlit by a cast of equally awkward pals and her violently feral pet cat, Angus. I am pleased to report that there are no supernatural properties to be found in this frequently-banned series (Bella who?) — just wholesome, pubescent cringe content.
—Sophie
Directed by Sandi Tan
One of my all-time favorite portrayals of teen girlhood on screen. Shirkers is a documentary by Sandi Tan that cobbles together the remnants of her teenage attempt at a road movie, which would have been a landmark of Singaporian indie cinema—that is, if it hadn't been partially destroyed by Georges, her strange and possibly evil film teacher. Like Margaret, it presents an unflinching collision between girlhood source material and adulthood hindsight, sparked by a genuine sense of mystery and adventure.
—Isla
Spirited Away
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Few movies are as nostalgic to me as Spirited Away, which I was traumatized by when I first saw it as a kid but grew to love after many rewatchings. The protagonist Chihiro is younger than Margaret, not quite old enough to be coming of age, but the movie is rife with other strange metamorphoses (from parents transforming into pigs to a giant baby becoming a... hamster?). Like Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body, this movie seamlessly blends the fantastical and the real, with a healthy dose of the gross.
—Rachel
Fiebre Tropical
by Julián Delgado Lopera
I have a very, very strong feeling that Francisca, the protagonist in Fiebre Tropical, and Margaret Worms, the protagonist in Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body, would be besties in real life.
—Nick
Lizzie McGuire
Created by Terri Minsky & Disney Channel
For better or worse, Lizzie taught me about buying a bra, fitting in, and embodied girlhood, which was all wrapped up in a thirty-minute, comedic bow. The anxiety and voice inside Margaret’s head are so reminiscent of the animated Lizzie that would pop up during moments of stress or exhilaration and give these absurd soliloquies. There’s such a relatability between that animation and how Margaret has such a tough time escaping that little voice inside her head.
—Lanesha
The Emily Eyefinger series
Written by Duncan Ball, illustrated by Craig Smith
As an adult these books sound weird as hell, but as a kid I loved Emily Eyefinger, a "very special little girl" who was born with an eye on the end of her finger. Whether she's solving a mystery or helping a friend in need, Emily's eye finger always comes in handy (get it?). A kindred spirit to the girl detectives that inspired Milks, the Emily books also have a splash of body horror that seems on theme for this list!
—Lucia
Derry Girls
Created and written by Lisa McGee
A teen girl sitcom set in Northern Ireland in the nineties, Derry Girls should be your next comedy binge. It's got all the painful awkwardness and hilarity of adolescence, and having the Troubles in the background only serves to heighten the general absurdity and tension. The girls (and boy) in the show are unpredictable and out of control, much like Milks's characters, but they lash out anyway to try to make sense of their cockeyed realities. And check out that soundtrack! I have a feeling Margaret would approve.
—Lauren
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was so amazing in tying together girlhood with radical environmentalism and anti-imperialism that the original US release was drastically cut to leave out the political bits! The film urges viewers to move beyond distorted assumptions of nature, and shows how moving beyond perceptions of how the planet/species/people "should" look transforms the nature of conflict itself, allowing humans to move forward with better understanding.
—Jisu
The Sammy Keyes series
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Like the protagonist of Milks's novel, Sammy Keyes is an adventurous girl detective who solves the peculiar and eerie mysteries in her neighborhood while learning more about her elusive family history, and herself. As a young girl, I admired Sammy's endless curiosity, the way she always trusted her intuition, and her willingness to always go "to bat" for her friends. She was spunky and sarcastic, and I loved living vicariously through her!
—Ozichi
Megan Milks
A queer coming-of-age novel about the twists and turns of gender, identity, and mystery.