Real Friends. Who are they?

Questions probably everyone has asked are: “Real Friends. Who are they?” And “How do I get some?” Shannon is no different. Growing up as the middle child, she always tried to find her place. Not really close in age to any of her siblings, she never had a friend until Kindergarten. As the years go along, she realizes friends are not easy to understand. In a graphic novel format, Hale and Pham consider the world of one girl who is just trying to get through life.

The afterwards gives glimpses into the real story. While everything is based in fact, she dug into her memories the best she could. She mentions her own undiagnosed health issues (as well as her oldest sister). During the time she (and I) grew up you were considered “shy” or “awkward” or in some cases “not trying hard enough to fit in.”  Doctors, teachers, parents would never have considered Shannon suffered from anxiety and OCD. I wanted to read this book as Hale and I share a birthday (a year apart) and she is an AMAZING author (so she is a special favorite author). I almost stopped reading about half way as it hit way to close to home. Hale’s story is raw. But created so the age aimed at (older 8 to 12/young 13) will be able to handle the issues. The format allows for “show” and less “action” than a traditional novel would. This helps “soften” the message without losing it in the process.

The years covered are kindergarten to fifth grade. Hale shows that cliques and bullies happen at any age. By also showing her home life, you wonder about the other girls lives and what makes them act the way they do. Some things are dated (Hale did grow up in the 1980s) so a modern kid might not get all of that, but in the end, that does not matter. Hale’s story of trying to fit in is ageless.