Publisher's Hardcover ©2018 | -- |
Best friends. Juvenile fiction.
Summer. Juvenile fiction.
Best friends. Fiction.
Summer. Fiction.
Eleven-year-old Claire's best friend Brianna moves into a mansion; Claire, who lives in a trailer park, feels envious. Brianna's just-slightly-older cousin's visit adds to Claire's sense that she's been left behind. This sensitive friendship story is honest about the potential for economic disparities to compound the other challenges of fitting in, and gives depth to its affluent, popular secondary characters. Hand to fans of character-driven preteen tales.
ALA Booklist (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)It's the summer before seventh grade when, reportedly, "everything changes." But for not-quite-12-year-old Claire, painful changes have already begun, particularly within her two longtime friendships. In the trailer next door, Ronan seems off-balance and withdrawn since the return of his father, whose depression casts a shadow over his wife and son. And Brianna, whose wealthy family has recently moved to a large house, seems more distant after the arrival of her beautiful, biracial cousin. Claire's divorced but stable parents are a steadying influence as she navigates her first boy-girl party, experiences jealousy, and figures out what it takes to be a friend. Written in Claire's voice, the story vividly captures the off-kilter expectations and emotions that arise during the awkward shift from childhood to the teen years. With good dialogue and use of details, the writing offers believable portrayals of the three main characters, each facing different challenges and responding in individual ways. Claire's concerns about her friends are resolved only after a realistic amount of reflection, good will, and effort. A satisfying chapter book.
Kirkus ReviewsEverything feels different the summer Claire and her friends turn 12. It's weird enough that Brianna has moved to a fancy new house with a pool. But Brianna's cousin Eden, who's visiting for the summer, seems to be nudging them toward a level of sophistication, and Claire doesn't understand the rules. Eden wears eyeliner! She friends boys on social media. And now, for the first time, Brianna's birthday party is a boy-girl party. It's not like Claire doesn't know boys—she's been tight with next-door neighbor Ronan in their trailer park for years! But he's different, too. Suddenly he's on social media trying to make his life look different—better—than it is. Trouble is, Claire didn't know it was so bad! Claire's voice is infectiously honest and optimistic as she navigates a host of new feelings, including uncertainly and jealousy. She's observant; she also has down-to-earth, caring, and involved, if imperfect, parents. They help Claire understand what's the matter with Ronan's father and make her more open to hearing the concerns Brianna and Eden have. Their breakthrough conversation is a great recipe for all preteens developing their emotional intelligence. Claire and most of the cast are default white, but Eden, who is mixed, must explain why she looks different from Brianna on one occasion. Other cultures are indicated by surnames.A fully wrapped-up, happy ending concludes both summer and book without compromising its emotional honesty. (Fiction. 9-12)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)Money changes everything, or at least it seems that way, in Walker-s (
Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)
ALA Booklist (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)
Kirkus Reviews
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
“This book is for anyone who has ever felt ‘less than’ or on the outside. That is to say, this is a book for everyone.” —Elana K. Arnold, author of What Girls Are Made Of
"With a clear, compelling voice, Walker creates a believable world where socioeconomic tensions challenge, but never defeat, her well-rounded characters."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Claire Ladd knows that this summer is going to be special. She and her two best friends, Ronan and Brianna, are turning twelve. She is leaving camp behind and gets to do what she wants all day. She feels everything starting to change.
But things don’t always change for the better.
With Brianna’s cousin Eden visiting for the summer, Claire feels like a third wheel. Even though she is only a year older, Eden seems so much more sophisticated and glamorous . . . and when she's around, she takes up everyone’s attention, including Brianna’s.
But that doesn’t explain why things have felt awkward with Brianna ever since she moved to a fancy new house, or why Ronan, who lives in the trailer next to Claire’s, has started acting moody anytime anyone mentions his dad.
Claire has always been happy with her life just as it is, but as the summer wears on and the issues with her friends start to grow, she can’t help but wonder: Would everything be better if she could just be someone else?