Friends Forever is a well told story of middle school, insecurities and living with an undiagnosed metal illness, written with sensitivity and a whole lot of heart. The novel also has a lot to say about body image, and self image.Īs always LeUyen Pham's illsutrations are superb, and bring something special to the page, fleshing Hale's work out to its full potential.Īlthough this is the third book in a series, it can just as easily be read as a stand alone. Her parents want what is best for her, but they don't always understand, and some of her ideas-like wanting to find a casting agent, end in disaster.

Shannon is a sensitive kid, and is often treated unfair by those around her, including adults. Written with a great deal of sensitivity, this one tackles just how hard life can be in middle school. This makes things very hard for Shannon, especially when her own issues with mental health come to the forefront. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland. Meanwhile, her friends all have issues and insecurities of their own, and can be rather insensitive. Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. Although she is a very talented writer, she wants to excel at other things, like drama, debating and even running for class president (against Jen, no less,) but she rarely succeeds at these things for reasons that are not always her fault. That said, being in eighth grade comes with complications. She's managed to break away from 'the group.' While she has a group of close friends, she's learned a valuable lesson about getting along with everyone and trying to include others as much as possible. It is her second and final year at middle school. Ages 8 12.Shannon Hale's third autobiography Friends Forever opens with young Shannon starting eighth grade. It's a wonderfully observed portrait of finding one's place in your world.

Her digitally colored ink cartooning pulls substantial emotion out of everyday moments (such as Hale retreating to a playground shrub to cry, only to find another girl already there, doing the same) and the imagination-fueled games Hale was forever devising, presaging her writing career. The carefully honed narration and dialogue give Pham plenty of room to work. Hale makes her own flaws evident, and that fairness extends to the bullies in her life, who lash out brutally at times, but whose insecurities and sadness are just as clear.

My mom says that's all anyone really needs'), negotiates forever-changing friendship politics, and tries to stay on the good side of her turbulent oldest sister. Over five chapters, readers follow a bookish and shy Hale from her earliest days in school through fifth grade, as she zealously guards her first friendship ('One good friend. Hale's childhood struggles with friends and family come to achingly poignant life in this candid graphic memoir.

Shannon hale friends forever