Reviews

Best Friends by Shannon Hale

manha10's review against another edition

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5.0

I think I enjoyed this installment more than the first! I liked that Shannon Hale included excerpts from the book she started writing as a child and the artwork was great! This book reminded me a lot of the book by Raina Telgemeier where she dealt with stomaches and anxiety and mean friends. I love that she learned to stand up for herself and realized her needs and wants. Can’t wait to read the next one!

jenmangler's review against another edition

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3.0

The middle grade years can be tough, especially when you're also dealing with anxiety. Hale captures it perfectly, almost painfully.

mdevlin923's review against another edition

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3.0

I really enjoyed Real Friends, but Best Friends fell flat for me. The anxiety that Shannon had felt forced, while the rest of the story seemed disjointed. I hope if there is a third book that it reads more like Real Friends.

bookph1le's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5 stars

Why are middle grade graphic novels so goooood? I love that these are books that both my kiddo and I love, and that provide such great topics for conversation.

I particularly enjoyed the way this book considered several topics, yet none of them got short shrift. It provides a lot of food for thought about what healthy friendships look like, when it may be time to move on from a friendship that no longer works, how girls receive mixed messages about who they ought to be and what they ought to do, about the toll anxiety takes, and about how important it is to blaze your own trail rather than going along with the crowd.

What I love most of all about this book and so many other middle grade books is not just their honesty, but the way they treat kids and their problems with dignity. I think it can be all to easy as an adult to dismiss kids' problems and forget how confusing and scary so much of what kids face is. I love that books like this offer parents and kids an avenue for exploring amd discussing those feelings.

I'd be remiss if I didn't specifically mention the art as well. I've read several books Pham has illustrated, and I love her style. The detail is wonderful, and the characters' faces are so expressive. The coloring is fantastic too.

I hope there will be more of these books. They're really wonderful.

novelette's review against another edition

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3.0

This semi autobiographical novel made me so sad for Shannon. Shannon, I'll be your friend! I'll go back in time and not ride the roller coasters and hang out!

ataterhead2's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.5

saharafrost's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

4.25

edenjoi's review against another edition

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funny hopeful sad medium-paced

4.5

rileyaurora83's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

4.75

hey_lol517375's review against another edition

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hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.75