spillminttea's review against another edition
4.0
Good move plot! About loneliness, groupies, and setting the boundaries for the bully in school grades. It based on Shannon (the author) life.
lanica's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any elementary school library; however, I want to bring up something that caught my attention...
There is a lot of Christianity in it. They talk about reading scriptures as a family. She talks to Jesus, she prays, she makes a big deal about forgiving her sister...and when she is at her lowest, when she says that no one likes her...Jesus is there and says he likes her.
If this were a Muslim character in an Islamic family, this book would be challenged probably banned in a lot of places. If this were a book about any other religion...there would be discussion. I have heard nothing... not...one...thing...about the religious aspects of this book and was surprised by it when I read the book at random from my school shelves.
I am not saying we should ban this book - I am in the opposite camp...I want more books like this one on my shelf showing love for all of the peoples on earth. I just thought it was worth mentioning...in case anyone is interested. :)
There is a lot of Christianity in it. They talk about reading scriptures as a family. She talks to Jesus, she prays, she makes a big deal about forgiving her sister...and when she is at her lowest, when she says that no one likes her...Jesus is there and says he likes her.
If this were a Muslim character in an Islamic family, this book would be challenged probably banned in a lot of places. If this were a book about any other religion...there would be discussion. I have heard nothing... not...one...thing...about the religious aspects of this book and was surprised by it when I read the book at random from my school shelves.
I am not saying we should ban this book - I am in the opposite camp...I want more books like this one on my shelf showing love for all of the peoples on earth. I just thought it was worth mentioning...in case anyone is interested. :)
lawbooks600's review against another edition
4.0
Representation: Side Black character
Trigger warnings: Bullying, abuse
7/10, the last novel I read was quite enjoyable so I hoped that this memoir which I've been wanting to read for a while would be good as well; I liked this one even though I already read the other two books in the series and I can't wait to see what this author will write in the future since I've enjoyed three of them from her so far. It starts off with the main character Shannon detailing her life from kindergarten all the way to 3rd grade where most of the story takes place, I liked this exposition where I saw all her friends and family members and seeing how she lived her early childhood. Her friend since when she started school called Adrienne drifting away from her and joining this new community called the Group so I kept reading on to see where this was going. She meets a new friend called Jen who seemed nice at first but her true personality would be revealed later as she experiences what it's like to be part of the Group however it turns out that it's not as good as it appeared as this group just bullies people to be popular or another reason and the Group begins to tease Shannon which I didn't like and also she had a troubled life at home which made me feel bad for her. The latter half of the book focuses on Shannon in the 4th to 6th grades, making more real friends, hence the title, only to realise that Jen wasn't a real friend so she stopped befriending her and also forgiving Adrienne which I liked. If you like memoirs about friendships this is for you and you can read the other two books in the series to learn more about Shannon's life.
Trigger warnings: Bullying, abuse
7/10, the last novel I read was quite enjoyable so I hoped that this memoir which I've been wanting to read for a while would be good as well; I liked this one even though I already read the other two books in the series and I can't wait to see what this author will write in the future since I've enjoyed three of them from her so far. It starts off with the main character Shannon detailing her life from kindergarten all the way to 3rd grade where most of the story takes place, I liked this exposition where I saw all her friends and family members and seeing how she lived her early childhood. Her friend since when she started school called Adrienne drifting away from her and joining this new community called the Group so I kept reading on to see where this was going. She meets a new friend called Jen who seemed nice at first but her true personality would be revealed later as she experiences what it's like to be part of the Group however it turns out that it's not as good as it appeared as this group just bullies people to be popular or another reason and the Group begins to tease Shannon which I didn't like and also she had a troubled life at home which made me feel bad for her. The latter half of the book focuses on Shannon in the 4th to 6th grades, making more real friends, hence the title, only to realise that Jen wasn't a real friend so she stopped befriending her and also forgiving Adrienne which I liked. If you like memoirs about friendships this is for you and you can read the other two books in the series to learn more about Shannon's life.
queathy12's review
5.0
Approachable graphic novel that realistically portrays the social struggles of many girls in elementary school. Fitting in is a classic theme, and this semi-autobiographical graphic novel focuses on author's struggle to find a place at home and at school. She overhears her mom say "as long as she has one good friend, she'll be fine," and this is the ribbon that ties the whole story together. There are some cringe-worthy moments and the book ends in a very realistic manner. Great note at the end from the author. Would recommend for upper elementary and for fans of Shannon Hale and Raina Telgemeier.
internationalkris's review
3.0
I didn't fall in love with this graphic memoir about a girl willing to subvert so many of her own interests in order to maintain friendships. The story struck me as a tragic tale of a kid with a terrific imagination who never felt satisfied with herself unless she was with a friend. However I can understand why this book might ring true for many readers.