Review by Booklist Review
Eighth grade is tough, but it's a whole lot tougher without any friends. After being the butt of an especially embarrassing end-of-year pool-party prank, Rylee has left her previous group of "friends" and is alone in the world of middle school. She drops previously scheduled classes, taking others that will change the trajectory of her school year. When she's paired with DeNia for a journalism assignment, Rylee deals with DeNia's quirky stubbornness while feeling all the feels that their topic, "The Science of Friendship," stirs up in her. Rylee works through her wounds, getting advice from family and acquaintances, and learns from her own missteps. While Rylee and DeNia start out somewhat stereotypical, their rocky relationship is ultimately believable as it moves from the theoretical to the actual. Some of the most realistic moments are between Rylee and her grandmother Geema, who lays out what true long-term friendship involves, sharing valuable insights that can benefit readers. A story that goes beyond basic middle-school drama, this is a solid purchase.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5 Up--Did you know that social isolation can be as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes per day? That fact is something Rylee Swanson learns in her quest to understand friendship. Just before eighth grade, Rylee is bullied at a social gathering. Not only is she humiliated and excluded, but she is also ignored. Rylee therefore enters eighth grade feeling lost, lonely, and friendless. However, in her journalism elective, Rylee meets DeNia, a self-assured girl who seems to be nothing more than a science geek with a colossal backpack. As the novel progresses, Rylee and DeNia are teamed up to write an article about friendship for the school's newspaper, The Segrest Sentinel. The project forces them to navigate their differences, realizing they have more in common than they think; together, they seek out answers about friendship. Built upon the tenets of journalism that emphasize inquiry, this novel presents characters that thrive through the investigative process. The story portrays Rylee, a somewhat flawed girl when it comes to social connections and interactions, and her authentic social trajectory. Rylee's research forces her to arrive at her own understanding of friendship and what it means. She reflects, responds, and make amends for her own mistakes. This is a beautiful depiction of what it means to be human as a middle school student and how one can learn from one's own flaws about empathy, while also receiving validation and support. VERDICT The perfect read for book-smart students seeking social connection and friendship stories.--Jennifer Strattman
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A traumatic bullying incident sets off a chain reaction of curiosity and learning about friendship. Rylee Swanson never imagined she'd start eighth grade alone. But after what her supposed friends did at the pool party--events that are revealed through flashbacks--she's determined to stay away from them, even if that means changing her schedule. Journalism isn't her first choice; what could she write about for the school newspaper? But an idea is born when it becomes clear that both Rylee and science-obsessed classmate DeNia Alonso have strong opinions--and questions--about friendship. Can people improve their friendships? How are hormones involved? Can friendships survive beyond junior high? Eventually Rylee and DeNia team up to write a series of articles about the science behind friendship. DeNia dives into the research, while Rylee gathers survey data from an intergenerational crowd. As she explores, Rylee starts to question her own past choices and how she's treated her friends. Will she learn how to repair old relationships and make new ones? Readers will relate to Rylee's internal dialogue and learn from the gentle modeling of emotional-regulation skills such as self-compassion. Student-written newspaper article copy appears throughout, often citing real published studies, giving the research an unprecedented degree of accessibility and relevance. A racially and ethnically diverse supporting cast surrounds the Black leads. A killer combo of strong storytelling and compelling science results in a gold mine of social-emotional growth. (Fiction. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
