Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Mallory (12yo) and Reagan are best friends and getting ready to start 7th grade when Jennifer moves in next door to Mallory. Mallory and her mom meet their new neighbors and Mallory ends up really liking Jennifer, much to her surprise. Mallory knows it’s going to be tricky when school starts because Reagan will not like this new development. Mallory doesn’t know what to do so she does nothing. She doesn’t tell Reagan about Jennifer, and she completely ignores Jennifer which is confusing because Jennifer thought they were friends. Unfortunately, it makes Reagan suspicious and she knows something’s up and targets Jennifer. Reagan continues to make things hard for Jennifer until the incident in the bathroom. After the incident, Jennifer disappears.
Keller writes a timely story about friendship and finding your voice. Mallory is a nice person, but hides behind Reagan until Jennifer disappears and then she asks for help from classmates that are at odds with each other. I found that to be a great example of courage and the reader will appreciate the effort it took. The chapters alternate between Now and Then which can be confusing at times, but Jennifer’s journal entries throughout the book are important and give the reader a better understanding of her. While this wasn’t a favorite of mine, I found that I appreciated it, particularly after reading the author’s notes at the end of the book. They give insights to her experiences in middle school and are worth reading.
Reviewer: RB
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