Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
Ah, the pain and drama experienced by young girls growing up! The Tween years mark a time of leaving the structure and familiarity of family life and routines. It's a time when a girl is trying to fit in and to simultaneously discover her identity. Life for these young women can become a minefield loaded with unexpected angst. Girls often find themselves thrust into a world of cliques, bullying, and vicious exclusionary tactics. Shannon Hale's memoir recounts her pain-filled struggle to find her place in the bizarre world of preadolescence. As a young child living in a large family, Shannon is often considered the timid one. Her neighbor Adrienne remains her best friend. When she enters school, the friendship dynamic began to shift. In the classroom and on the playground, new alliances are formed, leaving Shannon feeling confused and often excluded. A nucleus of her schoolmates becomes known as "the group". Shannon's joy in imaginative play and self-expression is at odds with the decision-makers of "the group." |
Let's Be Friends
Below is a book display featuring some of these middle school protagonists.
I used a paper doll template, available with a variety of hair and skin tones. It can be downloaded free from Kiki & Company. With a wee bit of paper scraps and markers I created an arrangement featuring some of these young heroines.
Get ready for an onslaught of book requests and obtain multiple copies of each title. This Middle Grade Girl Up display will send these graphic novels to flying off the shelves and into the hearts of young readers everywhere.
Friendship Bracelets
Two young friends spent several hours creating braided thread friendship bracelets. After braiding string got boring, it was time to move on to Sunburst wrappers. These adornments were a bit more time-consuming, but the girls decided that they were worth the effort. The bonus is, of course...candy! Try this tutorial to create one bracelet to share and one to keep. |
Companion Books
or You Can Never Have Too Many Friends
Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham Since childhood, Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends. But that is about to change when Shannon discovers "the group." |
War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks Jun has been awarded a scholarship at a prestigious girls' boarding school. She meets Cassie, who helps her cope with the life at Ellsmere. |
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole until... Astrid falls in love with roller derby and Nicole decides that she loves dance. Can their friendship survive their markedly different interests? |
Chiggers by Hope Larson Abby is back at summer camp. But it's not the same. Her friend Rose is a cabin assistant. The new girl Shasta is different from the others. Can Abby built a friendship with this unusual girl? |
Smile by Raina Telgemeier Life changes for Raina when she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. She must endure a long and painful series of dental procedures as she navigates the bewildering world of middle school. Will she ever smile again? |