About This Book
Reach for this book when your child returns from a new environment, like a summer camp or a new school, and feels like they no longer fit in with their old neighborhood friends. It speaks directly to the painful realization that personal growth can sometimes create a rift in long standing relationships. The story follows Claire as she returns to Florida for the summer, only to find that while she has evolved and matured, her best friends remain exactly as she left them. This chapter book explores themes of social alienation, the pressure to conform, and the specific brand of mean-girl dynamics that often emerge in middle school. It is developmentally appropriate for ages 10 to 14, capturing the authentic voice of a girl caught between who she used to be and who she is becoming. Parents will appreciate how it validates the loneliness of outgrowing a peer group while offering a mirror to the complex social hierarchies of young adolescence.
