Kiss

Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling with the painful realization that they and their childhood best friend are growing up at different speeds. It is particularly helpful for children who feel like 'outsiders' or who cling to imaginative play while their peers are pivoting toward dating and social status. The story follows Sylvie, a creative fourteen year old who is devastated as her lifelong best friend, Carl, begins to pull away and seek a different social identity. It explores the pressures of fitting in, the fear of losing one's oldest confidant, and the confusing boundary between friendship and first love. Parents will appreciate Jacqueline Wilson's trademark honesty in depicting the awkwardness of puberty and the social hierarchies of high school. It is a validating choice for kids who feel 'young' for their age but are facing very adult social expectations.