About This Book
Reach for this book when your child comes home feeling like an outsider in their own social circle. It is a lifeline for the child navigating the painful shift of a three-person friendship where loyalties have begun to blur. The story follows Ellie and Amanda, whose long-standing bond is tested by the arrival of a charismatic new girl named Natalie. As Ellie finds herself pushed to the sidelines, the book explores the nuanced feelings of jealousy, invisibility, and the pressure to conform just to stay included. Parents will appreciate how Linda Newbery captures the quiet ache of middle-school social dynamics with a gentle, realistic touch. It is an ideal tool for normalizing the complicated feelings of social transition and helping children find the courage to stand up for their own value when group dynamics turn sour.
