5/22/2023 0 Comments Friends forever book shannon hale![]() ![]() Consider this a must-read for fans of Raina Telegmeier or Victoria Jamieson. An author’s note talks earnestly and age-appropriately about anxiety. ![]() Pham’s art is evocative in its simplicity detailed facial expressions add emotional depth and accessibility for even the most reluctant readers. ![]() ![]() Hale and illustrator Pham (working with colorist Sycamore) capture the nuances of a typical middle school life, balancing Shannon’s public woes with her inner conflicts and adding a fun dose of 1980s nostalgia. Shannon’s story is ultimately empowering, showing the satisfaction she feels following her own path. She captures the dynamic brilliantly: “Sixth grade friendships were like a game… / only as soon as I’d figure out the rules… / they’d change again.” In addition to laying bare the back-stabbing and cattiness, Hale also examines her struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies with openness and honesty. However, infighting and treachery proliferate, leaving Shannon feeling frequently off balance as she strives to fit in and suppresses things she enjoys. Now in sixth grade, young Shannon is a member of “the Group,” an assortment of popular and pretty girls that most notably includes best friend and group ringleader Jen and unrelenting mean-girl Jenny. After traveling the rocky road of elementary school friendship in Real Friends (2017), Hale returns with another graphic memoir delving even deeper into preteen tribulations. ![]()
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