December 1, 2019
An eighth grader's world is thrown into turmoil when her best friend publicly identifies another girl as such instead. Required to team up with a best friend in gym class, Niki's mortified when Ava chooses Britney, leaving Niki by default with "wonky, nerdy, wholesome" Holly, her best friend in third grade (before Ava moved here to Snug Island, Maine). Bonding with Holly and her friends holds little appeal. Niki's desperate to restore the status quo, but Ava won't answer her texts and now hangs out with the superpopular Squad. Confronted, Ava defends her behavior by attacking Niki, who's still mourning their lost friendship. Niki's social anxiety echoes her mother's. (She exhausts herself pretending that Niki's little brother, Danny, is doing fine; later, testing places him on the autism spectrum.) Niki feels guilty for repeatedly blowing off Holly, who single-handedly saves Danny's ninth birthday party. While Danny's needs and crises increasingly demand parental attention, Niki herself becomes a person of interest to neighbor and classmate Milo. Occasionally, the plot spirals into melodrama; Holly's mature intelligence and Ava's manipulative selfishness can seem excessive next to the perfect-pitch presentation of other characters, Niki especially. Danny--high-functioning but self-absorbed, sweet but annoying, impervious yet vulnerable--is an appealing standout among fictional characters on the spectrum, a fully rounded individual. Niki and her family are white, as are most--but not all--of her classmates. Vail's gift for channeling adolescent angst is the icing on this funny, moving tale. (Fiction. 10-14)
COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
February 24, 2020
Eighth graders Niki and Ava have been best friends since Ava moved to Snug Island, Maine, in third grade and claimed Niki from then-friend Holly. But now critical Ava needs a break. Niki strives to be what Ava wants, even as Ava begins hanging out with their class’s most popular girls. Holly works to befriend Niki again, despite their past, but Niki only wants Ava back—that and maybe to spend more time with her crush, Milo. Things at home are charged, too: Niki’s nine-year-old brother, Danny, has meltdowns that have led to the school asking that he be tested, while their mother tries to pretend everything is fine. It’s not until Niki attends a party where things go very wrong that she realizes what a good friend really is. The story contains powerful moments, and Niki is a relatable character, but it can be difficult to understand why she would want to remain friends with someone who is repeatedly unkind to her, and Ava’s sometimes overly explanatory dialogue makes her feel less developed than her counterpart. Ages 10–up.
March 1, 2020
Gr 5 Up-Eighth grader Niki Ames is trying to navigate the complexities of middle school friendship and feelings. Early on, she discovers her best friend, Ava, might not be her best friend after all. This sad realization prompts Niki to second-guess herself and her behaviors as she weighs each of her words and actions against how Ava may perceive her. She deals with the push-and-pull of texting; she regrets there isn't a delete for sending a message. She worries she'll tell people too much about her family, especially about her younger brother, who is on the autism spectrum. She has a loving and supportive family, but her brother's behavior can be challenging for both her and her parents. There is a plethora of middle school concerns that will prompt thought and discussion, including a first, and unwanted, kiss; maintaining and acquiring friendships; being and feeling left out; supporting siblings; and more. All are handled with Vail's deft hand and balanced with keen insight and a splash of humor. The story unfolds in Niki's authentic voice. The conflicts, though numerous, do not make this a "problem" novel but rather an insightful look at the dramas surrounding students in middle school. Readers will see good and bad elements of the many characters, just like real life, and will be curious to understand their behaviors. VERDICT This page-turning, solid friendship story will be savored by middle grade students. A welcome addition to library collections.-Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2020
Protagonist Niki has been best friends with Ava since the latter moved to their small Maine island in third grade. So Niki is crushed when, in eighth grade, Ava suddenly ditches her for the popular girls. She blames herself: she didn't give Ava enough attention; she's immature; she's annoying; and so on. Niki has a tendency toward negative self-talk; she dreams of having a time machine to "erase all my dorkiness." What's worse, she isn't sure what to do about the fact that she like-likes her next-door neighbor, and she's worried about her younger brother, Danny, who's undergoing testing for an autism diagnosis. To her surprise, however, Niki discovers that she isn't alone: her best friend before Ava, Holly, is there for her. And Holly is totally different from Ava; she shows Niki what having a real friend is like, teaching her that mistakes are, if not erasable, then forgivable. Through her protagonist's pitch-perfect narration, Vail re-creates the experience of being thirteen, from the awkwardness to the cutthroat friendship dynamics to the slang ("I'm fully tragic," Niki explains to her classmates about needing glasses). The subplot about Danny adds warmth to the drama; it's clear that Niki is a compassionate sister in a loving family, even though she doesn't always see it that way. With a few missteps, she gains confidence; by book's end, when she is finally able to stand up to Ava, it's with the knowledge that she is complete--and cool!--without her.
(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
March 1, 2020
Protagonist Niki has been best friends with Ava since the latter moved to their small Maine island in third grade. So Niki is crushed when, in eighth grade, Ava suddenly ditches her for the popular girls. She blames herself: she didn't give Ava enough attention; she's immature; she's annoying; and so on. Niki has a tendency toward negative self-talk; she dreams of having a time machine to "erase all my dorkiness." What's worse, she isn't sure what to do about the fact that she like-likes her next-door neighbor, and she's worried about her younger brother, Danny, who's undergoing testing for an autism diagnosis. To her surprise, however, Niki discovers that she isn't alone: her best friend before Ava, Holly, is there for her. And Holly is totally different from Ava; she shows Niki what having a real friend is like, teaching her that mistakes are, if not erasable, then forgivable. Through her protagonist's pitch-perfect narration, Vail re-creates the experience of being thirteen, from the awkwardness to the cutthroat friendship dynamics to the slang ("I'm fully tragic, " Niki explains to her classmates about needing glasses). The subplot about Danny adds warmth to the drama; it's clear that Niki is a compassionate sister in a loving family, even though she doesn't always see it that way. With a few missteps, she gains confidence; by book's end, when she is finally able to stand up to Ava, it's with the knowledge that she is complete�? and cool!�? without her. Rachel L. Smith
(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)