Review by Booklist Review
The last thing Hannah Strafel wants after her longtime next-door neighbor and best friend Sophie moves away is a new neighbor or best friend. But, unexpectedly, she gets both when Emme Hoffman-Shields arrives, and the two fifth-graders learn they both love palindromes and swimming and even share the same birthday. However, as they discover differing interests and face separate challenges, from school to home, each fears growing apart. Happily, through ups and downs, they come to new understandings, including the importance of honesty, communication, and trust and that although commonalities may bring people together, differences can strengthen and enrich relationships, too. Mackler, author of The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (2003), here insightfully portrays the complexities of friendship and adapting to change. The girls' alternating first-person narratives occasionally blur, but lend depth to their individual and shared experiences, from confronting bullies, to insecurities, to adapting to a new sibling. Hannah's dad and stepmom and Emme's two moms (whose gay relationship is a nonissue) provide loving, reassuring presences throughout. Despite some predictability, an engaging, supportive read.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Hannah faces some emotional earthquakes in the waning weeks of the summer before fifth grade in this chipper, funny novel that explores the loyalties of family and friends. Things are bad enough now that Hannah's best friend and next-door neighbor, Sophie, has moved to Canada. Then Hannah's father and stepmother announce that they are expecting a baby, and a new family quickly moves into Sophie's house. When Hannah sees a girl arrive next door (wearing the exact tie-dye shirt Hannah is wearing!), she is determined not to like her. That proves impossible after Hannah meets Emme and learns that they share a birthday and a love of palindromes, peanut butter, and swimming, among other things. In her first book for middle-graders, Mackler (The Future of Us) warmly depicts the ebb and flow of this duo's relationship in alternating chapters narrated by each girl. Emme's two mothers and Hannah's parents form a supportive team during their daughters' first school year together; readers will enjoy spending time with this memorable pair as they, their friendship, and their families grow and change. Ages 8-12. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-The summer before fifth grade has been rough for Hannah. Her best friend next door moved away, her father and stepmother announced that they are expecting a baby, and a new girl has moved into her friend Sophie's house. New girl Emme and Hannah soon become best friends and even call themselves twins-they have the same birthday, love palindromes and peanut butter, hate pizza, come from nontraditional families (Emme has two moms), and swim competitively. Together the girls solve a bully problem, care for a sick cat, weather a big birthday disappointment, and help Hannah adjust to big family changes. When the girls begin to change, however, and to develop individual tastes and interests, they wonder if their friendship can survive. Tara Sands and Cassandra Morris narrate the girls' alternating chapters with much tween expression and give the adults suitably mature voices as well. Through them, Mackler gives voice to the common fears and challenges that preteen girls face, and shows that true friendship and supportive families can overcome many obstacles. VERDICT While the girls' reactions to some situations are sometimes overly dramatic, they offer positive solutions that will be appreciated by young listeners. ["Sure to find readers amongst young readers, this charming book will be a hit with fans of Meg Cabot's 'Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls' series": SLJ 4/1/15 review of the Scholastic book.]-MaryAnn Karre, formerly of the Binghamton City School District, NY © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Hannah is having a bad week. First, her best friend Sophie has moved three hundred miles away. Then, her dad and stepmom inform Hannah shes going to be a big sister and expect her to be thrilled -- shes so not. (Her stepmom -- the only mom shes ever known -- is in the process of adopting Hannah; does she still need a real child?) Moments after they drop the baby bomb, she meets Emme, the new girl next door, who has the nerve to move into Sophies old house. Its all too much. Luckily, Hannah eventually comes around, and how could she not? She and Emme have a ridiculous (and somewhat contrived) amount in common -- palindromic first names, same age and birthday (New Years Day), and they both love peanut butter and hate pizza. With humor and honesty, the two girls narrate alternating chapters, drawing readers in as they describe their friendship over the next six months as it grows then faces the usual setbacks -- differing interests, jealousy, misunderstandings. Mackler has a spot-on understanding of fifth graders and their emotional concerns, and details such as Hannahs first thought (the unfairness) at learning Emme has two moms (I dont even have one to call my own) display her inside knowledge of contemporary kids lives. jennifer m. brabander (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ten-year-olds Hannah and Emme have a lot in commonbut does that mean they have to be friends?Hannah's best friend, Sophie, has just moved away. The new girl, Emme, who moves in with her two moms to Sophie's house is oddly similar to Hannah. Both of their names are palindromes (which they love), they were both born on New Year's Day, and they both hate pizza. That should make it easy to become friends, but Hannah has also just found out that her parents are having a new baby. So many changes at once throw her life into a tailspin. As for Emme, being the new kid is never easy. It sure would help to have a friend. Writing in alternating chapters from Hannah's and Emme's points of view, Mackler gives a spot-on portrayal of the ups and downs of young friendships in her middle-grade debut. Strong emotions and insecurities abound. But so does laughter, loyalty, andpalindromes. Oh, so many palindromes! Mackler deftly weaves the thread of her plot between the two girls' tribulations and joys (at school and home) for a story that will resonate with any child who has ever struggled to parse the mysteries of friendship. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
