The Best Friend Bracelet
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A tender, funny story about making—and keeping—friends, perfect for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.
At Hurston Middle School, best friendship is a big deal. And Zariah Brown makes the best best friendship bracelets in town. Business is booming; Zariah can hardly keep up with orders.
The problem is, Zariah doesn’t have a best friend of her own. As the entire seventh grade gears up for their big Pajama Jam weekend, it seems as if everyone else is paired up except her.
So Zariah pours her heart and soul into making the ultimate friendship bracelet, using a set of beads gifted to her by a mysterious woman. But the bracelet turns out to be a tiny bit . . . magical. In fact, anyone who puts it on instantly becomes Zariah’s best friend. Now all she has to do is find the perfect best friend and get the bracelet on them. Easy, right?
It turns out finding the ideal friend isn’t so simple, and things quickly spin out of control. Will Zariah ever find her true BFF, or is she destined to be alone forever?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Black middle schooler Zariah runs a friendship bracelet-making business with the goal of cementing friendships with clientele via her one-of-a-kind designs. When she's asked to make a bracelet for her former best friend, Zariah is conflicted. Once inspiration strikes, however, she produces her best bracelet yet using special beads from her favorite shop—and it seems different from the rest. Zariah excitedly showcases her new piece on social media, and when the creation goes viral, students are eager to know who will receive the extravagant gift. But after a classmate touches the bracelet and suddenly insists that Zariah is her bestie, Zariah wonders if the accessory can magically turn people into her BFF. Not everyone is as entranced by her creations, though, and when her parents set an ultimatum—improve her grades or shut down her business—Zariah's growing popularity is put in jeopardy. In this sentimental and kindhearted novel, Collier (The Many Fortunes of Maya) realistically presents adolescent angst as viewed through a thoughtfully realized protagonist whose avid internal reflection—influenced by a mite of magic—will inspire readers' own path toward personal introspection. Ages 8–12.
