Bad Best Friend
-
-
4.0 • 11 Ratings
-
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
Rachel Vail's powerful middle-grade novel proves once again that no one does tween better than she does!
Niki Ames can't wait to start eighth grade, that all-important year before high school. She and her best friend Ava have shared so many plans for the coming year. But then the unthinkable happens: at gym class pair-up, Ava chooses someone else to be her partner. Niki is devastated. It's clear that Ava wants to be part of the popular group, leaving Niki behind. Niki has to decide who her real friends should be, where her real interests lie. Meanwhile, life at home is complicated. Niki's nine-year-old brother Danny continues to act out more and more publicly. Their mother refuses to admit that Danny is somewhere on the autism spectrum, but it's clear he needs help. Niki doesn't want to be like her brother, to be labeled as different. She just wants to be popular! Is she a bad sister and a bad best friend?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
