Middle Grade Review: Dear Jackie

Jackie likes wearing comfortable clothes. She doesn't like pink clothes. She doesn't like frilly clothes. She's not interested in makeup. She isn't crushing over any boys - including her best friend who happens to be a guy. But all the other girls in middle school seem interested.

Everyone keeps bugging her to change. Jackie likes herself just the way she is. Why does no one else seem to?

Then she comes up with a brilliant idea. She'll write a secret admire letter that will let everyone know. And for a while it works - until it doesn't. 

My Thoughts: I loved this graphic novel. I felt so bad for Jackie and how everyone kept asking her to change. I wanted to give her a giant hug. I thought her solution was clever. There were some bad friendship moments in this book that were forgiven. Just like in middle school there are mean girls and jerky boys. I'm just now realizing there wasn't any technology in this book: phones or social media. I love how the book went through the calendar year. And the back matter about how to fold a note made me feel super old. A fantastic book about middle school and relationships. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school or public library 

Middle Grade Review: Confessions from a Group Chat

Virginia has three best friends, but she doesn't always feel that they're friends. Virginia hasn't found her niche yet. Her friends pigeonhole her, making it hard for her to grow. In reality, Virginia hides her hobbies from her friends because she knows they won't "approve" because her hobbies are not cool. After a terrible fight, her friends leak her mean texts from the group chat on a school social media account run by students.

Viriginia knows it was wrong to make those comments. And most of them she didn't even mean. She felt pressured by her friends to be someone she doesn't want to be. Luckily, she has the help of her older sister and a new friend to guide her through this friendship crisis. 

My Thoughts: This one has ALL the friendship drama. I just wanted to give Virginia a hug. She had terrible friends (who were really bullies/mean girls). I loved her relationship with her new friend whom she texts when things go sideways.  They have great chemistry. I love the public librarian and how she tried to steer Virginia in different directions. I love how Virginia started playing around with photography and had conversations with her former friend about pictures. I loved the text messages in this one. This book was hard to read at times, but I also didn't want to put it down. Can't wait to see what Jodi Meadows writes next.

Cover Thoughts: Adorable

Why I Read This: I adored Bye, Forever I Guess by the same author

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have for school and public library collections