Synopsis

Making friends and keeping those friends is more challenging than it may seem. Shannon Hale is kind, creative, and super funny. You would think these qualities would be all Shannon’s best friend. Adrienne would need to stay friends with Shannon only forever.  However, when Adrienne befriends Jen, everything begins to change. As new friends are introduced and a group called “The Group” is formed, can a great personality keep those old friendships together forever? Or are some friendships only meant to be temporary? Read for yourself in the graphic novel Real Friends. 

Review and Recommendation

Real Friends is an autobiography of the author Shannon Hale’s life, specifically during elementary school. It’s obvious this graphic novel was meant for younger audiences. The adolescent voice and tone accurately represent the author’s young life as she remembers it.  The plot unfolds smoothly and linearly, each chapter representing a new friend or friends she meets throughout her young life. The novel does a great job depicting the realities many young children face at school, struggling to find true friends that last a lifetime. The story reminded me of my struggles with friendship at that time in my life and the constant ups and downs of figuring out my identity and friendships that will keep. Overall, Real Friends is a touching and authentic portrayal of the ups and downs of childhood friendships. With its engaging narrative and relatable characters, it's a book that resonates with all readers, sparking meaningful conversations about empathy, acceptance, and the power of true friendship.

Cautions

*Spoiler Alert* (A spoiler alert is being issued because there are mentions of specific plot points that relate to the rating of this review.) 

Real Friends is a graphic novel intended for young readers. It contains some mild crude humor and depictions of bullying. However, I still recommend that this novel is acceptable for young readers.