An outgoing boy befriends a quiet girl and pushes her to stand up for a cause they believe in.
José Elgueta for The Washington Post
Something to Say
By Lisa Moore Ramée
Ages 8 to 12.
Jenae is a loner. She is shy around other kids, and she hates to talk in class. Her mother encourages her to try harder, but Jenae prefers life as it is. She likes to hang out with her family, which includes her grandfather, an older brother and boisterous aunts and uncles.
Soon, though, a new boy at school starts to upend Jenae’s no-friends policy. Aubrey is loud and chatty. His dyed curls are so bright that, as Jenae says, “even a stuffed animal would be embarrassed to have hair that red.” Aubrey comes from Chicago, Illinois, he loves attention — and, strangest of all, he wants to get to know Jenae.
HarperCollins
The two have one common interest: Both are huge fans of an animated YouTube show about a brave, time-traveling girl named Astrid Dane. They watch each episode again and again, analyzing the mysteries she solves.
Before you know it, Aubrey is coming home with Jenae after school. They do homework together, eat snacks and laugh. Aubrey fits right in at her family’s Friday night fish fries.
But having a friend makes Jenae feel anxious. She’s sure that outgoing Aubrey will realize she’s too quiet for him — and will seek other friends. Jenae tries to push Aubrey away, which confuses him.
Things get worse when they are paired as debate partners for a school assignment. The topic is important to them: changing their school’s name. They want to honor Sylvia Mendez, a Latina girl whose family in the 1940s helped push California public schools to accept children of all races.
The thought of giving a speech makes Jenae feel sick to her stomach. Aubrey is excited because he can be on the prestigious debate team a year early if he and Jenae do well. Aubrey encourages Jenae to practice and downplays her fears.
Jenae gets more and more anxious. She messes up an informal talk in front of her whole class. She then decides to sabotage the debate assignment, even though it will bring down her one friend, Aubrey.
Finally, Jenae is forced to take a good look at herself. Will she ever find the courage to face her fears? And to do what needs be done?
Greenwillow HarperCollins You might also like . . . Two novels about shy kids and their surprising friendships. In “ Hello, Universe ,” (ages 9 to 13) by Erin Entrada Kelly, quiet Virgil and his guinea pig are trapped in the woods by a bully, with little hope of rescue — until several friends set out to find him. This superbly plotted book won the Newbery Medal in 2017. In “ Okay for Now ” (ages 10 to 14), by Gary D. Schmidt, people assume artistic Doug is like his father and older brothers, all of whom are bullies, so he keeps to himself. Then he meets a girl who seems to enjoy his company no matter how little he says. Young readers should look for “ Stoop Sale Treasure ” (ages 6 to 10), by Corey Ann Haydu, the first chapter book in the Hand-Me-Down Magic series. Can two cousins be best friends when they are so different? Alma and Del must figure out whether a pair of dangly, sparkly earrings is magical — or the cause of their trouble. Do you have a suggestion for a book or two related to our “True Friends” theme? Ask a parent or teacher to fill out the form at wapo.st/kidspost_YMAL by July 16, and we may publish your recommendation. In August we will send prize packages to three randomly selected kids who sent in suggestions.
Simon & Schuster Next time in book club The Million Dollar Race by Matthew Ross Smith Ages 9 to 13. Grant Falloon and Jay Fa’atasi are middle school track stars and best friends. They are used to competing against each other, but the stakes get higher when an athletic-shoe company creates an international contest to find the world’s fastest kid. The contest requires a birth certificate, and Grant discovers that his quirky parents never got him one. Determined to compete, Grant turns to his YouTuber brother to help create a fake birth country. As the scheme plays out, the kids realize there’s more at stake than the million-dollar prize.
Join the club The Summer Book Club is open to kids ages 6 to 14. They may read some or all of the books on our list. (Find a blurb for each book at wapo.st/kidspostbookclublaunch2021.) The first 700 kids registered will receive a flying disc. To join the club, children must be registered by a parent or guardian. To register, that adult must fill out our form at wapo.st/kidspostbookclub2021. If you have questions, contact kidspost@washpost.com.
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