Books › Making friends
Making friends
272 pages
A chaotic, colorful, and deeply relatable magical romp through the awkward transitions of middle school.
What it feels like
Reading this graphic novel feels like opening a secret, brightly colored sketchbook where all your middle school anxieties have been brought to magical, chaotic life. The pacing is brisk and bouncy, propelled by expressive, manga-inspired artwork that perfectly captures the exaggerated emotional highs and lows of being a seventh grader. It balances a quirky, whimsical mood with genuine emotional stakes, exploring the very real pain of outgrowing old friends and the terrifying prospect of making new ones. The dialogue is snappy and authentic, grounding the fantastical elements in deeply relatable tween angst. It is an absolute delight for anyone who loves a blend of everyday school drama and supernatural hijinks, offering a warm, funny, and ultimately reassuring hug to anyone who has ever felt left behind by shifting social circles.
- Mood
- energetic
- whimsical
- angsty-but-warm
- Tone
- quirky
- earnest
- humorous
- relatable
- chaotic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- navigating changing friendships · middle school awkwardness · unintended consequences · self-acceptance
- The writing
- Snappy, authentic tween dialogue paired with highly expressive, manga-influenced illustrations that burst with color and kinetic energy.
- The arc
- Moves from the lonely anxiety of shifting social circles to a chaotic, magical realization of what true connection requires.
- Who it's for
- Tweens and graphic novel fans who love a blend of relatable school drama and quirky magical hijinks.
Content notes
- middle school social anxiety
- mild bullying
About the book
Sixth grade was SO much easier for Danielle. All her friends were in the same room and she knew what to expect from her life. But now that she's in seventh grade, she's in a new middle school, her friends are in different classes and forming new cliques, and she is completely lost. Danielle needs a perfect friend, but sometimes making (or creating) one is a lot easier than keeping one!
Description from Open Library.
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