Friend Friday

I've been a fan of Frances O'Roark Dowell since I read her Chicken Boy. In nearly every book she writes, she takes us into the life of a little kid dealing with big stuff. Her work is honest, true and brimming with heart.

Still on my to-read pile is her newest, The Second Life of Abigail Walker.

After reading this review by Kirkus, I cannot wait to crack open that beautiful cover:
 
When Abby’s one-time friend whispers to her, “You’re dead,” Abby knows it’s true. Maybe not dead physically, but dying inside. Avoiding Georgia and Kristen, who make snarky remarks about her weight in the lunchroom, the sixth-grader makes new friends, including two Indian-American boys whose easy tolerance is refreshing. . . As she did in The Secret Language of Girls (2004) and its sequel, The Kind of Friends We Used to Be (2009), Dowell weaves themes of friendship and personal growth into a rich and complex narrative.  . . Middle school mean girls are not uncommon, in fiction or in life, but seldom has an author so successfully defeated them without leaving her protagonist or her reader feeling a little bit mean herself. (Kirkus)

Congratulations, Frances!