Penny Draws a Best Friend

hardcover

Synopsis

“Perfectly captures the hilarity, anxiety, and silliness of being a kid. A charming, zippy read that will keep you smiling all book long.” --Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author of Disney’s Descendents

Why does the cubby room always smell like farts? Who etched the words "I Am Bug Man" inside my desk? Why is Mom suddenly acting like she has a secret?

Nobody said starting fifth grade would be easy, and Penny Lowry's anxiety means a million questions are always spinning through her thoughts. Luckily she's got a lot to look forward to, like her favorite after-school activity, Art Club, and seeing her best friend Violet again after spending the whole summer apart.

The thing is, Violet has been acting weird ever since she got back. She never wants to hang out anymore, says Art Club is for babies, and spends all her time with Riley, the meanest girl in school. Did Penny do something wrong? And if she did, can she undo it?

In this heavily-illustrated, hilariously sweet introduction to a lovable kid working on managing her anxiety, the author of the #1 bestselling Pretty Little Liars series gets to the heart of how to let go of the friends who aren’t right for you . . . and how to make room for the ones who are.

Author

Sara Shepard is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, as well as the series The Perfectionists. She graduated from New York University and has an MFA from Brooklyn College.

Praise

“Imbued with humor, colorful characters, and the perilous dilemmas of childhood . . . Shepard carefully and successfully walks a tightrope in her treatment of Penny’s worries by validating her feelings while suggesting that they should not be the only thing that guide her actions and choices. The epistolic format and the quirky, lovable main character will appeal to fans of Rachel Renée Russell’s Dork Diaries and Svetlana Chmakova’s Brave.” —The Bureau of the Center for Children's Books

“A bright and emotionally accessible story full of wit and warmth.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will likely relate to [Penny's] concerns . . . This new series comes straight from the heart.” —Booklist

“A great new series to help new middle graders figure out and process their new world.” —Book Riot