Audrey L and Audrey W: Best Friends-ish: Book 1

Description

Over the course of a week in school, this bighearted, true-to-life chapter book will resonate with any young reader who's ever felt overlooked, second-best, or defined by an initial. The first in a series, Best Friends-Ish provides a fresh take on the joys and traumas of elementary school drama. More than anything, second-grader Audrey wants to be the best at something. It always feels like she's not-quite-enough - not smart enough, not fast enough, not funny enough. When her beloved Miss Fincastle announces that a new girl, another AUDREY, is joining the class, Audrey suddenly becomes Audrey L., which makes her feel worse than ever. But is the new Audrey all bad? Might the two Audreys have more in common than just their name? And if the girls become friends, how will Audrey ever figure out how to be her best self - if she can't even be the best Audrey? Visually dynamic and narratively unique, this chapter book series is perfect for fans of Ivy + Bean, Deckawoo Drive, and The Penderwicks.

Carter Higgins is the author of many books for kids, such as Everything You Need for a Treehouse, Bikes for Sale, and Circle Under Berry. This is her first chapter book. She writes about picture books and graphic design at her blog, Design of the Picture Book. She live in Los Angeles, California. Jennifer K. Mann lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest where she tends chickens, dogs, cats, and her kids and husband, when they aren't tending her. Jennifer draws many of her ideas from her own life experiences, or those of her children - and yes, some of her characters are quite autobiographical.

"[S]ensitive and gently humorous. . . Higgins (Bikes for Sale; This Is Not a Valentine) captures the complicated dynamics of nascent friendships and perceived hierarchies through small moments that ring with authenticity and humor. Mann (The Camping Trip) drops thematic hints through chapter headers, while spot illustrations featuring moon-faced characters appear in shaded line drawings throughout the story. Well-paced chapters conclude satisfactorily while planting seeds for future installments to feature the classmates and Audrey L's 'funny... and weird' family. A natural fit for fans of odd-couple friendship stories like Ivy Bean and funny school stories like Jo Jo Makoons, this series starter promises double the fun."-Shelf Awareness "This delightful tale of friendship struggles and the uncertainties of school shines with humor and spirit. Mann's black-and-white line -illustrations help break up the text and nicely complement the two Audrey's adventures. . . . A great addition to libraries where memorable girls like 'Ivy + Bean, ' and 'Judy Moody' are popular."-School Library Journal "An instant companion for Ivy Bean and Clementine, this sweet series-starter holds plenty of promise."-Booklist "Mann's droll illustrations capture the full range of changing emotions and convey character diversity . . . Audrey L's struggles to establish herself within the chaotic social hierarchies of elementary school are endearingly authentic. Funny and engaging."-Kirkus Reviews "Higgins has a keen ear for both the chaos of elementary school classrooms and the turbulent inner lives of elementary aged kids . . . The text is simple and direct but often steeped in the sensorial, effectively conveying Audrey L's emotions . . . Black and white illustrations recall Quentin Blake's scratchy pencilwork muted with dappling shades of gray. Readers who've outgrown the first-grade escapades of Green's [Princess Posey and the First Grade Parade] but aren't quite ready for English's Carver Chronicles . . . will find their sweet spot with this easy reader."-The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "A rapport develops between two second graders in search of belonging in this crisply written chapter book debut, a series starter by Higgins (Circle Under Berry). . . . Straightforward plotting emphasizes Audrey L's emotional journey and the classroom dynamics, while sketchlike bw illustrations by Mann (The Camping Trip) break up the chapters. The Audreys make a winsome pair, and Higgins's empathic approach to storytelling promises more gentle hijinks as they navigate school and friendship."--Publishers Weekly