That's What Friends Do

Wow. This book is exactly what I needed when I was in 5th-6th grade. Cathleen Barnhart touches on much needed themes such as #metoo, consent, bullying, harmful gossiping, outgrowing friendships, female camaraderie, toxic masculinity—all laid out on the page with sensitivity and nuance. The story is......more

Literally could not put this one down! Teenage me would’ve loved this, and adult me did as well! There’s lots of exciting drama/misunderstandings, and the characters feel so real they jump right off the page. The alternating point of view works great to show how both characters see the same situatio......more

I loved this book! As a middle school educator, I have been waiting for a book that will open a conversation about consent and boundaries. This book does this so well for younger teens, but also goes deeper in to the implications of our actions on our friends and loved ones. By offering alternating......more

This is a really good examination of how confusing friendship, attraction, teasing, and gender roles are - especially in middle school. There were many things to like here - including the alternating perspectives, the range of issues and how they subtly influence each other (i.e. no one thing stands......more

There were parts of this story I appreciated, such as Sammie's mom telling her that none of the touching that happened by Luke and David was her fault. However, I feel that Luke's mental health was used as an excuse for his behavior towards Sammie. His character's actions felt very unresolved for me......more