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Books in Friends for Keeps series

  • My Last Best Friend

    Julie Bowe, . Penguin Young Readers Group

    Paperback (HMH Books for Young Readers, May 1, 2008)
    As Ida May begins fourth grade, she is determined never to make another best friend--because her last best friend moved away. This is a doable plan at first. Thanks to bratty, bossy Jenna Drews, who hates Ida, no one in class has ever really noticed her before. It's when the sparkly Stacey Merriweather comes to her school that Ida's plan goes awry. Ida reaches out despite her fear but doesn't say hello--instead she writes Stacey anonymous notes. Soon their friendship develops without Ida ever having to reveal her real identity . . . until she has no choice. And that's when the true friendship begins.
    O
  • My Best Frenemy

    Julie Bowe

    Paperback (Puffin Books, June 2, 2011)
    Ida May finally fits in at school after becoming best friends with Stacey Merriweather, one of the popular girls. But then Ida's frenemy, bossy Jenna Drews, brings in a game of truth or dare, and all the girls are suddenly daring one another to misbehave. When Ida finds herself in the principal's office, she ends up ratting out her friendsÑwith disastrous consequences. The only way she can fix things is to take a triple-dog dare, but Ida May isn't sure she has the guts. Will her BFF come to her rescue, or is this the perfect job for a frenemy?
    N
  • My Extra Best Friend

    Julie Bowe

    Paperback (Puffin Books, July 11, 2013)
    Summer camp is more fun when you have Friends for Keeps! It's Ida May's first time at sleepaway camp, and her two BFFs, popular Stacey and highly organized Jenna, are also coming along. But when they arrive at camp, their bunkmate is the last person Ida expected to ever see again: Elizabeth Evans, her last best friend who moved away before the start of this series. Ida was heartbroken when Liz didn't answer her letters, and now Liz won't even apologize. All the other girls are ready to welcome Liz back, but Ida just can't be the peacemaker this time. Not until she and Liz talk. Chockablock with fourth-grade wisdom, laughter, jealousies--and apologies--this conclusion to the series is a must read for all Ida May fans.
    N
  • Friends for Keeps: My Forever Friends

    Julie Bowe

    Paperback (Puffin Books, June 14, 2012)
    Ida May is back in the fourth book of the beloved Friends for Keeps series! Friendships are shifting for Ida May, and all because Jenna and Brooke (former BFFs) are feuding. No one knows what started the fight, but soon the girls in class have taken sides, with Ida May stuck in the middle. Does Ida have what it takes to understand the true nature of Jenna and Brooke's friendship and figure out the way to bring them, and the rest of the class, together?
    T
  • My New Best Friend

    Julie Bowe

    Paperback (HMH Books for Young Readers, April 12, 2010)
    There's a new girl in town! After Ida May’s last best friend moved away, she swore she’d never have another. But then she met fun, sparkly Stacey Merriweather, and now she and Ida are like two peas in a pod. When the friends discover a magical mermaid night-light that seems to grant wishes, they start a secret club—just the two of them. Ida uses the mermaid to make something bad happen to Jenna, the mean girl in class. Then Stacey uses the mermaid to undo a scheduled math test. The more they put the mermaid's powers to use, the more they need to help it along by manipulating the truth with their "highly creative stories." Ida goes along with all the lies at first. But before long, Ida suspects that Stacey is using the mermaid to tell some big lies . . . and to cause some big trouble at home. And soon Ida feels caught between telling the truth and hurting friendship with Stacey. How will Ida set the record straight while still keeping her new best friend?
    O
  • My New Best Friend

    Julie Bowe

    Hardcover (Harcourt Children's Books, Aug. 1, 2008)
    There's a new girl in town! After Ida May’s last best friend moved away, she swore she’d never have another. But then she met fun, sparkly Stacey Merriweather, and now she and Ida are like two peas in a pod. When the friends discover a magical mermaid night-light that seems to grant wishes, they start a secret club—just the two of them. Ida uses the mermaid to make something bad happen to Jenna, the mean girl in class. Then Stacey uses the mermaid to undo a scheduled math test. The more they put the mermaid's powers to use, the more they need to help it along by manipulating the truth with their "highly creative stories." Ida goes along with all the lies at first. But before long, Ida suspects that Stacey is using the mermaid to tell some big lies . . . and to cause some big trouble at home. And soon Ida feels caught between telling the truth and hurting friendship with Stacey. How will Ida set the record straight while still keeping her new best friend?
    O
  • My Last Best Friend

    Julie Bowe, Jana Christy

    Hardcover (Harcourt Children's Books, April 1, 2007)
    As Ida May begins fourth grade, she is determined never to make another best friend--because her last best friend moved away. This is a doable plan at first. Thanks to bratty, bossy Jenna Drews who hates Ida, no one in class has ever really noticed her before. It's when the sparkly Stacey Merriweather comes to her school that her plan goes awry. Ida reaches out despite her fear, but doesn't say hello—instead she writes Stacey anonymous notes. Soon their friendship develops without Ida ever having to reveal her real identity. Until she has no choice. And that's when the true friendship begins. Debut author Julie Bowe tells a charming story that will win the heart of any girl who's faced her fear sideways.
    O
  • My Best Frenemy

    Julie Bowe

    Hardcover (Dial, May 13, 2010)
    Ida May finally fits in at school after becoming best friends with Stacey Merriweather, who is universally liked by their classmates. But then Ida?s frenemy, bossy Jenna Drews, brings in a game of truth or dare, and all the girls are suddenly daring one another to misbehave. When Ida finds herself in the principal?s office, she?s scared into ratting out her friends and gets freezed out of the group. The only way she can fix things is to take a triple-dog dare: letting one of the girls pierce her ears. Will her BFF come to her rescue, or is this the perfect job for a frenemy? Packed with fourth-grade jealousies, problems, misbehavior, and consequences, this third book about Ida May stands on its own.
    W
  • My Last Best Friend

    Julie Bowe

    Paperback (Sandpiper, May 1, 2008)
    As Ida May begins fourth grade, she is determined never to make another best friend--because her last best friend moved away. This is a doable plan at first. Thanks to bratty, bossy Jenna Drews, who hates Ida, no one in class has ever really noticed her before. It's when the sparkly Stacey Merriweather comes to her school that Ida's plan goes awry. Ida reaches out despite her fear but doesn't say hello--instead she writes Stacey anonymous notes. Soon their friendship develops without Ida ever having to reveal her real identity . . . until she has no choice. And that's when the true friendship begins.
    O
  • My New Best Friend

    Julie Bowe

    Hardcover (Harcourt Children's Books, Aug. 1, 2008)
    There's a new girl in town! After Ida May’s last best friend moved away, she swore she’d never have another. But then she met fun, sparkly Stacey Merriweather, and now she and Ida are like two peas in a pod. When the friends discover a magical mermaid night-light that seems to grant wishes, they start a secret club—just the two of them. Ida uses the mermaid to make something bad happen to Jenna, the mean girl in class. Then Stacey uses the mermaid to undo a scheduled math test. The more they put the mermaid's powers to use, the more they need to help it along by manipulating the truth with their "highly creative stories." Ida goes along with all the lies at first. But before long, Ida suspects that Stacey is using the mermaid to tell some big lies . . . and to cause some big trouble at home. And soon Ida feels caught between telling the truth and hurting friendship with Stacey. How will Ida set the record straight while still keeping her new best friend?
    O
  • My New Best Friend

    Julie Bowe

    Paperback (Sandpiper, April 12, 2010)
    There's a new girl in town! After Ida May’s last best friend moved away, she swore she’d never have another. But then she met fun, sparkly Stacey Merriweather, and now she and Ida are like two peas in a pod. When the friends discover a magical mermaid night-light that seems to grant wishes, they start a secret club—just the two of them. Ida uses the mermaid to make something bad happen to Jenna, the mean girl in class. Then Stacey uses the mermaid to undo a scheduled math test. The more they put the mermaid's powers to use, the more they need to help it along by manipulating the truth with their "highly creative stories." Ida goes along with all the lies at first. But before long, Ida suspects that Stacey is using the mermaid to tell some big lies . . . and to cause some big trouble at home. And soon Ida feels caught between telling the truth and hurting friendship with Stacey. How will Ida set the record straight while still keeping her new best friend?
    O
  • Friends for Keeps: My Forever Friends

    Julie Bowe

    Hardcover (Dial Books, July 7, 2011)
    Friendships are shifting for Ida May, and all because Jenna and Brooke (former BFFs) are feuding. No one knows what started the fight, but soon the girls in class have taken sides, with Ida May stuck in the middle. Does Ida have what it takes to understand the true nature of Jenna and Brooke's real friendship and figure out the way to bring them, and the rest of the class, together?
    V