Real Friends is a semi-autobiographical offering by Shannon Hale. It is aptly titled, because I think everyone encounters some level of the friend problems that are the focus of this book. It definitely feels like she took a peek into the lives of many of us when she shares her experiences. My only criticism of this book is that not all of the story bits were resolved at the end of the book; however, she acknowledges in the end matter that several of the relationships in her life that were portrayed in the book were not resolved, and therefore were not resolved in the storyline. All in all, I think it is a highly relatable book that many of my middle grade readers will identify with and enjoy.

I"m not sure who the intended audience was for but many of the pop culture references was lost on my 5th grade son. The message about friendship and bullying was understood but the deeper mental health issues with Shannon and her sister could have been developed more. This book would be a good conversation starter with a therapist or parent. My son gave it a 6 out of 10.

The art and the writing do a great job to tell the story. This is a great story to share with kids and to start a conversation about bullying.

A sweet story about the perils and pitfalls of elementary school friendship. Shannon Hale writes about her childhood with honesty, admitting that she was an overly sensitive and anxiety ridden little girl, who magnanimously, and loudly FORGAVE her sister when she felt she was being mistreated. (And didn't understand why her huge show of forgiveness made her sister even angrier.) Her problems with anxiety and OCD are made worse by her struggles to find a solid place in The Group, a clique of popular girls in her class. Although little Shannon considers herself best friends with Adrienne, one of girls in The Group, she is unsure of her constantly changing status with queen bee Jen, and mean girl Jane.

This would be a comforting book for young girls to read. It is honest in its memories of how cruel children can be, even to their own siblings. It accurately portrays how lost children feel, and how even attentive loving parents can reach the end of their rope with sibling conflict. The book has something of a happy ending, but it feels hard won, and somewhat bittersweet, and in the author's note Hale says that there were things that she did not handle well about the situation she was in at the end of the book. There's some touching realizations little Shannon comes to when she first begins to see her older sister as someone very similar to herself, a girl who has trouble making friends, and that story feels much more complete than the story of Shannon's problems with her classmates.

Also, the religiously sensitive should be warned: there is a lot of talk of scriptures, and Jesus. I gather from the details Hale included that she is of the Mormon faith. I'm pretty cynical of children's books that talk a lot about religion (when it has nothing to do with the other themes of the book, that is) but I didn't mind it too much in this book, mainly because it wasn't written in a preachy, or judging way. Church and Bible study was clearly a big part of Hale's childhood, and she simply brought her memories of it into her story. I appreciated that she talked about her less than perfect thoughts and actions -- as a child she liked to paint herself as the martyr tortured by her cruel, heathen siblings during family Bible study, and she made promises to Jesus in her bedtime prayers that she had no intention of keeping. (There was also the business of "forgiving" her sister, which I found hilarious since fake forgiveness is my pet peeve about Christian religions.)

All in all, an excellent book about bullying and how hard it is for girls of any age to balance friendships. This book made me want to read the other graphic novels written by Shannon Hale, and illustrated by LeUyen Pham.

Readers that adore graphic novel memoirs like Smile, Roller Girl, and El Deafo will absolutely LOVE this book. The storytelling is on point and accurate when it comes to the feelings and thoughts of an elementary school-aged girl, while the artwork brings that inner world to vivid life. I plan on giving this book to everyone, from Wimpy Kid readers to Dork Diary lovers - definitely a recommended purchase.

So many familiar moments in this coming of age memoir told via the graphic novel format. Well done!

Two of my favorite kidlit superstars team up for this heartfelt graphic novel that's perfect for fans of Smile or Sunny Side Up. Shannon Hale's memoir of struggling to make and keep Real Friends during her elementary school years is accessible and poignant. This is a book that will strike a chord with many young readers. LeUyen Pham's expressive artwork is a perfect match for the story and text. I have long been a fan of her work and I'm thrilled to see more longform art from her. In the acknowledgements, Pham says that Hale's story could very well be her own (another testament to how universal and needed this story is) and it shows in the care she takes with the artwork. This is a must-purchase for library and classroom collections!

Shannon Hale shines again! This is a must read for everyone. Bullying is hard and most people have experienced being bullied in some way. This is a great story and brought back memories from grade school, some good and some bad. But I think it is something everyone should add to their list, and be placed into children's hands especially if they have ever felt singled out.