Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is a razor-sharp, realistic portrayal of kids mismanaging their insecurities and coping by bullying others. Keller does a brilliant job of highlighting how uncomfortable it can feel to be unsure of yourself when someone else seems so comfortable and even proud of their quirks. Besides bullying and toxic friendships, this book also delves into race and microaggressions with regard to how Asians are often lumped together. This is another stellar work by Tae Keller that will resonate with kids and adults trying to be themselves and find their people.

Tae Keller has very quickly become one of my favorite middle grade authors writing right now. I'm so thankful that Netgalley gave me the chance to read this early, it's probably one of my favorite books of the year so far.

From the description I expected Jennifer Chan to be our protagonist, and while she is definitely the central focus of the book our protagonist is instead Mal one of Jennifer's friends. Mal is a complex and deeply relatable character who really felt like a window back into what it felt like to be a middle schooler.

Keller has a talent for writing an engaging contemporary, that feels all at once unique and like something you could or have experienced yourself. That gentle dash of a speculative element makes her realities seem just a little bit magical in the way that our own world does on occasion. I can't wait until I can get this book on my library shelves and it's going to be my go to recommendation for my middle schoolers now.

Tae Keller tells a heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting story of new girl Jennifer Chan and her bullies. The account feels all too real as Keller used her own middle school experiences in the writing. This is an important book for this age group as they struggle to find their identities as individuals at a time when it’s easy to just follow the crowd. This empathy building title will be featured front and center in my middle school library. Thank you Tae Keller for another winner!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book really blew me away. I wish I had this when I was an adolescent, and I recommend it for kids and adults alike. As a teacher, I am constantly being asked questions by parents about changing friendships for middle schoolers. Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is the best book I have ever read about friendships, especially between girls. Mal is best friends with Reagan and Tess, and the three together find it too easy to be mean. When Mal meets Jennifer Chan over summer break, they form a friendship that Mal knows will never last the meanness of school. Jennifer is sweet, believes in aliens, and one-hundred percent true to herself. Keller writes each character with so much depth and compassion that you both love and admire Jennifer, and also understand why Mal struggles so much with standing up to Tess and Reagan even when she knows the bullying they inflict on Jennifer is awful. Two other characters, Ingrid and Kath, help Mal have the confidence to confess her mistakes, and try to do right. They are also brilliant young women. There's so much to look up to in this book.

Honestly, there were moments when I needed to put the book down because the bullying felt too real. Keller really shows you kids in all sorts of different personal and family situations, and how they might lead to being cruel to others. What kept me reading is that Keller also shows you how people can grow and change, especially if they have loved ones rooting for them and willing to forgive them.

Lastly, as an Asian woman, I really appreciated two main characters--Mal and Jennifer--being Asian, and how they embody and wrestle with their identities differently.

I really loved this book that has so much heart, and gave me so much to think about.

Thank you, NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars for the book, 1 million stars for the Author's Note.

This book. Wow. It brought back so many memories of my own middle school years, those sometimes awful moments where life just seems so hard. Does it get better? Yes. Does knowing that make it any easier when you're in those years? No.

The main character, Mallory, was incredible relatable. A former non-popular kid now turned popular, she is not quite mean, but she doesn't yet know how to speak up against bullying. The conflict that she faces reminds me of my own early teenage years. Because it's something that we all worry about. If I speak up against the bully, will the bully then turn on me?

Mallory befriends Jennifer, the new girl, when she moves into her neighborhood over the summer. But Jennifer is different. Weird. For starters, she believes in aliens. Like truly believes in them. She keeps a journal of alien notes and possible encounters, and she spends a lot of her time searching for aliens. So when Jennifer goes missing? Mallory knows that Jennifer is out there, searching for aliens. But why did Jennifer run away now? That's what the true meaning of this story is all about.

I loved it. The quirkiness, the fleshed out characters, the uncomfortableness of middle school. As my own fifth grader gets ready to start her own middle school journey in a few months, I can't help but be nervous and terrified for her. She's not popular. She's not cool. And while she doesn't believe in aliens, she thinks she's a cat and role plays cat fantasy books all the time. I'm not sure if middle school, in all it's fake coolness and ruthlessness, will accept her innocent and loving ways.

Despite my fears, or maybe because of them, I'm beyond grateful that books like this exist for her and other "not cool" kids to read. Just like Jennifer, she embraces what makes her different. Just like Jennifer, she refuses to hide that part of herself. But unlike Jennifer, I hope she knows that she isn't alone.

Content warnings for bullying, mild violence, peer pressure, death of a parent (off page), and racism.

This is a powerful, coming-of-age story that focuses on the impact of bullying. Keller does an exemplary job of showing the repercussions of bullying, not just to the target of the attack, but to all parties involved. What makes this novel such a stand-out is that it does covey a deep moral lesson, but it still keeps a light tone throughout. With bullying being so endemic in our school systems, this book really should be required reading in the school curriculum.

As for the writing... This is a character driven novel with wonderful character development. All of the characters feel distinct and authentic and there's a good representation of diversity. The language flows beautifully. It's casual and conversational, yet completely engaging. I had a hard time putting it down and basically read the whole thing in a day. There were smile-worthy moments and tear-jerker moments. And in the end, I walked away feeling like I am a better person for having read this book.

P.S. Make sure to read the author's note on this one (especially if you read this book as an adult). I know it's a section that often gets overlooked, but this one is powerful and educational and is also a tear-jerker.

A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mal, Reagan, and Tess are the three popular 7th grade girls, and they know how things are (and how things are supposed to be) at their school. However, when new girl Jennifer Chan moves from Chicago to "Nowhereville, Florida," she disrupts the status quo. Jennifer Chan has a firm sense of who she is and what she believes in (including aliens), and when she starts to impart that on next-door-neighbor Mal, friendships change and Mal questions her actions. And then the Incident happens and Jennifer Chan disappears.

With help from the not-popular Kath and Ingrid, Mal goes on a mission to find Jennifer Chan. Days pass by, and Mal begins to find herself, at the risk of new and old friendships.

Tae Keller is my new favorite author for middle school readers! This book is great for tweens who want realistic stories about middle school. This book had me absolutely hooked. I wanted to stay up late reading the book, and I probably read it in just two sittings. There's so much packed into this book: new kids at school, bullying, racial identity (Jennifer Chan is Chinese, Mal is Korean, and Kath is both Black and Jewish), aliens, and what it means to be kind. Absolutely love this book.

Jennifer and her mother move in across the street from Mallory and they are thrown together by their mothers. Middle school is going to be hard enough without having the new girl tagging along and telling everyone she believes in aliens. Mallory knows her friends Reagan and Tess are not being fair to Jennifer, but Mallory doesn’t have the nerve to go against them and speak up for Jennifer. Then Jennifer disappears – right after an “incident” in the bathroom with the 4 girls. Can Mallory use Jennifer’s journal to help find her and maybe correct the wrong she was part of?

From Newbery Medal winning author Tae Keller, Jennifer Chan is Not Alone is a book about handling middle school [bullies] and aliens.

The new girl, Jennifer Chan is missing, and it’s the talk of the town. Jennifer believes in aliens, and Mallory (Jennifer’s neighbor) and her friends are up to the challenge of finding Jennifer, because Mallory was the first to know about her belief in aliens. She was, up until right before the “Incident” when Mallory, Reagan, and Tess (Mallory’s friends) treated Jennifer terribly. Mallory recognizes what she did was wrong. From a strange noise at the school assembly to receiving signals on the radio, Mallory becomes more convinced Jennifer has been abducted by aliens. Will Mallory, Kath, and Ingrid be able to save Jennifer?

After reading, this book will have you wondering if aliens are actually real, especially because it leaves you off on a cliffhanger! I’d love to see a sequel for this, too! Tae Keller’s beautiful writing impacts this book in a great way. Here is my favorite quote from this book:

“We push each other away. We pull each other close. We hurt each other. Then we help.”

This quote contributes to the lesson of this story, to forgive others for things they have done to you, because we are human, and we all make mistakes. You can see this between the relationships of the main characters in this book, and how Mallory helps find Jennifer after realizing what she has done was not right.

❕Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children’s for this eArc.
❕This book will be released on April 26, 2022.
❕ If you’ve not already read When You Trap a Tiger by the same author, it’s amazing and I’d recommend it to you for sure!

Thanks for reading this review!
Happy Reading!

Don't miss Newbery award winning author Tae Keller's latest title! Realistic and strongly drawn characters that will have readers anxious to turn pages. Satisfying plot line. Keller creatively blends multiple middle school issues of being the new kid, friendship and bullying without being didactic. Don't miss!

Jennifer Chan is Not Alone by Tae Keller is a touching and heartfelt story about bullying, belonging, and navigating who we are (or were) during the middle school years. It's based on the author's own experience with bullying and trying to understand who we are when we need to stand up for what is right and be true to our friends.

I would recommend this book for young children and middle schoolers. I really liked the author's writing style and the depth of the characters.

#JenniferChanIsNotAlone #NetGalley @RHCBEducators

I loved Tae Keller’s novel, When You Trap A Tiger, so I was really excited to get a chance to review this new novel from her. The book is different from When You Trap A Tiger, but the narrative that Keller has woven is just as stunning.

The book deals with bullying, friendship, and believing in something bigger than ourselves. And though I’m way past my teenage years, I was brought back to those times where I experienced bullying myself and felt different than those around me at school, while I wanted to be individual but also wanted to fit in.

I recommend reading this book with your children to cultivate a conversation about those topics as well as showing that no matter how much we’ve messed up, we can always work to become better. Oh and also, talking to your parents is a GOOD thing!

Jennifer Chan is new to town and all the kids at Gibbons Academy have been talking. Mallory’s mom makes a pie to take over to be a welcoming neighbor and introduce the two girls. The real kicker? When Jennifer takes Mallory up to see her new bedroom, she tells her she believes in aliens and has been trying to find them! Fast forward, Mallory and her friends find out that Jennifer is missing and the three of them start to worry that it’s because of the Incident and what they did to her. Mallory is all sure though that aliens are the real reason she’s gone, and sets out to find Jennifer… Can she make things right again?

This book was about anxiety, bullying, popularity, and self acceptance and the acceptance of others. As someone who has always been filled with anxiety, I felt that all the points and feelings brought up that Mallory experiences were brilliantly written and so impactful, and I wish I had read a book like this one growing up. Bullying is also another very important topic, and I absolutely loved the portrayal of bullies who seemed to not care that they hurt people, bullies who were very conflicted but didn’t know what to do, and bullies that bullies because they themselves felt so small. I liked that Jennifer Chan is Not Alone didn’t just say “bullying is bad”, but instead gave a full picture of the impacts it can have all around.

The writing style was beautiful, the message was wonderful, the aliens were a fun way to incorporate being different, and the main character felt very believable. The one thing I will say is just that I wish there had been a little more character development of the rest of the characters in order to get a better view of the bigger picture of these lives involved, but I think that most of the important things were addressed regardless of that.

Overall this was a great read and I would highly recommend if you’ve got any younger kids that like to read!

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is a book about one thing, but really it's a much deeper and powerful message. Jennifer Chan is the new girl, and her story is told by her neighbor Mallory. Mallory is excited to have someone her age in the neighborhood. She also has to figure out how Jennifer, who has lots of interests including exploring the existence of aliens, fits with her current friends. Because the reality is, her other friends just don't want to build that relationship with Jennifer. More than anything, this is a book about what healthy friendship looks like, and those moments when we realize friendships just might not be the best for us anymore. This is told through Mallory who has to encounter some tough truths, and seeing it through her eyes is especially powerful. This is such a powerful read on the true dynamics of friendships for kids, and this is such an important topic. Also, this book has an author's note at the end, and it is an essential read to understand the importance of this story. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this April 2022 release.

A very intense ending for a middle school book dealing with bullying and self identity. Jenifer, the new girl, believes in aliens which puts her in position to be ridicules and bullied. Has the theme of "the mean girls". While searching for Jennifer gathers different "friends", "ex friends of Mallory, Mallory has to search within herself what kind of person she wants to be.

I really liked this. I liked the writing and how realistic the characters were and that it showed how mean kids could be because of their own insecurities. Overall, I think it had a good message.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy*
I had no clue what this book was about going into it, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I read! I was curious how Keller was going to follow up their Newbery Award winning book. This is just as lyrically masteriful as When You Catch a Tiger. Keller is great at dealing with tough topics for Middle grade with an almost fantastical story. This time it is with Aliens.
At the core, this book is about bullying and the social hierarchy of Middle school. I appreciated the nunce that Keller brings to this situation. While the story is mostly told from one of the instigators, it delves into how maybe the bully is not aware of what they are doing and or doing it from peer pressure. However, it also never makes room to excuse the bullying and make the instigators the victims. This book shows the real pain of being bullied and people should definitely read the author's note at the end.
I rated this four and a half stars. Mainly because at times I was getting frustrated at how the main character was acting and her lack of standing up. However, I think this will appeal to many kids, especially those who don't fit with the mold.

A girl alienated for believing in aliens.
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Mallory Moss loves being popular and having the best friend ever in Reagan. When a new girl moves into the neighborhood Mallory quickly realizes that she is very different from her and her friends, but with no one to hang out with during the summer, she befriends her. Now back at school Mallory feels awkward around Jennifer Chan, the new girl people are teasing for not caring how she looks or acts and for believing in extraterrestrials. When Jennifer goes missing after Mallory and her friends gang up on her, Mallory believes it’s up to her to fix things and help find Jennifer.
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This middle grade book does an incredible job of describing bullying and what it’s like to be bullied for being different, as well as being ganged up on. Please make sure you read the author’s note as Keller describes her own experiences with bullying that brought an authenticity to the writing that really shown throughout the pages of this novel. Thank you @librofm for the audiobook. Grab your copy when it releases on 4.26.
CW: bullying, parental abandonment, missing child, death of a parent

4 ⭐️

Tae Keller books never fail. I loved this one, especially looking at friendships in middle school. And the cover!!

Jennifer Chan is missing. That's the first thing the reader learns. As the book progresses, told from Mallory's viewpoint, we learn that perhaps Mallory had something to do with this. Mallory, like many middle school students, struggles to fit in, and after finally making it into the "inner circle" with the cool kids, she doesn't want anything to change that.

But Jennifer has moved in across the street, and she's interesting and sort of strange. Mallory thinks it's admirable that Jennifer doesn't seem to care about social constructs, but she doesn't think it's THAT admirable. In other words, she wants to hang out with Jennifer at home but not at school.

Keller adds another layer to that and that is Jennifer's love of all things space and especially space aliens. It is a way for her to stay connected to her father who recently passed away. This is the place for me where things got a little weird. I thought Jennifer's fascination bordered a bit on obsession and it didn't feel real to me.

When Jennifer goes missing, Mallory tries to enlist the help of some people she left behind in her quest for popularity. That takes some work.

The chapters are divided between "Then" and "Now" and they help build the tension and the back story, to help you better understand what happened. The girl drama is honest, harsh, and very real.
For anyone who has ever experienced bullying, this will read true. Keller includes an Author's Note where she reflects on the very real and humiliating bullying she experienced in middle school. Those are the parts I liked.

I just couldn't connect with Jennifer's, and later Mallory's fascination with and attempts to reach aliens. However, because bullying is really at the forefront of this novel, I believe it would be a worthwhile book to have on middle grade teachers' shelves. (less)