Penny has anxiety. Her feelings teacher suggests she keep a journal/diary and she writes to her dog Cosmo. In the doodle rich journal Penny opens up about her feelings that she may be losing her best friend Violet and about maybe making new friends at school. Penny approaches every situation with her worry light on yet somehow seems to make this a very normal part of being in fifth grade. As Penny navigates friend issues and drama, a mother with a secret (is she dying?!?) and the school cafeteria, she begins to grow a little more comfortable in her own skin. Delightful.

Penny Draws a Best Friend is a delightful middle grade book that will resonate with many young readers. Penny is a fifth grader whose mind swirls with worries and questions. She finds herself at a crossroads at the start of fifth grade when her best friend Violet ditches her in favor of one of the school “mean” girls. Her story unfolds in the form of a diary written to her dog, Cosmo. Penny deals with managing her anxiety and with the ups and downs of growing up in ways that many readers will find relatable, especially the forming—and storming—of friendships. The illustrations sprinkled throughout the book added to the enjoyment of the story. I’m looking forward to sharing this one with readers at my school and to reading Penny’s next adventures in the sequel!

This is authentic middle grade and Penny is a relatable point of view character with so many real growing up concerns. She suffers from anxiety and worries about everything which often immobilizes her and causes her to miss out. The family is endearing and the friendship drama felt like reliving middle school for me. Penny's growth arc felt natural and I cheered her on throughout the book. The illustrations throughout are adorable.

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Readers will connect with Penny from the start. Navigating fifth grade brings challenges to everyone. Though they may not share Penny's concerns, they will relate to other characters in the story. Sadly, everyone has to deal with mean girls and friends who walk away for their own reasons.
Shepard captures the anxieties and concerns when a child struggles with something internally and is teased for it by others. Penny struggles with worrying. The book is told as a series of diary entries to her dog Cosmo. Her "feelings teacher" suggested she write about her feelings to help her process. Throughout the book, readers see Penny grow and learn about herself and about what makes a friendship work. Mid to upper elementary level readers will identify with Penny and the other characters as they all maneuver through fifth grade.