The audio cast is fantastic! The narration captures the feelings of anxiety so well, and I was able to reflect on how much my middle school self could relate to the feelings and processings of Shannon. The tensions and ever changing anxieties of friendships and navigating the dynamics of middle school felt very authentic.

I Listened to this title with my grandson on a longer trip. The cover was what attracted him to this title on my Netgalley shelf and he started the book on his own while I was driving. He liked some of it and also talked about some of the messages such as Rules are always changing and how do I know? He liked it but I believe it was above his head and he said and I quote "No one has time for all this." I should have known it was too long for his tastes but I do want to say that I enjoyed it. I recommend it for a bit older than 7 though. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Macmillan Audio, #Macmillan Young Listeners for the advanced Readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was good! I liked the characters and the setting. The author writes good too!!
I hope to read more by this author in the future! Looking forward to it!

This was so painfully true to what middle school and friendship was like. It was a lovely, but sometimes difficult read with all the embarrassment remembering that time can bring back up. I thought it worked really well as an audiobook and narration and sound editing really brough the book to life.

I listened to the audiobook of this graphic novel, and I was skeptical at first as to how well a visual format could be translated to audio. However, it was PERFECT! The multiple narrators and sound effects made the story easily understandable, and I actually enjoyed how the story felt more like a radio drama than a typical audiobook. I could see how it would also be amazing to read the graphic novel while listening to the audiobook.

My younger self would have LOVED the story, too. Shannon is starting 6th grade and struggling with the transition between young girl and young woman. She and her friends are growing apart and there seems to be so many new "rules" about what is cool. If she doesn't watch the right shows, listen to the right music, and say the right things, then she is suddenly on the outside of the friend group. This is such a realistic story while still being entertaining. Readers at this age will love how relatable Shannon is.

Fantastic cast for this audiobook of Shannon Hale's Bests Friends, a middle grade graphic novel which is a follow-up to her Real Friends. Hale recounts her sixth grade year (with some name changes and timeline shifts, per her author's note) in a way that all readers can relate to - middle school students or adults! An added bonus was the fact that Hale and I are around the same age - so her flashbacks of TV shows, actors, and songs brought back some nostalgia for me. A must-have for your middle schooler, classroom, or library shelf!

This is one of my favorite middle grade novels. I enjoyed the audiobook adaptation and highly recommend it or the graphic novel. It is a memoir that follows Shannon as she deals with the ups and downs of middle school while struggling with anxiety. Even though this is set over 30 years ago, it is still very relatable. This is the second book in the series but it can read as a standalone.

Oh my gosh, I can’t believe how fun being a six grader can be! Best Friends, which I believe is a second book of the series has literally reminded me how it feels to be a tween, navigating through awkward stages of growing up, finding out what my choices, my likes and dislikes were and how messy kid friendships can be when conflict arise. But, for the most part, how friends actually builds the best memories we all can have!

Special thank you to MacMillan Audio for sending me a widget to listen to in exchange of an honest review.

Wonderful middle school book. Shannon reaches into her own past to write a story that is truly wonderful about the pitfalls and dangers of friendship in the 6th grade!

I listened to this audiobook but I also downloaded a the graphic novel so I could enjoy the illustrations too, I will say they are a bit different do a read long is a little different but both are so good!

the audiobook is a full cast narration by, Carlotta Brentan; Dean Hale; Dinah Hale; Helen Laser; Jeremy Carlisle Parker; Mark Sanderlin; Marni Penning; Mia Jenness; Michael Crouch; Rob Brinkmann; Shannon Hale; Wren Hale. The narration and sound effects were all fun and added to the enjoyment of this audiobook.

I think this would be a great book for a road trip that may entice some discussions with your kids if they have gone through any of the things that 6th grade Shannon went through.

4 Stars

I received this book from the publisher Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

This was darling! I loved this story of a middle grade girl, growing up (all the awkwardness) and trying to figure out life and friendships. The full cast audiobook was great with all the sound affects. The sound affects were the most enjoyable during the story within the story. I also appreciated that it touched on anxiety. The Author’s note was great and so necessary for kids!

My girls have loved every Shannon Hale book they have encountered!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

Anytime I review a kid's book I always ask myself one question when I’m done. Would I purchase this for my niece or nephew? The answer with Best Friends is yes.

The story follows Shannon and gives the young readers a lot of dos and don'ts when it comes to friendships. As you get older so much changes when it comes to friends and Shannon is dealing with it all through the short story.

Are girls friends with boys? Is it ok for girls and boys to play together? The answer to these questions are here and they are so relatable. This definitely brought me back to my school days and made me nostalgic for a much simpler time.

My favorite part of this audiobook was after the book was over and the author sat down with her kids and discussed the book. This part felt so wholesome and genuine. This is what parenting goals should be based on.

I liked the full cast narration. It was a fun story with good lessons and an interesting narrator. My students would really like this book.

4 stars

I "read" this book as an audio file and let me tell you, the audio file was too busy! It was sort of interactive I'm that they included a lot of background noise. Made me feel as if I was listening to a show that I had put the screen down on...and not in a good way.
The story was good buy the narration was distracting.
I'm sure the graphic novel will be better.

I listened to the audiobook of this one and really enjoyed the fun dramatization that the producer/author did. Fun music, multiple narrators to represent the different characters in the book. I didn't get the chance to see the illustrations of the novel but will have to go and search for them.

Man, this book took me back to all of the 6th grade moments but even more so 7th-9th grade. I feel like I can relate pretty well to Shannon Hale and her experiences of trying to understand the rules (unspoken of course) of navigating friends and life and boys and girls and everything in between.

There are some hard moments that the main character experiences. This book will pull at your emotions for sure. Not a light a fluffy read but there are good moments as well.

I received a copy of the audiobook from the producers/publishers, Macmillan Audio, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading (Listening)!!!

This middle grade graphic novel was a hit - even an audiobook! Maybe especially on audiobook? It had a full cast, plus excellent sound effects. I really liked how the author, Shannon Hale, was also a narrator, especially since the story is of her own life during 6th grade. I also thought she did a great job capturing the intricacies of friendships, along with navigating the many big feelings that come during adolescence. She described her own experiences with anxiety and OCD tendencies in a way that many young readers can relate to - that is, if a middle grade reader comes across these examples, they might then have the words to describe what's going on inside of them. Those are complex topics to convey to any audience, but especially to youth, and Hale does so succinctly and with empathy. I'll definitely be recommending this book to my friends and audience.

Sweet and short book. Perfect for a middle schooler who is struggling with friendships or just working through general issues that arise at that age.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio version of the graphic novel Best Friends. The full cast narration and sound effects were very well done.

I picked this book because I love the author and was curious how you could adapt a graphic novel into an audiobook. I loved it. It was clear to hear what the pages looked like. The added sounds and music that came with it really added to it. Great cute story

The Best Friends audiobook does a great job adding appropriate sound effects and varied narration to represent the Graphic Novel's captions, dialogue, sound effects and descriptions.

The novel itself features a main character who is going through common anxieties of a coming-of-age sixth grader: self-worth, friendship, belonging, and conquering fears. The graphic novel, which is based in the mid-1980s, addresses gender norms and expectations of the time, which is a great way to open a conversation with students about a change of the times (and expectations that have not changed).

The graphic novel also honestly addresses anxiety, especially during the angsty adolescent years when nothing seems clear and social rules seems to pop up out of nowhere.

The audiobook features a podcast-type interview with Shannon and her two daughters, which was a great addition and a great window into the inspiration of Best Friends, as well as into the inner-workings of two current sixth grade brains!

It is unusual to have an audio book of a graphic novel and I couldn’t wait to listen. This uses several narrators as the characters including Shanon Hale, the author. I was distracted at first by background noise like street or classroom sounds but that quickly fades as I fell into the story. Best Friends is the sequel to Hale’s award winning Real Friends but can be read as a stand alone. This follows her through the awkwardness of moving through sixth grade. She wants to be popular but feels she makes mis-steps with her friend group that includes some mean girls. The rules are changing for interacting with boys and it is hard to keep up. Add in puberty, body issues (she’s skinny) and what she calls the worries. The doctors say it is anxiety but she doesn’t seem to be any help given for that or her struggles with OCD.

The story comes from the authors own experiences growing up and it is set in the 1980s reflecting that. There is sexism, she didn’t know any women that wasn't a teacher or a mom. Her character struggles fitting in as she doesn’t know the latest tv shows or music. On a personal note the author grew up in the suburbs of my own city. And I can relate to the the religious (Mormon) conservative upbringing she has with her family and recognize locations like the amusement park she visits. I feel she hits a lot of the pre-teen angst spot on and many children, especial girls will be able to relate.

After finishing the audio book I pulled a copy of the graphic novel from my library shelf and listened again. For the most part the audio version is a line for line reading. But there are occasional lines added in for something shown in the book that isn’t spoken. For example an audio line says “Mom gave me a thumbs up.”, where in the book it is only an illustrated moment. I enjoyed the audio book but I love the graphic novel and together they are terrific. This is an easy recommendation for older elementary school ages and up.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the audiobook and I am leaving a voluntary review. (4.5 Stars)