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Best Friends

(2008, Fiction - Friendship, Written by Jacqueline Wilson)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Story of a friend moving is comforting and relatable.

Themes in this book include:   family relationships, friendship, loss

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Shows the strong friendship of two very different girls and how they bounce back after the loss.

  • Role models:

    Alice and Gemma are sweet girls who sometimes make poor choices, but learn from their mistakes. Friends and family are supportive, especially one beloved grandparent. However, when Gemma gets angry she shouts, fights, and eats until she’s sick. She says “damn” and “hell” a couple times. Alice’s mother is somewhat materialistic, favoring DKNY instead of Gap, and Gemma's mother doesn't like that her daughter dresses "like a boy." Adults serve Pimm's, which is an alcoholic beverage, at an afternoon picnic.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Gemma shouts when she's angry and treats a friend poorly by calling him fat and challenging him to a fight, which never happens.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Best Friends

Parents need to know that this book deals with the emotional ups and downs of friendship and loss when one friend moves away. Gemma acts out a little in response to this. She challenges someone to a fight that never happens, shouts in anger, and eats sweets until she's sick. Gemma also says "damn" and "hell" a couple of times in front of her granddad, who gently admonishes her.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about friendship and how people can be best friends even when they’re very different. Do you have friends who are different from you? How does that work for or against your friendship?
  • Why did Gemma feel that her mother would prefer Alice as a daughter? Why do some people expect that a girl should wear dresses and care about makeup and hairstyles? What do those expectations say to a girl who doesn’t fit those stereotypes?
  • Why do you think Gemma was so mad at Biscuits and why do you think Biscuits continued to be a good friend to her in spite of it?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    alice2899
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Great illustrations

    GOOD

    GREAT BOOK

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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