Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Painfully honest, hopeful memoir of coping with frenemies.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say that this graphic novel is a relatable and beautifully illustrated exploration of friendship, anxiety, and the challenges of school life, resonating especially with those who have faced bullying and feel like outsiders. Many reviews highlight its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of difficult family dynamics, although some express concerns about the dark themes and certain unsettling events within the story.
- relatable story
- emotional depth
- bullying portrayal
- friendship complications
- dark themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
REAL FRIENDS begins with fretful Shannon becoming best friends with Adrienne in kindergarten. By third grade, however, Adrienne is getting drawn into "The Group," a small circle of popular kids with a girl named Jen at the center. Kids in "The Group" follow complicated rules and compete for Jen's favor, excluding everyone else. Shannon fumbles at the edges, feeling pulled in and then pushed away, targeted by a bully spreading lies and rumors. She's bullied at home, too, by an angry older sister. Shannon wants to be brave enough to stand up for herself, but she risks losing all her friends. When she finally walks away from "The Group," she feels lonely and unsure. Does anyone want to be friends with nice kids?
Is It Any Good?
In a remarkable memoir, Shannon Hale writes with heartbreaking honesty about her struggle to form genuine childhood friendships, turning painful memories into an encouraging, relatable graphic novel. Real Friends unites Hale with LeUyen Pham, illustrator of the Princess in Black series. Together, the two create a vivid portrait of a shy, insecure young girl desperate for a kindred spirit.
Pham's artwork is full of tender details and whimsical imagery, depicting young Shannon's imaginative games of pretend and her sister in the form of a fierce bear. And Hale looks back on her elementary school years with sympathy for her younger self and an honest look at times she, too, failed to be a good friend to others. The cruelty of the bullying and Shannon's emotional distress at home can be hard to read. Unfortunately, many young readers will relate to her story and hopefully appreciate her message that it really does get better -- and being kind really does pay off in the long run.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Shannon tries so hard for so long to fit in with "The Group" in Real Friends. What makes popular cliques so appealing? Why are mean kids sometimes seen as "cool"?
Why do you think this memoir is told as a graphic novel? How do you think a written memoir or movie would compare?
Do you recognize yourself or your classmates in any of the characters?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : LeUyen Pham
- Genre : Friendship
- Topics : Book Characters , Friendship , School ( Elementary School ) , Competition , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : First Second
- Publication date : May 2, 2017
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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