Parents' Guide to

The Friendship Experiment

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Smart, heartfelt portrayal of lonely, science-loving tween.

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Kids say (1):

Erin Teagan's strong, well-written debut combines a science-loving heroine with tween jealousy, nastiness, and rivalry -- but this isn't your typical mean-girls middle school dramedy. One of the meanest girls in The Friendship Experiment is Maddie herself, who's really nursing a tender, bruised heart. Her impatience with people who don't match her passion and knowledge leaves her isolated. She surprises herself by just how mean she can be, which helps make her such an authentic, relatable character.

Maddie's science notebook is just like a diary, helping her process relationships and recognize her own strengths and flaws. Her experience is a good reminder that both scientific inquiry and relationships require risk-taking and an open mind. Teagan's lab experience helps give her novel an excellent STEM grounding.

Book Details

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