Best Friends-ish (Audrey L & Audrey W #1)

by Carter Higgins (Author) Jennifer K Mann (Illustrator)

Best Friends-ish (Audrey L & Audrey W #1)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
The unique writing of Ivy + Bean meets the pep of Clementine and the authentic humor of Dory Fantasmagory in this chapter book series about two girls with the same name and absolutely, definitely, NOTHING else in common. Over the course of a week in school, this bighearted, true-to-life chapter book will resonate with any young reader who's ever felt overlooked, second-best, or defined according to someone else. The first in a series, Best Friends-Ish provides a fresh take on the joys and traumas of elementary school drama. More than anything, second-grader Audrey wants to be the best at something. It always feels like she's not-quite-enough--not smart enough, not fast enough, not funny enough. When her beloved Miss Fincastle announces that a new girl, another AUDREY, is joining the class, Audrey suddenly becomes Audrey L., which makes her feel worse than ever. But is the new Audrey all bad? Might the two Audreys have more in common than just their name? And if the girls become friends, how will Audrey ever figure out how to be her best self--if she can't even be the best Audrey? Visually dynamic and narratively unique, this chapter book series is perfect for fans of the Ivy + Bean, Deckawoo Drive, and The Penderwicks series. TONS OF ILLUSTRATIONS: The book has many black and white illustrations throughout, providing newer readers with the perfect on-ramp from early readers into novels. There's something visual on every page. EMPATHY READ FOR BEGINNING READERS: This book is about embracing people's differences, understanding their similarities, and making new friends. COMING-OF-AGE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: This book encourages young readers to consider and celebrate the things that make them unique, while recognizing that sharing some of those traits with someone else isn't a bad thing. A DILEMMA EVERY KID FACES: Having to share a name with a classmate is one of the biggest nightmares for a kid. That extra last name initial becomes a part of who you are for years to come. It's an annoying, funny subject that kids everywhere will relate to. UNFORGETTABLE, FUNNY WRITING: Carter Higgins's writing is special. This storytelling is friendly, funny, and genuinely good, with an unforgettable voice that doesn't sound like any other chapter books. Perfect for: Beginning readers, Parents, Educators, Librarians, Grandparents, Anyone looking for a new series, Readers who love books set at school
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Hardcover
$14.99

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Publishers Weekly

A rapport develops between two second graders in search of belonging in this crisply written chapter book debut, a series starter by Higgins (Circle Under Berry). Audrey Locke thought second grade would be "twice as fun as first," but all the newness soon proves overwhelming, and she questions whether she can be best at anything. Complicating matters, her old pal Diego seems to have moved on to a different friend group. When a transfer student shows up with the same name, newly dubbed Audrey "L" is made Welcome Ambassador to Audrey "W." Predictably, her efforts are not without mishap and embarrassment, and yet a "best friends-ish" camaraderie forms between the duo, who are clearly linked by their bigheartedness and sense of humor, not to mention a love of the color purple and alicorns (unicorns with wings). A minor crisis involving a hermit crab and a major meltdown by Audrey L add some easily resolved tension. Straightforward plotting emphasizes Audrey L's emotional journey and the classroom dynamics, while sketchlike b&w illustrations by Mann (The Camping Trip) break up the chapters. The Audreys make a winsome pair, and Higgins's empathic approach to storytelling promises more gentle hijinks as they navigate school and friendship. Ages 6-9. Author's agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Oct.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Carter Higgins
Carter Higgins is the author of many books for kids. Circle Under Berry and Some of These Are Snails are the first that she has both written and illustrated. She is also an Emmy-winning visual effects and motion graphics artist and spent a decade as an elementary school librarian. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781452183947
Lexile Measure
800
Guided Reading Level
S
Publisher
Chronicle Books
Publication date
October 20, 2021
Series
Audrey L & Audrey W
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV035000 - Juvenile Fiction | School & Education
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Identity
Identity (Psychology)
Schools
Elementary schools

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