In school, we have all tried to fit in and have many friends, especially those who were popular students. The shy ones didn’t have too many friends and were treated as outcasts and even bullied. We have all been through the different phases of friendship and it takes years to realise who truly are our real friends. Friendship is never as important as it is when in school.

Shannon Hale’s book Real Friends is a gem of an autobiography written like a novel, full of illustrations and lessons about friendship. Meant for middle-grade readers, it follows Shannon’s life from first grade to the fifth, narrating the problems she has both in making and keeping friends, making the wrong kind of friends and being bullied by those who are not friends – and a lot of things in between.

Though the plot is not something very unique, the way it has been treated make the happenings interesting to the readers. It’s very easy to relate to all Shannon goes through, especially when her once best friend leaves her to join other more popular girls group. It seems like the end of the world to Shannon and she doesn’t want to go to school and face people who make fun of her rather than become her friends.

We have all seen these kinds of situations, but the writer shows us the healthy way to deal with it by the actions of Shannon.

Real Friends is a great book for kids to read and enjoy, while also subtly learning life lessons about having healthy relationships where people should be accepted for who they are and not giving in to peer pressure.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 3rd, 2018