Friends, Enemies Book

Tory and her friends Pippa, Ella and Christy have been friends forever -but things are about to change. When Hannah moves to their neighborhood, Tory's mom insists that the girls include her in their group. Tory can't stand the idea of hanging out with whiny, babyish Hannah, and the other girls are equally apprehensive. But this unwelcome guest turns out to be worse than annoying—she's dangerous. Hannah is bent on sabotaging Tory's friendships, and her burgeoning relationship with cute Alex. Now, Tory's will have to convince everyone, including her own mother, that the new girl isn't nearly as innocent as she appears to be.

Kathie M. Josephs - Children's Literature

Four friends are forced to welcome a new girl in the neighborhood into their group. Quickly, all of their lives change for the worse once Hannah, the new girl, hangs out with them. Hannah has a way of acting and saying things that impresses parents, while the girls know the real Hannah is nothing but trouble. The author has a great ear for the way today's teens talk and that makes the story and characters believable. The circumstance of being forced to include someone by a teacher or parent is actually a problem for teens, yet the author has included humor throughout the book that makes this story fun to read, while the reader still has empathy for the girls. Tory has to convince her mother that Hannah is not someone she would be pleased to have her daughter spending time with, and even has to convince other students at school that Hannah is not who she pretends to be. I enjoyed reading the novel and, as an adult, can look back and identify with many of the emotions in the story. This book will hold the attention of even the reluctant reader. This is definitely a girl's book and one that I believe will be handed down to a younger sister. 2004, Hyperion, Ages 12 up.