My Last Best Friend (Friends for Keeps)

I'm a 7 ½ year old girl who loves to read, and I think this one is perfect for 7 to 9 year olds. The main character is named Ida May (but she calls herself Cordelia near the end) - she has quite a problem because there's a bully in her class and I felt bad about it. The bully's name is Jenna Drews. In the beginning the book explained how Ida May got her first best friend and it was kind of gross (because she threw up in her friend's hand!). But I don't know what happened to the vow - the vow of not ever having another best friend because her first best friend moved away forever, since Ida May makes a new best friend at the end with a girl named Stacey who has a big crayon smile. I liked how they find the secret stone even though I don't understand who Bessie is. At the end, everything turns out just fine but I still wonder what happened to the potato-drawing contest. I think it's a masterpiece and I think it's perfect for anyone who wants a wonderful read.

Bowe knows the fourth grade. Julie Bowe's MY LAST BEST FRIEND rings true for anyone who's survived heartbreaking separation. After Ida's best friend moves away, she's sure she'll never have another friend like Elizabeth. Until the day the new girl, Stacey Merriweather, smiles at her. The thing I love most about this book is the way Ida thinks: "She's smiling at you with the kind of smile you don't see on a real person very often. The kind you see a little kid draw with a big fat crayon on a piece of white paper. The kind you have to force yourself not to smile back at. Trust me, you don't want to get too close to big-crayon smiles. That's because people with big-crayon smiles don't stick around very long. They move away just when you've gotten used to the way their hand feels sticky when you hold it, or the way they hiccup when they talk fast, or the way they whistle by sucking in instead of blowing out, or the way they can touch their nose with the tip of their tongue." For Ida, entering the fourth grade without Elizabeth is like diving into the deep end of the pool before she's sure she can swim well enough to get back to the edge. She's got no safety devices and feels like no one is rooting for her as she splashes around and tries not to go under. I don't know about everyone else, but that's exactly how elementary school felt to me sometimes. This is one of those books that comforts its readers with the knowledge that someone gets it. Someone like Julie Bowe. I can't wait to read the sequel, MY NEW BEST FRIEND! Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

The thing I liked best about this story is that the characters were well-rounded. Even the bully is shown in a different light at the end of the book.

When Ida May's best friend, Elizabeth Evans, moves away, Ida's life nosedives into depression and isolation. She swears never to have another best friend again --- they're much too painful to lose. So Ida starts fourth grade without any friends. Her mother tries to set her up with the PTA president's daughter --- the snooty Jenna Drews, who tormented Ida and Elizabeth --- but Ida knows it will never work. How can you be friends with someone who calls you "I-duh"? But to please her parents, she agrees to go to the movies and a sleepover party with Jenna. Both activities turn out just as Ida expects, with Jenna insulting and rejecting her. But there's one surprise --- a new girl named Stacey Merriweather who has just moved into town and happens to be in the same class as Ida and Jenna. Ida can't help but notice Stacey's huge, friendly smile and senses an instant connection with her. However, Ida fights these feelings with all of her strength; she must remember her vow of no more best friends. They just end up leaving. Nevertheless, Ida's curiosity gets the best of her. How can she find out more about this stranger without opening herself up for more hurt? She soon figures out a way --- by writing a note yet keeping her identity a secret. Ida scribbles a quick question, signs it "a girl" and leaves it on Stacey's desk. This inspires a secret letter-writing venture that brings light and smiles back into Ida's life. Through the anonymous letters, Ida and Stacey share stories, drawings, jokes and concerns. Without meaning to do so, Ida has slipped into another special friendship. Should Ida risk revealing her true identity? What a delightful story this is! Julie Bowe has created a thoughtful, funny and realistic look at one girl's struggles with losing her best friend. Readers will quickly bond with Ida, feeling her pain, sharing her hopes and fears, and urging her to open up for a new relationship. The exciting concept of sharing secret letters with a special someone keeps the pages turning fast, and MY LAST BEST FRIEND ends all too soon. We hope to read more from this talented new author. --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman

This story captures the flavors of childhood friendship that are both sweet and tart! It's easy to identify with Ida: desperately wanting friendship but holding back because the pain that accompanies losing a friend is real. I sense that the adventures of Ida and Stacey are just beginning to unfold: I look forward to hearing about what they will do next!