Your Former Friend

ISBN 0553153455 - Gail and Matthew have been best friends since they were in first grade. After a summer apart, Gail is very eager to see Matthew again, but something is going on. He walks to school without her and spends a lot of time playing basketball with new friends. Gail doesn't understand. Her feelings are hurt and she gets her revenge by hurting Matthew's feelings and embarrassing him in front of his friends. At this point in most kids' books, Gail would go to her mother who would explain everything and make it all better. Not here! Gail figures things out with the help of her own new friends - Julie, a shy girl who wears her hair over her face and Amanda, a proper young lady whose mother died several years before. There is no single moment when Gail "gets it", it just happens, just like real life. Great read; simple, real story that most kids can relate to. The illustrations are very nice sketches by Mary Beth Schwark. Definitely worth reading! - AnnaLovesBooks

I'm almost 30, but I still remember this book from third grade. We read it as a class and wrote book reports on it, and I loved it!

My 9-year-old Daughter loved this book!She had to write a book report for school. She said that when she has to read a book she starts to think about other things but when she read "Your Former Friend Matthew" she could not put the book down. She really enjoyed the book.

I read this when I was 9--perfect timing for the stages kids go thru. Kids go thru some awkward, strange stages in life growing up and that is exactly what I was facing! Kids I thought were my friends were acting snobby or distant. I felt the same way Gail does in this story: angry, sad and confused! Mothers, get this book for your kids, whatever you do! Especially if they're 9 and 10. And kids that age, GET THIS BOOK AND READ IT! YOU WILL BE SO GLAD YOU DID!