My New Best Friend

Julie Bowe

Jan 2008 · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

About this ebook

There's a new girl in town! After Ida May's last best friend moved away, she swore she'd never have another. But then she met fun, sparkly Stacey Merriweather, and now she and Ida are like two peas in a pod. When the friends discover a magical mermaid night-light that seems to grant wishes, they start a secret club--just the two of them. Ida uses the mermaid to make something bad happen to Jenna, the mean girl in class. Then Stacey uses the mermaid to undo a scheduled math test. The more they put the mermaid's powers to use, the more they need to help it along by manipulating the truth with their highly creative stories. Ida goes along with all the lies at first. But before long, Ida suspects that Stacey is using the mermaid to tell some big lies . . . and to cause some big trouble at home. And soon Ida feels caught between telling the truth and hurting friendship with Stacey. How will Ida set the record straight while still keeping her new best friend?

Ratings and reviews

When Ida and Stacey create a secret club, the world gets kind of kooky. Perhaps it's because the club mascot is an evil mermaid, or perhaps it's because of all the secrets. Best friends share secrets, right? But what if your best friend's secrets are getting you in trouble? And what if your worst enemy is acting more like your best friend than your actual best friend? I couldn't wait for this sequel to MY LAST BEST FRIEND, and Julie Bowe is back with the authentic fourth-grade voice of Ida May: "I'm NOT so thankful that Brooke invited Jenna to the party. That's because Jenna is the kind of person who would pin back your skin if she could. Then she would take something sharp and poke at all the stuff you'd rather keep hidden. Stuff like spilling your lunch tray. And tripping on the bus." Ida May is the perfect fourth-grade narrator, learning to navigate the boundaries of a new friendship and gaining wisdom about relationships around her, all with the helpful insight of her sock monkey, George. The anticipation of this second book was well worthwhile, as Ida remained true and strong, and Bowe developed secondary characters into some I'd like to know even better. This is a book elementary school teachers can put on classroom bookshelves with confidence that it's a well-told story to which kids will relate.

It was nice but you have to pay for it!!!!

Great book My new best friend

About the author

JULIE BOWE grew up in Luck, Wisconsin. Actually she grew up "out of Luck"--about a mile and half away. She is the author of the companion novel, My Last Best Friend, which is perfect "for readers who have graduated from sara Pennypacker's 'Clementine' stories, Barbara Park's 'Junie B. Jones' series, and Megan McDonald's 'Judy Moody' books," according to School Library Journal. She knows how to strum a guitar, play a really good game of foosball, and count to three in Danish (en, to,tre!). Plus, she has seen a real bog person, met Dr. Suess, and knows exactly what to do with an æbleskiver. She lives in Mondovi, Wisconsin.