Pub Day for Shannon Hale!

Best Friends by Shannon Hale
3 hours 11 mins

It’s publication day! Shannon Hale’s latest graphic novel hits shelves today, and it is a winner: 5 stars for sure! I’m such a fan of Shannon Hale’s work that I picked up this title on audiobook, not realizing that it was a graphic novel! I can’t speak to the illustrations, but the story and narration in the audiobook are an immersive auditory experience. It had a full cast, plus excellent sound effects, and I got the sense of place simply from how well the background audio paired with the storyline.

Shannon shares her own 6th grade experiences, and having her narrate the story is the cherry on top! The tween years are so formative and challenging – truly a rollercoaster like the cover art suggests. I thought she did a great job capturing the intricacies of friendships, along with navigating the many big feelings that come during adolescence. She described her own experiences with anxiety and OCD tendencies in a way that many young readers can relate to – that is, if a middle grade reader comes across these examples, they might then have the words to describe what’s going on inside of them. Those are complex topics to convey to any audience, but especially to youth, and Shannon does so succinctly and with empathy.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Roaring Brook Press for the advance audiobook, in exchange for my unbiased review.