Cómo sobrevivir al cole 1 - Mi mejor amiga invisible

Penny Draws #1

by Sara Shepard, Isabel Hurtado de Mendoza Mendoza (Translator)

Llega una nueva serie llena de humor y con un toque emotivo sobre el inicio del cole, las amistades y encontrar a tu gente.

Nadie dijo que empezar quinto fuese fácil, y para Paula su ansiedad se lo pone aún más difícil. Por suerte tiene su extraescolar favorita, las clases de pintura, y a su mejor amiga Violeta.

Genres: Middle Grade, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship, Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2023

About the author

Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She has lived in New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.

Reviews

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kolmosluokkalainen Pihla murehtii monenlaisia, joskus ehkä liikaakin ja ihan pieniä juttuja, kuten pallomeressä eläviä bakteereja. Jotkut murheet ovat kuitenkin suuria, niin suuria, ettei niistä oikein voi edes kertoa muille kuin päiväkirjalle ja ystävälliselle tunnetaitojen opettajalle*. Paras ystävä Veera on alkanut pitää monia ennen niin kivoja juttuja lapsellisina ja tahtoo nykyään vaan kuiskia ja kikatella Raisan kanssa. Lisäksi vanhemmat salailevat selvästi jotakin - eivät kai he vaan ole eroamassa? Ja eihän perheen lemmikkikoira Kosmo vain kuole, kun se syö purukumia...?

Sara Shepardin "Pihla piirtää parhaan ystävän" (Otava, 2024) on erinomainen lastenromaani, jonka haluaisin ihan kaikkien lukevan, ikään ja sukupuoleen katsomatta. Ei kannata antaa simppelin piirroskuvituksen hämätä, tässä ei ole kyse pöhelöstä koululaishuumorista, vaan melko syvällisestä lastenromaanista, jossa käsitellään isolla sydämellä muun muassa kaveritaitoja, erilaisuutta, neurooseja ynnä muuta tärkeää.

Vuoden toistaiseksi paras lastenromaani, uskaltaisin väittää, mutta kunpa vaan keksisin, miten tätä oikein vinkkaisi kohderyhmälle...

* Jännä ilmaus. Varmaan kyseessä on koulupsykologi?

[Jenniferleest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny tekent een beste vriendin is een lief, vermakelijk, grappig én vertederend verhaal. Een middelgrade waar zelfs volwassenen zich in zullen herkennen.

Gehele recensie binnenkort op mijn blog: jenniferleest.wordpress.com

[Ivka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny sa neustále niečoho bojí: čo ak mama mešká preto, že mala autonehodu? Čo ak sú na zemi baktérie nejakej strašnej choroby? Čo ak si príliš ostro zastrúha ceruzku, nabodne sa na ňu a vykrváca?

Preto Penny chodí k učiteľke pocitov (školskej psychologičke), ktorá jej poradí, aby si začala písať denník. Ibaže začínať s Milý denníček je také hlúpe. Mohla by písať Milá mama, ale čo keby si ho potom mama prečítala? Mohla by písať svojmu malému bratovi, ale niečo jej vraví, že štvorročný chlapec by to veľmi neocenil. Takže dôjde k logickému záveru: bude písať Cosmovi, svojmu psovi, ktorý (asi) nevie čítať, ale aj keby vedel, určite by sa jej za jej obavy nesmial.



Je toho veľa, čo sa mi na tejto knihe páčilo. Rieši sa v nej mnoho klasických detských tém (vzťahy medzi spolužiakmi, šikanovanie, rodinné problémy, rozpad kamarátstiev...), s ktorými je pekne nenásilne previazané to, že hrdinka rieši svoje mentálne zdravie.

Celé je to podané ako denníkové zápisky, kde je opisná časť v texte a všetky dialógy sú v kresbičkách. A už dávno som nečítala knihu, kde by do kresbičiek bolo vložených toľko expresivity, aj keď sú to v podstate iba čmáranice.

Na to, aký je ten rozsah krátky (240 strán a tretina alebo polovica skoro každej strany je kresba), je v tej knihe napratané neskutočne veľa - či už Penniných problémov (všetky tie strachy, najlepšia kamoška sa na ňu vykašle, zlá spolužiačka jej robí zle, chodenie k psychologičke, noví kamaráti, záhadné rodinné tajomstvá, strastiplná príprava školského projektu) alebo úžasných charakterov (Penny nie je jediná, kto potrebuje učiteľku pocitov). Najradšej by som si hneď prečítala pokračovanie, aby som videla, ako sa všetky tie dejové línie budú vyvíjať.

Ak máte poruke niekoho z cieľovky, vrelo odporúčam. Vyjde v slovenčine pod názvom Ako si nakresliť najlepšiu kamošku.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny loses her best friend, her mom is hiding things from her, and she's got to face fifth grade on top of it. Her anxiety makes all of this worse, naturally. Can she learn to manage it and make some new friends on top of it?

This is a delightful middle grade novel, which really moved my heart with its depiction of anxiety and the difficulty of making new friends. I'm definitely interested in reading more in this series.

[Spasticnontastic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads with the little.

Liked the story, tone and pace in the way it handled anxiety as a youngster ❤️

[Chelsea Ramsdell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Penny is a 5th grader with anxiety. She is asked by her “feelings teacher” to write a journal and she decides to write it to her dog Cosmo which adds a fun perspective while reading. I found her friendships and worries to be incredibly relatable to younger me! This story reminds readers how empowering it is when you get comfortable being yourself and discover who your true friends are. Highly recommend giving this a read!

[Jennifer Baugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5th grade self really related to Penny! Such a great book for kids with anxiety.

[juls · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave me so much joy!! It made me feel all of those things that you do while growing up and facing your daily life troubles.
Penny loses herself while growing apart with her best friend and tries to find herself all over again. She changes and grows. She tries to come to terms with all the changes that happen in her life and at the same time she tries to deal with her anxiety. The one thing that I didn't quite like is that I felt like this book focused more on the importance of accepting anxiety that Penny experienced instead of trying to live with it (which was also some part of the book). Or maybe I'm just nitpicking now...
Anyway, it was a really fun book to read, even for adults.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to not only be an anxious person, but also what it’s like to be in almost middle school where everything you know is suddenly turned upside down and you feel like you can’t catch up. It was a great book about friendship, feelings, changing, and definitely about what to not let your dog eat.

[emkart_andbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jakie to było fajne! Pełna humoru, a przede wszystkim mądrości — dla każdego!
Autorka idealnie ukazała mentalność dziecka i jego postrzeganie pewnych spraw. Cała historia jest bardzo aktualna. Jednocześnie ma szansę trafić do naprawdę wielu, ponieważ poruszona tematyka dotknęła w jakiś sposób kiedyś praktycznie każdego.

[🖤 J.R. BIFFIN 🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny Draws a Best Friend by Sara Shepard is such a gentle, uplifting story about friendship, feelings, and finding your place. It was the perfect book to read to my daughter during a tough time with school friendships, it helped her feel seen, understood, and less alone. Heartwarming, funny, and full of heart; I’m so grateful for stories like this. ♥️

[papasteve · Rating 5 out of 5]

such great fun reading this middle grade story!!

[Jessica Woodring · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, hilarious, relatable story. Penny has anxiety and is in fifth grade. The way she navigates her anxiety and friendships is beautifully written and I think both my kids at school and my own daughter will love it.

[Elina Mäkitalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kiva lastenromaani erilaisista huolestumisista ja ystävyydestä. Kilttiä ja sydämellistä. Kerronta on ihan suhteellisen sujuvaa, mutta jostain syystä nyt vain kolme tähteä.

[Text Publishing]

The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Penny Draws a Best Friend

‘Readers will likely relate to [Penny’s] concerns . . . This new series comes straight from the heart.’
Booklist

‘Fantastically fun, funny, and heartfelt. I loved it.’
Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth series

‘Perfectly captures the hilarity, anxiety, and silliness of being a kid. A charming, zippy read that will keep you smiling all book long.’
Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author of Disney’s Descendants series

‘Heartfelt and oh-so funny—an utterly charming read that’s perfect for any kid who’s ever had a worry, or who simply loves to laugh.’
Sarah Mlynowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series

‘Like the worries in Penny’s head, drama and hilarity run amok in this sweet, relatable, and engaging story.’
Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series

‘A bright and emotionally accessible story full of wit and warmth.’
Kirkus Reviews

‘Heartfelt…A charming, engaging and easy-to-read story.’
GLAM Adelaide

‘Many middle-grade readers will see their own feelings and concerns reflected in this story, and Shepard’s inclusion of healthy coping strategies within the story make it a fantastic resource. Penny Draws a Best Friend is a heartfelt exploration of anxiety, of friendship, and of finding your people.’
NZ Booklovers

‘Shepard’s light touch and sketchbook-style b&w doodles make for an engaging read that candidly portrays the effect of destabilizing changes on one child experiencing anxiety.’
Publishers Weekly

‘Imbued with humor, colorful characters, and the perilous dilemmas of childhood…Shepard carefully and successfully walks a tightrope in her treatment of Penny’s worries by validating her feelings while suggesting that they should not be the only thing that guide her actions and choices. The epistolic format and the quirky, lovable main character will appeal to fans of Rachel Renée Russell’s Dork Diaries and Svetlana Chmakova’s Brave.’
The Bureau of the Center for Children’s Books

‘This engaging book is full of the dramas in Penny’s life, with lots of relatable events for a reader who likes humour and action.’
Buzz Words

‘Readers will love Penny and her quirky friends, and see familiar experiences reflected in the pages of her illustrated diary. With a Diary of a Wimpy Kid feel, this series is sure to become a sought after, passed around the playground, beloved favourite.’
Magpies

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book as I just got the ARC for the third book and I am not disappointed!

I love Penny! She’s really honest and keeps learning about the people around her, her friends, how to deal with her anxiety attacks and how to handle her emotions.

She’s close friends who are no longer close. We all can relate to this. However, she chooses to be a better person rather than becoming mean or feel sorry for herself.

She writes to her dog when she feels that she could not share everything she wants to with her so call friends.

I just love how this character and the short book has so much to offer for the young readers today.

[Ignacia Pedrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracioso y bueno

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An authentic and relatable look at what it's like to be an anxious child. I had so many worries all of the time when I was young, but no outlet for working through it.

Middle grade book trends were different when I was a kid. I'm glad that there are books that help navigate this particular experience nowadays. I especially liked that it kept a good balance between the heavy topic - anxiety can be pretty debilitating - and lightheartedness.

A lot of the Sunshine State books this year are focusing on contemporary social and personal issues, which is great for exploring more varied lived experiences but aren't really much fun.

Don't get me wrong, I love kids' books that are focused on tackling everyday problems - big or small - kids are facing. I just think too much of the time these books are written for adult readers and reviewers rather than the actual children. The list this year was rife with many of these kinds of books.

I feel that Penny Draws A Best Friend did a good job in executing Penny's fears in a realistic yet also silly way. A lot of anxiety is objectively very silly regardless of how serious it feels in the moment, so I liked that Sara Shepard was able to weave that in.

The little illustrations throughout amused me to no end. Penny had such a distinct voice and vision. I was immersed in her conception of the world around her.

My one point of contention was that I did not like how Violet was placed firmly in the wrong for her very valid complaint that Penny worries too much. Penny's worrying is presented as a reasonable facet of her character that Violet should have to put up with if she were a 'real' friend.

Penny likens it to her friends' idiosyncracies she, herself, deals with, like Maria being too perfect, Rocco having the urge to punch stuff sometimes, and Kristian talking too much about roller coasters.

There obviously are annoying things that you accept as part of any relationship. Everyone has to be annoying sometimes.

That said, worrying too much is something that absolutely does not have to be a part of the fabric of who you are. I have struggled with anxiety my whole life, and only in the last few years have I made real, honest, life-changing headway. One of the biggest obstacles for me was recognizing that rhetoric like 'that's just the way I am' is anxiety sabotaging your potential to have a healthier, less worry filled life.

We do not get anything else on Violet's perspective regarding their relationship so all of this is merely my opinion based on how anxiety has affected me, but I was very sympathetic to Violet considering the fact that my anxiety contributed to my own major friendship break-up. I know it can be very difficult and draining to be friends with someone who constantly is thinking of what can go wrong and allows that to govern too much of their actions.

My issue is that this specific conflict gets conflated with the overall message that Violet is not being a good friend to Penny. Violet is absolutely not being a good friend. But, it also is not acknowledged that it's very likely that Penny was not being a good friend to Violet either.

Everyone can use a little help so this is not a knock on therapy, however, I do want to point out that if you need therapy for anxiety as a small child when you have had what most would determine is a good and/or average childhood then the anxiety is likely affecting everyone around you a lot more than you realize.

There's also some magical thinking that is used as justification for worrying being good sometimes. Cosmo gets sick at the end of the book due to a mistake Penny makes. Once he recovers, Penny concludes that while worrying all the time isn't good, worrying sometimes is alright because it did save Cosmo's life after all.

Penny's worrying did not save Cosmo. Penny's quick thinking (remembering that mint was deadly to dogs and putting it together that Cosmo got into her mint gum) helped save Cosmo. The veterinarians skills and efforts saved Cosmo. Her father being home to drive them saved Cosmo. Worrying about Cosmo did nothing.

Worrying is natural and inescapable. A little bit of worry is good, so she's right on that front. I just don't think it's good to imply to kids that worrying is useful for situations in which it obviously is not. Worrying about Cosmo is normal. It's just not helpful.

Maybe this will be addressed in future books. I'm pretty certain that Riley is being built up to have a redemption arc after a few books (all the diary books for girls do it). Therefore, it's entirely possible this is merely an arc that the groundwork is being laid for right now. Still, since I can't know for certain I will make note of it anyway since it bothered me.

Ultimately, it only affected my enjoyment minimally - my recommendation stands.

[whatbooknext · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penny has been waiting all summer for her very best friend in the world to return from summer camp. Penny and Violet usually do everything together, so it seems like forever since they’ve played all their favourite games, and enjoyed drawing in Art Club at school.

But, to Penny’s confusion, Violet has come back from camp almost a different person. She thinks Art Club is for babies, and will hardly look at Penny, let alone talk to her. And what’s even weirder is Violet is almost glued to another girl in their class – Riley Miller. Riley is the complete opposite to Penny. Riley is confident and popular for her parties and her mother’s amazing snacks on school trips.

Penny in comparison is a worrier. She worries about everything. From falling flagpoles, to model aeroplanes falling from the classroom ceiling, to what her mum and dad seem to be hiding from her and her little brother Juice Box. (You’ll have to read the book to find out why he is called that.)

Trying to calm down her worries in public even worries her. What if pushing down her worries makes them build up so that she eventually explodes? To Penny’s surprise, she isn’t the only kid in 5th Grade (Year 6 NZ) that visits the school psychologist. There are popular kids and even the biggest and toughest kid at school, coming out of the ‘Feelings’ teacher’s office.

Still, Penny struggles with what she has done wrong to make Violet ditch her. She does what she can to try and fit in with Violet and Riley and finds herself in a tricky situation. Does she agree with the nasty things they are saying about others, or say nothing at all? Does she ditch her new friends to get her best friend back?

Along the way, Penny learns a few things about herself, Violet and also Riley. She realises that worrying doesn’t have to consume everything she does, but that her anxiety is a part of her and that’s okay.



This is the 1st book in the Penny Draws series and is perfect for girls aged 8 and up, and even younger if read with a caregiver or parent. This age-old dilemma of morphing friendships during school is not something that has faded over time, in fact social media has made it worse.

Friendships naturally mold and change as children grow, but it’s when it becomes nasty or toxic that it becomes a problem and even in worst cases, all consuming for the child left out, ghosted or bullied by the people who used to be their friends.

Penny Draws shows young readers Penny’s journey through this problem with her own best friend through her funny diary written to her dog Cosmo. Illustrations showing dialogue and situations during her learning curve about friendships add even more humour. Penny Draws is engaging, drawing the reader into Penny’s school and home life, and everyday events that are easy to relate to.

Really looking forward to more in this series about Penny and her trials and tribulations, some funny and some not so – but handled lightly with humour.

No. 2 in the series (in which you get a sneak peek in the back of this episode) will be out Sept 2023 – Penny Draws a School Play.

Age – 8+

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
A major focus of the story is Penny’s struggle with anxiety, and the author indicates some of the events come from her own experiences. Penny frequently lets her mind run wild until it spins into the worst possible scenarios. The fifth-grader overly worries about a visit to Target, her mom being a few minutes late to pick her up, visiting a kids’ party restaurant, and even sharpening her pencil. Her emotions are such a problem that she sees a Feelings Teacher at school named Mrs. Hines. The whole book is written like a diary, similar to the author’s real-life journal, in which Penny writes to her dog Cosmo about her feelings. It’s a great way to share the endless thoughts and emotions racing through her mind that fit into the context of the book.
The complications of friendship are additional conflicts overwhelming young Penny. As the synopsis mentions, she’s looking forward to seeing Violet again until she realizes something has drastically changed in their relationship. Of course, Penny starts to imagine the problem must be something she’s done, said, or even worse, that there’s something wrong with her. Penny meets other students through Mrs. Hines, the classroom, and the lunchroom. She discovers the misconceptions and assumptions she has about them and her character slowly transforms with new experiences.
This aspect will probably be unique to me but I find the inclusion of Rocco Roman very interesting. Rocco is much larger than any other classmate and most of the kids fear him due to some anger outbursts in previous grades. Other students keep their distance but Penny discovers she has a couple of things in common with Rocco. Every time he makes an appearance in the story provides an opportunity for Penny and readers to learn a little bit more about this minor character. We slowly discover we don’t know much about his past or what he might be dealing with so we learn a little more every time his character makes an appearance. Rocco reinforces the fact that we should be kind to everyone because we may not understand the issues affecting them.
What didn’t work as well:
The book title seems to be explained early in the book as Penny draws a picture of Violet that highlights her friend’s best qualities. Stories often develop until their titles are explained or become evident so sharing Penny’s drawing right away feels strange. On the other hand, sharing the most important qualities of friendship in the picture may get readers wondering about their own thoughts regarding what it means to be a friend.
The Final Verdict:
Many young readers will be able to connect with Penny’s experiences with changing friendships and stress, although their emotional struggles probably won’t be as severe. Penny’s methods for handling her problems offer useful suggestions while they provide entertainment. Overall, this book should appeal to most middle-grade readers and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a strategy when I read books from the state book list for the middle grades and it's judging the book by the cover. I pick the ones I think look the least interesting (or in some cases stupid) and start there. Sometimes the books meet my low expectations, sometimes the books meet my exceptions. Sometimes books I think will be good are let downs, and sometimes books I'm not excited about end up being fantastic. This book falls into that last category. This book is a joy and I loved it.

This book was not some version of Mean Girls. This book was not some version where everyone realizes their mistakes in the end and all is forgiven and everyone becomes BFFs. The isn't some version of the weird quirky girl "taking off her glasses" and then suddenly becoming popular. It's a story that is mature and smart and about a girl figuring out who she is and what she deserves in regard to others. It's about realizing that relationships change and sometimes you have to let people go. It's about finding those people who appreciate and love you for who you are and don't expect you to change just to fit into their own perception of who you should be. But that's not to say that the characters don't grow and change. Penny does things that hurt others. This gives her to opportunity to look at her actions and choose to grown and learn from those experiences to varying degrees of success. She's not changing to fit into some other person's view of what she should be. She's learning and growing and evolving into a better version of herself and that's the fantastic message that this story shares.

I love the structure of this book too. Writing a letter to her dog, Cosmo, is a great way for readers to really get into Penny's head and world and gives her the opportunity to be that expressive narrator in an authentic way. I would definitely continue with this series.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming exploration of being true to yourself, and the costs of NOT doing that.
AS she starts 5th grade, Penny starts a journal addressed to her dog, Cosmo. Penny is a worrier, and her over-the-top anxiety can be pretty funny. But why is her BFF Violet ditching her for another (evil) classmate, Riley? Violet eventually confesses that hanging with Penny is not fun because her worryinf is "sort of...not fun" p 118. Meanwhile, all along, Penny's been talking to a counselor, Mrs. Hines, about her anxiety, and she suddenly realizes that OTHER PEOPLE also talk to her (lol). She gradually befriends them (especially after Mrs. Hines goes on leave and is replaced by the scary crosswalk guard) and comes to realize what true friendship looks like.
After Violet's confession, Penny tries not to worry so much. She manages to reign in some of her more extreme concerns, but being accepted by Violet and Riley ends up costing too much re: her newer friends. And then a crisis helps her see that her worrying can also serve an important purpose in some circumstances.
She even makes a kind overture to Violet after Riley ditches HER.
Sequel? due out 9/5/23 (today!)
Speaking of the drawings, they are WONDERFUL! deceptively simple but the expressions are priceless.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny Draws a Best Friend is a humorous and heartfelt middle-grade series about Penny, a fifth grader who navigates friendships, finds her people, and has many worries. She has a best friend named Violet, a little brother named Juice Box, and a dog she adores. But she gets anxious about many things. She talks to a school counselor, the "feelings teacher," about her feelings and concerns. Some of them are silly, and some are not. The counselor explains that some people like writing their thoughts and worries down so they are less scary. So, Penny starts documenting her fifth-grade year. Instead of writing, "Dear diary..." she writes to her dog, Cosmo.

All the chapters are letters to her dog because Penny figures her dog will love her no matter what. The book is about friendship and meeting new people. It's about not having worries or trying to get over them. The book is filled with jokes and silliness. I can't say enough good things about this book because it helps kids understand that anxiety is normal.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Bob McBob the Farmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its adorable drawings, realistic depictions of worrying, and ever evolving friendships. Penny was such a relatable character that I can see many children finding a little bit of themselves buried within her. From secrets in the family to being excluded, this book covers a wide range of topics. I can see this story being the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, but maybe for a bit of a younger age demographic. There's so much to uncover with Penny and how kids with similar emotions are able to learn from her good qualities and flaws. Her friends also have their own personalities too, and I want to see their characters evolve and grow in the following books. I hope there's a workbook to come out of this series since I know some young kids who could benefit through Penny's way of handling certain aspects. Just the worry lamp alone is adorable and I think should be a common analogy used all over the world. I mean, come on! So cute. And the pictures! They were just darling. So adorable, I could totally see a child drawing that. Overall, I think every child should read this book.

[Pete Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny and Violet have always been best friends, but after a summer apart, things have suddenly changed between them. Violet keeps coming up with excuses not to hang out with Penny and do art club together. While Penny likes art, she likes it more because Violet has always been a part of it. Now, Violet says it's for babies. Worse yet, she seems to have become BFFs with Riley, one of the meanest girls in school.

Penny's self-esteem takes a hit and her anxiety causes her to spend lots of time with the Feelings Teacher, Mrs. Hines. Much to Penny's surprise, other children whom she never would have suspected, also visit Mrs. Hines when they're struggling. Penny must wrestle with trying to patch things up with Violet or find more new and caring friends who like her for being herself.

Author/illustrator Sara Shepard has nailed what it's like to be a fifth-grade girl, wrestling with the changing dynamics of social relationships. The illustrations are hilarious and enhance what is already a great story. Books that entertain while teaching subtle lessons without preaching are a double win. This is a quick and easy five-star read for the 4th-5th grade reader.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Readers will connect with Penny from the start. Navigating fifth grade brings challenges to everyone. Though they may not share Penny's concerns, they will relate to other characters in the story. Sadly, everyone has to deal with mean girls and friends who walk away for their own reasons.
Shepard captures the anxieties and concerns when a child struggles with something internally and is teased for it by others. Penny struggles with worrying. The book is told as a series of diary entries to her dog Cosmo. Her "feelings teacher" suggested she write about her feelings to help her process. Throughout the book, readers see Penny grow and learn about herself and about what makes a friendship work. Mid to upper elementary level readers will identify with Penny and the other characters as they all maneuver through fifth grade.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een heerlijk boek over een nieuw jaar op school, nieuwe vriendschappen, keuzes maken en piekeren, over een geheim van een moeder (al wist ik al meteen wat het was, haha), over school en projecten, over haar familie en haar lieve hond. Ik vond het leuk dat ze het dagboek als het ware aan haar hond schreef en ik vond het fijn dat ze een lieve familie had en een vertrouwenspersoon op school. De schrijfstijl was erg leuk en ook de vele illustraties vond ik erg tof. Ik heb enorm genoten en ik vond Jessie soms een tikje veel met haar piekeren, maar ik vond haar voornamelijk heel lief en hoopte maar dat ze gewoon de juiste keuzes zou maken. Soms moet je gewoon nieuwe vrienden maken.

En ik gok dat Vera dus een gelukje heeft? De meeste mensen die ik ken (en ikzelf trouwens) zijn naast noten ook allergisch voor pinda's.
En sorry, maar ziggurat is technisch ook de juiste spelling, zowel ziggoerat als ziggurat, en zelfs zikkoerat zijn allemaal goed. Vreemd!

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a book later in the series and enjoyed it well enough to go back and start from the beginning and I'm very glad I did! This series is about a girl in 5th grade who has a lot of anxiety and she copes by writing a journal to her dog and doodling. She also goes to her school counselor (aka her "feelings teacher") and I loved watching her work through things. In this one, her best friend starts hanging out with the school's mean girl and she spirals over why. I thought this book was relatable for the age. She never really talks to her friend about why and as an adult that can feel annoying, but as an anxious 5th grader it seems accurate. There were a lot of things that made me laugh out loud and while this is a lot of inter-relational drama, I think its fine to pass on to my daughter as it feels very real to life. I think if you have an anxious child, this could make them feel seen!

[Nicole Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny worries a lot. Some are real and some are imagined but the one thing Penny never considered worrying about was her best friend Violet ditching her for the “cool” girl in school. I loved this book in so many ways. I loved that this book is her journal addressed to her dog (which Cosmo is a fantastic name, Penny). I loved all of Penny’s new friends and how she showed support for their interests and idiosyncrasies (there’s a word for Maria’s Spelling Bee). The inside drawings were simple but effective and I looked forward to seeing all the different ways Penny could be drawn anxious. But what I really appreciated the most was that Penny had many ways to deal with her anxiety and in fact, one of those ways ends up saving her best friend’s life. A wonderful read for anyone who worries too much or needs to know that there are other friends out there just waiting to get to know you.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny worries a lot, but she doesn't think she has to worry about her friendship with Violet. Except, Violet shows up to the first day of school with popular mean girl Riley. Penny visits Mrs. Hines, the Feelings Teacher to talk about her worries and meets other kids that she befriends who also see that teacher. When Penny is paired with Violet and Riley for a project, she has a chance to build back her friendship with Violet, but at what cost? It's relatable, has drawings throughout, and gives a good example of anxiety for elementary school readers. With short chapters, drawings, and realistic scenes, it's a good read for reluctant readers too. For fans of Dork Diaries, the Invisible Emmie series, the Click series, the Babysitters Club series, Lucy Knisley's graphic novels, the Real Friends series, Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins, the Berrybrook series, Ready or Not!, and Starfish.