What do you think?
Rate this book
Secret Friends
"It's crazy, starting at a new school. For days you feel so new and lost it's as if you've wandered into a foreign country where you can't speak the language."
This haunting story about Rafaella, the new girl at school who finds making friends hard, is a stunning piece of writing. With her strange name and sticking out ears she's different from the rest. Lucy is the first to tease, the first to call her 'Earwig'. Until a secret friendship starts, full of warmth and mystery . . .
This haunting story about Rafaella, the new girl at school who finds making friends hard, is a stunning piece of writing. With her strange name and sticking out ears she's different from the rest. Lucy is the first to tease, the first to call her 'Earwig'. Until a secret friendship starts, full of warmth and mystery . . .
93 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
14 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Laird
214 books198 followersLaird was born in New Zealand in 1943, the fourth of five children. Her father was a ship's surgeon; both he and Laird's mother were Scottish. In 1945, Laird and her family returned to Britain and she grew up in South London, where she was educated at Croydon High School.
When she was eighteen, Laird started teaching at a school in Malaysia. She decided to continue her adventurous life, even though she was bitten by a poisonous snake and went down with typhoid.
After attending the university in Bristol, Laird began teaching English in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She and a friend would hire mules and go into remote areas in the holidays.
After a while at Edinburgh University, Laird worked in India for a summer. During travel, she met her future husband, David McDowall, who she said was very kind to her when she was airsick on a plane. The couple were married in 1975 and have two sons, Angus and William.
Laird has also visited Iraq and Lebanon. She claims to dislike snakes, porridge and being cold but enjoys very dark chocolate, Mozart, reading and playing the violin in the Iraq Symphony Orchestra.
She currently lives in Richmond, London with her husband.
When she was eighteen, Laird started teaching at a school in Malaysia. She decided to continue her adventurous life, even though she was bitten by a poisonous snake and went down with typhoid.
After attending the university in Bristol, Laird began teaching English in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She and a friend would hire mules and go into remote areas in the holidays.
After a while at Edinburgh University, Laird worked in India for a summer. During travel, she met her future husband, David McDowall, who she said was very kind to her when she was airsick on a plane. The couple were married in 1975 and have two sons, Angus and William.
Laird has also visited Iraq and Lebanon. She claims to dislike snakes, porridge and being cold but enjoys very dark chocolate, Mozart, reading and playing the violin in the Iraq Symphony Orchestra.
She currently lives in Richmond, London with her husband.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 29, 2020
Lucy and Rafaella are "secret friends". At school, Lucy ignores Rafaella and joins in with the name-calling that she regretfully started. Outside of school, the girls are neighbours and Lucy enjoys going over to Rafaella's house and having tea with her parents.
I remember the first time I read Secret Friends. I remember not enjoying it initially, basically is wasn't fantasy and where was the enjoyment in reading a book about friendship and bullies?
Oh, how wrong I was.
This book is amazing, truly. It stuck with me for years and I only recently bought my own copy to read again, and it still has the same pull.
Themes: friendship, bullying, guilt, grief, family.
I remember the first time I read Secret Friends. I remember not enjoying it initially, basically is wasn't fantasy and where was the enjoyment in reading a book about friendship and bullies?
Oh, how wrong I was.
This book is amazing, truly. It stuck with me for years and I only recently bought my own copy to read again, and it still has the same pull.
Themes: friendship, bullying, guilt, grief, family.
June 2, 2012
We have been covering this book in Year 5, so I had to read through it in order to catch up. In all honesty, this is a pretty emotional story (and as an adult I felt taken aback).
The book started of well, with a good storyline. It is about a girl called Lucy and her 'secret' friend Rafaella. Rafaella was not very popular in school because she was deemed to be different. When Lucy met her for the first time, she called her 'earwig' because Rafaella had big ears.
As the story develops, they became friends but only in secret. In school Lucy carried on ignoring her and stood by and watched the bullying! The story takes a twist which I never expected. Have a read and find out, as I do not want to ruin it for you.
We have used this book to inspire our letter writing lessons; particularly letters of persuasion (ie to to stop the bullying) and last week, the children wrote their own play scripts about bullying and then they acted out their scene.
All in all, it is good for upper KS2 as it links to friendship, bullying and many other key topics.
The book started of well, with a good storyline. It is about a girl called Lucy and her 'secret' friend Rafaella. Rafaella was not very popular in school because she was deemed to be different. When Lucy met her for the first time, she called her 'earwig' because Rafaella had big ears.
As the story develops, they became friends but only in secret. In school Lucy carried on ignoring her and stood by and watched the bullying! The story takes a twist which I never expected. Have a read and find out, as I do not want to ruin it for you.
We have used this book to inspire our letter writing lessons; particularly letters of persuasion (ie to to stop the bullying) and last week, the children wrote their own play scripts about bullying and then they acted out their scene.
All in all, it is good for upper KS2 as it links to friendship, bullying and many other key topics.
September 25, 2011
This is a book about a young girl called Rafaella, she starts at a new school and straight away, Lucy begins to tease her about her 'large ears'. She decides to call Rafaella 'Earwig', a name that sticks!!
Lucy instantly regrets her name calling but in order to hang out with the cool kids, Lucy ignores Rafaella....That is until one day, on the way home from school, Rafaella invites Lucy to tea; Lucy goes and finds she really likes Rafaella outside of school.
A friendship blossoms, but this is a secret friendship; one that Rafaella accepts. The girls become closer until one day Rafaella tells Lucy something special is about to happen, but she will not tell her what it is. The book takes a tragic turn when it is revealed that Rafaella has gone to hospital to have her 'large' ears pinned back....but sadly she does not survive the operation.
Lucy deals with the guilt she feels at not admitting her friendship in an open way and how she comes to terms with this.
The book's ending was a complete shock to me, as nowhere on the book cover did it suggest such a sad ending. This has highlighted to me, even more the importance of knowing what the literature you are exoposing children to contains. If this is had been a class reading project, the material would not have been suitable for younger children. The character Rafaella dies from a reaction to the anaesthetic during her operation.
This book does deal with some more contraversial issues but with a recommended age of 10-11 years, upper KS2 this book could be used as a disscussion piece when introducing and tackling issue's such as bullying.
Lucy instantly regrets her name calling but in order to hang out with the cool kids, Lucy ignores Rafaella....That is until one day, on the way home from school, Rafaella invites Lucy to tea; Lucy goes and finds she really likes Rafaella outside of school.
A friendship blossoms, but this is a secret friendship; one that Rafaella accepts. The girls become closer until one day Rafaella tells Lucy something special is about to happen, but she will not tell her what it is. The book takes a tragic turn when it is revealed that Rafaella has gone to hospital to have her 'large' ears pinned back....but sadly she does not survive the operation.
Lucy deals with the guilt she feels at not admitting her friendship in an open way and how she comes to terms with this.
The book's ending was a complete shock to me, as nowhere on the book cover did it suggest such a sad ending. This has highlighted to me, even more the importance of knowing what the literature you are exoposing children to contains. If this is had been a class reading project, the material would not have been suitable for younger children. The character Rafaella dies from a reaction to the anaesthetic during her operation.
This book does deal with some more contraversial issues but with a recommended age of 10-11 years, upper KS2 this book could be used as a disscussion piece when introducing and tackling issue's such as bullying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2021
a short poignantly sweet novella about friendship, and acceptance.
February 3, 2013
The story is about Lucy and Rafaella and their changing friendship. Rafaella is a new starter to the secondary school and Lucy is a bit mean to her and calls her ‘earwig’, which is soon picked up by all the school bullies. Lucy soon regrets this name calling, but as she still wants to be with the ‘cool kids’ she continues to ignore Rafealla. This changes when they meet out of school and a friendship develops. However, Lucy keeps the friendship secret, which she comes to regret at the end of the story. This book has quite an unexpected emotional ending so it is only really suitable for upper KS2.
We read this book in Story time in Year 6, and it was a good starting point for a number of class discussions around friendship, bullying, families and sadness. We also used it to inspire letter writing to an agony aunt and to a trusted friend.
We read this book in Story time in Year 6, and it was a good starting point for a number of class discussions around friendship, bullying, families and sadness. We also used it to inspire letter writing to an agony aunt and to a trusted friend.
May 18, 2022
I originially had this book to read to me by a teacher in Primary School and it has stuck with me ever since! It has taken me years to find it again as I had forgotten the title (this was around 19 years ago!) but I think it says so much about the book and Elizabeth Laird that it has stuck with me throughout my life! Please read it to your children or even for yourselves, beautifully sad book.
Read
October 13, 2022omgggg i loved this book
Read
May 1, 2012Secret Friends by Elizabeth Laird
This haunting story about Rafaella, the new girl at school who finds making friends hard, is a stunning piece of writing. With her strange name and sticking out ears she’s different from the rest. Lucy is the first to tease, the first to call her ‘Earwig’. Until a secret friendship starts, full of warmth and mystery.
Because this story starts on the first day of school, it could a nice book to use as a stimulus for creating guidelines for the class on what to do if someone new starts school late during the year. Or possibly as a guideline to creating rules for the new class starting in September and the class can decide on the rules or how they must treat each other. It can be used when discussing bullying. What can we do if someone that we know is being bullied? Who is available to help us? You could play ‘Secret Friends’. Write the names of each child in your class on a separate piece of paper. Ask each child to choose one of the names and that person becomes their ‘secret friend’ for a week. They have to do nice things for that person, without the other person realising. At the end of the week, ask the children to try and guess who was doing nice things for them.
This haunting story about Rafaella, the new girl at school who finds making friends hard, is a stunning piece of writing. With her strange name and sticking out ears she’s different from the rest. Lucy is the first to tease, the first to call her ‘Earwig’. Until a secret friendship starts, full of warmth and mystery.
Because this story starts on the first day of school, it could a nice book to use as a stimulus for creating guidelines for the class on what to do if someone new starts school late during the year. Or possibly as a guideline to creating rules for the new class starting in September and the class can decide on the rules or how they must treat each other. It can be used when discussing bullying. What can we do if someone that we know is being bullied? Who is available to help us? You could play ‘Secret Friends’. Write the names of each child in your class on a separate piece of paper. Ask each child to choose one of the names and that person becomes their ‘secret friend’ for a week. They have to do nice things for that person, without the other person realising. At the end of the week, ask the children to try and guess who was doing nice things for them.
November 20, 2011
i remeber my teacher in year 4 reading me this book, it was really good
i but it was with such a sad endingit's abut this girl called lucy whos new to the school, she wants to be popular, she befreinds a girl caled raefella, whos not pretty or popular, they secretly become friends, but raefella gets bullied alot for here ears, and is called earwig, so she considers surgery......
i but it was with such a sad endingit's abut this girl called lucy whos new to the school, she wants to be popular, she befreinds a girl caled raefella, whos not pretty or popular, they secretly become friends, but raefella gets bullied alot for here ears, and is called earwig, so she considers surgery......
January 1, 2020
This book is about an exchange student who struggled to fit in to her new school. She was know as Earwig because of her large ears stuck out of her heads. Her only friend was Lucy but Lucy wouldn’t show that they were friends at school because she didn’t want to get made fun of. One day when Lucy and Rafaella (the girl with the big ears) were singing for the choir Rafaella told Lucy something exciting was going to happen during the Christmas break. Although she didn’t tell Lucy or anyone what she was doing. But then something tragic happened and changed their lives.
When I started this book I was indecisive if I was going to continue it. The book had barely any description and it was like the author got lost while writing and mixed all of their ideas. I lost hope in the book and wasn’t going to finish it but when the author added the mystery of not telling us what Rafaella’s exciting news was I was immediately hooked and couldn’t stop reading until the end. This was an easy read and I would suggest it to grade 5 or under. Overall it wasn’t my favorite book but I think a younger age group would enjoy it.
When I started this book I was indecisive if I was going to continue it. The book had barely any description and it was like the author got lost while writing and mixed all of their ideas. I lost hope in the book and wasn’t going to finish it but when the author added the mystery of not telling us what Rafaella’s exciting news was I was immediately hooked and couldn’t stop reading until the end. This was an easy read and I would suggest it to grade 5 or under. Overall it wasn’t my favorite book but I think a younger age group would enjoy it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2018
I remember crying BUCKETS when I read this as a 3rd grader and having to run to the bathroom so I could cry in private during reading time in class. The storyline is still strongly embedded in my head after almost 15+ years and I still feel all wobbly inside when I think about the "secret friend" and her struggles. Such a terribly real and tragic and unforgettable read. (Thinking about it has gotten me all sad again!!! Ahhhh idk if it's amazing or horrible for an author to be able to make her reader feel like this after a decade+!!!)
August 10, 2021
An absoluely touching read. Was and still is one of my favourite childhood short stories.
Secret Friends is mainly set a school at the beginning of a new academic year, where two girls, Lucy and Rafaella, meet each other for the first time. Lucy goes off to a bad start when she calls Rafaella ''Earwig'' and forms a circle of bullying around Rafaella. However, Lucy feels bad and Rafaella understands that Lucy did not mean for it to turn this bad and become the best of ''secret'' friends outside school. After a terrible accident, true feelings and friend secrets come out.
A truly incredible story about friendship and bullying. Would recommend to anyone who likes short stories, but not to very young readers, as sensitive topics such as death of a friend are greatly touched upon.
Secret Friends is mainly set a school at the beginning of a new academic year, where two girls, Lucy and Rafaella, meet each other for the first time. Lucy goes off to a bad start when she calls Rafaella ''Earwig'' and forms a circle of bullying around Rafaella. However, Lucy feels bad and Rafaella understands that Lucy did not mean for it to turn this bad and become the best of ''secret'' friends outside school. After a terrible accident, true feelings and friend secrets come out.
A truly incredible story about friendship and bullying. Would recommend to anyone who likes short stories, but not to very young readers, as sensitive topics such as death of a friend are greatly touched upon.
November 23, 2021
This is a short and sweet novel which is about two girls - Rafella and Lucy. Lucy first teases Rafella by calling her 'Earwig' on the very first day of school. Later, they two become friends and Lucy keeps Rafella as her Secret Friend. But afterwards, the story takes a tragic and a sad twist and Lucy now understands the feelings of Rafella and realises that she shouldn't have teased her on the very first day of school.
This is a very emotional novel which deals about friendship and upsets our heart at the tragical moment. A must read.
This is a very emotional novel which deals about friendship and upsets our heart at the tragical moment. A must read.
December 4, 2022
I picked up this book because it’s the first book I’ve ever seen with a character named Rafaella ( my name) but by days this is a sad book, I didn’t think such a short book could bring such grief. An upsetting book but one with a very important moral to it. Makes you look at thing from a different angle. Very important. Also I feel that I connected with the character because she had the sme name as me but I wish she didn’t because I made me really sad and when a character has the sme name as you you are able to connect on another level, makes it more personal
Age: 9+
Age: 9+
May 17, 2022
I read this book as part of a pshe lesson in year 5 and eight years on i still remember the whole plot and the lessons and how traumatised I was. I cried over this book then and I just cried over it again now. the plot twist wrecked me as a ten year old and again as an adult. if you don't mind traumatising your kids, this is an absolutely brilliant read to teach the value of being kind and showing you care about someone while you can.
April 26, 2025
This was actually a re-read that i did for school but even tho it was pretty fun. I really love that Lucy and Rafaella become such close friends. I also really like that Lucy could find comfort in Rafaellas family to cope with the grief. This book is a very good one that shows that you shouldn't point out something on someone elses body and you never know if you become best friends with the person you bullied.
December 6, 2019
A lovely story about friendship, bullying and determination.
Poor Rafaella, nobody is her friend at school. Then Lucy, the new girl, starts and calls her a nickname which other people used at Raffaella which then stuck.
Rafaella wants Lucy as her friend and just as they begin to be pally, Rafaella goes off somewhere for a spell with drastic results.
Poor Rafaella, nobody is her friend at school. Then Lucy, the new girl, starts and calls her a nickname which other people used at Raffaella which then stuck.
Rafaella wants Lucy as her friend and just as they begin to be pally, Rafaella goes off somewhere for a spell with drastic results.
November 14, 2024
3.5☆
Tragic story of two secret school girl friends lucy and rafaella. Readers can learn to be sensitive toward others here. And I can't help but don't like the word secret in friendship here. It's as if, in a way, the one person is ashamed of having another person as a friend in front of her other group of peers.
Tragic story of two secret school girl friends lucy and rafaella. Readers can learn to be sensitive toward others here. And I can't help but don't like the word secret in friendship here. It's as if, in a way, the one person is ashamed of having another person as a friend in front of her other group of peers.
November 21, 2023
The ending of this book traumatised me so much that, after reading it aged 9, I still have a phobia almost 30 years later.
Powerful writing, I guess, but I have a genuine fear that started after reading this and has shaped a lot of my adult life 😬
Powerful writing, I guess, but I have a genuine fear that started after reading this and has shaped a lot of my adult life 😬
March 11, 2021
A heartbreakingly beautiful tale of bonding, bullying, sensitivity, and loss.
September 21, 2021
Bullying and friendship- similar to cloud busting.
This time it includes death and empathy. A very emotional short and easy story.
This time it includes death and empathy. A very emotional short and easy story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2024
Beautifully harrowing story of deep friendship.
March 2, 2020
Although a short novella, this packs a lot in.
There's bullying, friendship and grief.
Lucy accidentally hands school yard bullies a nickname for Rafaella, one which leads - in a way - to Rafaella's death. Rafaella dies under anesthetic, while being operated on to 'fix' her ears.
Lucy feels tremendous guilt which adds to her grief.
Rafaella's parents and brother are sympathetic towards Lucy, and want to stay in touch.
There's bullying, friendship and grief.
Lucy accidentally hands school yard bullies a nickname for Rafaella, one which leads - in a way - to Rafaella's death. Rafaella dies under anesthetic, while being operated on to 'fix' her ears.
Lucy feels tremendous guilt which adds to her grief.
Rafaella's parents and brother are sympathetic towards Lucy, and want to stay in touch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2022
I read this at midnight so my view of this book is shrouded by exhaustion, however, when I read this I was very close to tears when it was revealed that Rafaella died. It was unexpected to me and although I didn't intentionally read this to make me nearly cry, I can wholeheartedly say that this book deservers the five stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2016
Secret Friends follows the story of Rafaella, the new girl in school. Rafaella finds it hard to make new friends due to her different name and ‘sticky out ears’. She is teased by all the children, but Lucy is the first to start the name calling. Lucy wants to be popular and will not talk to Rafaella, but outside of school they strike up a friendship and Lucy enjoys her time at Rafaella’s house learning about her culture. But one day, Rafaella was gone. The teasing had pushed her to have surgery to correct her ‘sticky out ears’ but something had gone wrong and Rafaella had died.
This story deals with a range of issues from bullying, cliquishness and death. It is told in an honest and thoughtful way with a true in-depth look at the emotions of each child. This story would be a great way to explore bullying within a PSHE lesson, and would encourage children to discuss the consequences. It also can be used to discuss diversity and different cultures and how they perceive them. It can also be used for an English lesson, with a diary entry from either character or a letter to each other explaining how they feel. Lucy does at one point try to say sorry to Rafaella but cannot find the words; this could be a point where the children try to think about what Lucy could say through role-play. The story could also be used to explore the thoughts and feelings you experience when a friend passes away, and would Lucy feel any different if she had been a friend to Rafaella in school as well. Children can also discuss what they would do if they saw someone being mean to another child. It could also be used to explore whether changing your own image would make a difference, or would the bullying carry on.
This story has many parts which can be explored individually in a KS2 classroom. Although I do feel it would have benefits for a KS1 class if they needed to explore bullying. A truly emotional and honest view of bullying that some children still experience within school.
This story deals with a range of issues from bullying, cliquishness and death. It is told in an honest and thoughtful way with a true in-depth look at the emotions of each child. This story would be a great way to explore bullying within a PSHE lesson, and would encourage children to discuss the consequences. It also can be used to discuss diversity and different cultures and how they perceive them. It can also be used for an English lesson, with a diary entry from either character or a letter to each other explaining how they feel. Lucy does at one point try to say sorry to Rafaella but cannot find the words; this could be a point where the children try to think about what Lucy could say through role-play. The story could also be used to explore the thoughts and feelings you experience when a friend passes away, and would Lucy feel any different if she had been a friend to Rafaella in school as well. Children can also discuss what they would do if they saw someone being mean to another child. It could also be used to explore whether changing your own image would make a difference, or would the bullying carry on.
This story has many parts which can be explored individually in a KS2 classroom. Although I do feel it would have benefits for a KS1 class if they needed to explore bullying. A truly emotional and honest view of bullying that some children still experience within school.
June 15, 2015
"Secret Friends" is a story centred around a young girl named Lucy who becomes friends with a newcomer called Rafaella but only outside of school. The two become friends very quickly and gradually Rafaella opens up her life to Lucy. However, at school Lucy was the first one to tease Rafaella about her large ears and called her 'Earwig'; a name that would lead to unbelievable consequences.
Tbis story is one that is touching, hard hitting and full of warmth. It is a fantastic link to PSHE linking into anti-bullying, belonging and self esteem. The appropriate age for this book would be 7 to 11.
I have used this book as part of Literacy which worked very well over the half term, using it for reading, writing, grammar and comprehension. It is also very useful to spark off debates within the class thus adding more depth and meaning for the children which then becomes evident in their writing.
Tbis story is one that is touching, hard hitting and full of warmth. It is a fantastic link to PSHE linking into anti-bullying, belonging and self esteem. The appropriate age for this book would be 7 to 11.
I have used this book as part of Literacy which worked very well over the half term, using it for reading, writing, grammar and comprehension. It is also very useful to spark off debates within the class thus adding more depth and meaning for the children which then becomes evident in their writing.
Read
May 30, 2012remember that I started 30-5-2012 3pm and i think I am going to finish this book because the title is very attractive and I also feel like i am in love with the person who wrote this book, Elizabeth Laird, because i think (in my opinion) that she makes you feel like she takes you with her in every word in every sentence that she wrote in her books..... and so on, i think i want to finish this book because i feel that I HAVE to finish this book.
May 26, 2015
Que dire de plus que ce roman est un bijou ! C'est un roman sur l'autre, la différence physique et la moquerie ainsi que sur la culpabilité. Nos actes ont des conséquences.
70 pages de réflexion sous forme de roman pour les jeunes.
70 pages de réflexion sous forme de roman pour les jeunes.
October 4, 2025
its was good lucy and rafaella are supposed to be secret frind but at school lucy ignores rafaella and act like mean but after school lucy act all sweet towards rafaella btw i got emotional that rafella didnt deserve to die and also Dani and Lucy's chemistry is vibing tho!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews