Endlich eine Freundin

Best Friends #1

by Mary Bard

A story of friendship, for the upper bracket of this age group, as an American girl and a French girl share a year of family and school adventure in Seattle. Suzie Green is an outspoken, energetic, normal sort of American girl, eleven years old, and living with her mother, a widow and teacher. Then the Langdons, father and French-born daughter, move into the neighborhood. Bill Langdon had lost his French wife, and brought Coco, their daughter, back to Seattle. Coco's French heritage precipitates problems with an intolerant set at school, but Suzie and Coco take to each other immediately, and profit mutually from the association. The story runs the gamut of eleven and twelve year old emotions, and the background is a very real small world of girls, with budding interest in boys. (Kirkus)

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Friendship, Middle Grade

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

The eldest daughter of a mining engineer, Mary Bard moved frequently as a child, owing to her father's work. She went to kindergarten in Mexico City, first grade in New York, and second grade in Colorado. She attended college at the University of Washington, in Seattle, married a doctor, and eventually settled on Vashon Island, near Seattle. She had three daughters, and was active as a Brownie troupe leader. Best known for her series of children's novels about "Best Friends" Suzie and Co-Co, Bard also wrote a number of adult titles. Her sister, Betty Macdonald, best known for her Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books, was also an author.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suzie Green, an eleven-year-old Seattle girl, was lonely and discontented. The girls at school were cliquish - banding together in Millicent's "Select Seven" club, with their secret code and snooty behavior - Suzie's mother, widowed in the second world war, had to work as a teacher; and there were no other kids in her immediate neighborhood. And then one day, sitting in her Lookout and gazing at the "Pink House" next door, Suzie saw something new and exciting: a moving van! An old family friend, the widower Bill Langdon, was returning to Seattle with his half-French daughter Clothilde - known as "Co Co" - and Suzie suddenly found herself with a best friend, and no time to be lonely!

This delightful book, the first in a trilogy of novels devoted to the adventures of Suzie and Co Co - Best Friends in Summer and Best Friends at School are the subsequent titles - is a pleasing little cream-puff of a story: lighthearted without being frivolous, and very much a product of its time, in that innocent 1950s way, without being completely irrelevant to the contemporary reader. I took the two main characters very much to heart, and enjoyed reading about their growing friendship, and their adventures in their neighborhood and at school. I loved the episode with the warring "codes" of speech, as Co Co's French faction face off against Milicent's numerically inclined Select Seven, only to find that the boys have also decided to adopt another language, in the form of Pig Latin!

Co Co's enthusiasm for all things American was rather refreshing (and again, very 1950s), and although I could have done without the (thankfully single) incident in which the girls play that they are being attacked by Indians, overall Best Friends is just a charming read! Readers interested in the world of children's literature, or just fans of the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books, will be interested to learn that Mary Bard is the sister of Betty MacDonald, the creator of those books. All in all, a book I would recommend to anyone with a taste for vintage girls' stories, particularly of the 50s period. I certainly intend to track down the latter two in the series!

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a pre-teen and probably read it three times along with book two and three. When it became available as a re-print on Amazon, I had to have it.

First published in 1955, the two characters Susie and Co Co are eleven almost twelve and this invoked memories of those early years on the cusp of becoming a teenager.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child and spent years trying to track it down for my own children (who are now grown). It frustrates me that this book has never been offered for publication as I think it would do very well.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a trilogy followed by "Best Friends in Summer" when the two girls go to a ranch to learn horseback riding. The last part includes a girl from Hawaii (Best Friends at School).

[Lisa Kleppek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series when I was in elementary school and have looked for it as an adult. It is really a shame they didn't republish it.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my mothers favorite book that she read as a child and says she has read it at least five times. And will probably read it again some time. Which is funny because she is no a big reader in the first place.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The five stars are what I would have given this book in the fourth grade. It was one of my very favorites and I read it more than once. I was thrilled when my daughter found it in a used book store. It still is fun to read, although not my usual thing. Definitely not Newbery material.

[Oolookitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a comfort read and this is one of the best. I adored these books as a kid and they are still delightful. A real slice of life from the 1950s, and CoCo and Suzie are just getting started, with two sequels to come! In their words, these books are both neat and keen.

[Annagrace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet classic children’s story. The drama is light and the plot is simple, but there is plenty of joy and good-hearted adults. Coco and Suzie inhabit the very world my ten year old dearly wishes to step inside: tree houses, dogs, party dresses, sleepovers, and secretly wonderful neighbors.

[Linda Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the Best Friends trilogy in grade school. Loved them. Been trying to locate them for my granddaughters. All are selling for extreme prices.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series as a kid.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book about 65 years ago. I loved it so much and had all three books in the series. Awhile ago this, the first book, was re-released. I got a cooy for my granddaughter who never really got into it. So, I decided to read it again.

First I have got to say that it is very dated. I was also surprised at how contrived the plot is. Still, it is a sweet book, and I also liked the setting, Seattle, which wasn’t so far from my home.

If you want to know a bit about life in the 50’s you can get a glimpse from reading this title.

BTW, Bard was Betty MacDonald’s sister who wrote the very well/ known Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

four stars because it was a really pleasant comforting read such as one needs in difficult times.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite book from my childhood. Didn't disappoint to read as an adult.
I hadn't remembered the details but it was like visiting with old friends.
And a dabbling of French!

[Jennifer Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a young adult novel from the 1950s, which centers around Suzie and Co Co, two girls who become neighbors and best friends. I was a little unsure, after reading the plot synopsis, about whether I’d approve of the book, since it mentioned something about a mean clique of girls and characters being interested in boys—was this just going to be dumb teen drama? However, I like the way that the issues were handled in the book. The story makes it clear that being rude and excluding others is unkind. It also demonstrates that a twelve-year-old girl might like one boy better than the others, but she need not be “boy crazy” or act like a drama queen as a result. The adults in the story are good-natured and helpful, and there are plenty of fun details that any twelve-year-old girl will love (Tree house! Dog! Swimming pool in the backyard!). I am totally ok with my twelve-year-old daughter reading this, and I bet she’ll like it. The cover of the new Kindle reprint is odd and silly and seems out of place—why not let a vintage book keep its vintage cover? But I’m glad it’s back in print after being unavailable for so long.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

11 year old Suzie doesn't have many friends because her mom is a local teacher, until finally a new girl comes and they're immediately best friends. Omg, a Bard sister wrote a book with NO RACISM in it. I'm glad one of them had it in her. This was charming, slight and sweet. The 50s slang was super heavy--I honestly can't tell if she reflected the language of the kids around her or tried to jive hard, daddy-o. It sounded a lot like the youngest daughter Katy in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation, and I'm pretty sure that was over the top humor, ha. There was a sweet little parental romance, and funny moments, so I don't mind leaving it in a little free library for some child to enjoy.

[Jeannette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book after reading reviews. Perhaps I would have loved it as a young girl but I did not love it as an adult. I found the writing stilted and forced. There was nothing objectionable but it seemed like the author tried too hard to be funny and clever. I found the characters overdrawn and somewhat silly and dramatic. Not a favorite. So many other wonderful out of print books that Nancy could have chosen!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought back many wonderful childhood memories. I hope the other two in the series will be re-released. It’s a lovely, peaceful story about friendship, family, and cultural differences

[Renee Bennett Tone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my very favorite books when I was ten! It's a wonderful YA novel and I am so glad to see that it's still around and accessible to contemporary readers!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this through the Goodreads Giveaway program. I can't wait to read it and share it with my two granddaughters. I'm wondering if it being published in 1955 will detract from their enjoyment, or understanding, of the plot...

January 2, 2016; I enjoyed this book and there were only a couple references that would need to be explained to young girls of today... record players and the references to the war.

It was fun watching the girls become closer, enough that they were able to disagree with each other. The close relationship with the Grandparents was special, especially the extension to 'The Lookout.' Their plot to bring romance between their parents, was reminiscent of the movie, The Parenting Trap.

It will be interesting to see what my grandaughters, ages 5 and 8, think!

[Mary Platt]

This was one of my favorite books as a child! I would check it out from the library over and over. Same thing for Best Friends in Summer. While Googling this title the other day I discovered a third book, Best Friends at School. Apparently, my local library did not have that book!! I also discovered there are copies of Best Friends in Summer for sale from $90.00 up to $498.00! There were no copies of Best Friends at School available for sale :-(

If you want to read Best Friends again, you can buy it from Barnes and Noble or download it onto your Kindle. I just did that and can't wait to read it again!!

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first I have heard of this book. It is a story of 2 young girls who become friends and neighbors and their experience with school and a group of girls who are mean. How they handle the mean group (the Select Seven) is in a way that shows the Select Seven how silly they as a group are being and that it's OK not to be mean to people. I see that there are a couple of other books about Suzie and Co Co and I plan to see if I can find those to read also.
This is a great story for girls or boys to read and highly recommend this book.
I got this for free in a drawing from Goodreads Giveaways.

[Randall J Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite from my childhood.

I have searched for this book and it's sequels for at least forty years. It reflected my own post war suburban childhood and I hoped to introduce it to my students as a period piece of that era. In the spirit of Anne Of Green Gables and the Little House series it tells the age old story of friendship and loyalty. It is a wonderful book for any girl who has longed for a friend. I want to thank Nancy Pearl for bring this title back for us to enjoy again. Hopefully the sequels will soon be available too.

[Marti Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Bard's books for children have been out of print for many years, but I have a copy of another volume in this series, kept from childhood. There's nothing like an old book, is there? So I seized the opportunity to read this one, returned to print. As Nancy Pearl says in her foreword, the best children's book may be those in which you can both find yourself and lose yourself.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so happy I finally discovered the author of one of my most favorite books! I must have read this at least a dozen times as a very lonely little girl. I sure would love to be able to read it again. Does anyone know how to find it?

[Dusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the pranks and friendships.

[Jitka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Byla to moc hezká kniha. Hodne pobavi,zlepsi naladu, pohodovy cteni. Urcite dodrucuji :-)

[Sherry]

a great YA book...enjoyed reading it

[Verdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Happy that one of my favorite childhood books has been republished. Reading it again has brought back many happy memories of this story and my best friend from childhood."