Some Friend

by Marie Bradby

Finding a friend isn't easy.

Especially when there aren't many kids age eleven in your neighborhood. Being a friend is even harder. In Pearl's neighborhood Lenore is everyone's friend of choice. She has her hair straightened and curled at a real beauty shop, her own pink phone, and a canopy bed. The most Pearl hopes for is to be included as one of Lenore's followers.

Then outcast Artemesia comes into Pearl's life. Artemesia is everything Pearl dreams of being -- a dancer and an artist. But then Lenore makes it clear she can't stand Artemesia, Pearl does the worst thing possible.

And she still hasn't got a friend.

Or has she?

Genres: Friendship, Historical Fiction, Historical, African American, Young Adult

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 2004

About the author

I grew up in the suburbs on the East Coast, the sixth of seven children. I attended public schools, I was a Girl Scout, played soccer, was a majorette and played the clarinet and oboe through college. After I graduated from Hampton University, I worked as a journalist for newspapers and magazines for years.

My husband and I have one child -- a teen-age son -- and I became interested in writing children's literature when he was an infant. I began seriously studying children's literature by reading, attending writing workshops, writing, and joining professional writers' organizations and a critique group. To pay for books on writing, attending workshops and organizational memberships, I worked as a free-lance writer for various magazines.

It took about eight years before my first book was published.

When I am not writing, I enjoy gardening, playing tennis, biking, yoga, and of course, reading.

Reviews

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I literally just randomly found this under my bed and I figured I'd give it a read

For a kid's book, it's a pretty solid coming-of-age story about a 11-year old girl named Pearl, and even though this book was set in the 1960s, it's still relevant to today because people can relate to Pearl's thoughts of insecurity and wanting to fit in with the popular girls even now. It's pretty realistic and thoughtfully written, and not a bad read.

It's not particularly amazing or compelling, and I felt like it was a pretty average book, thus why I gave this a 3-star rating.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pearl is one of those girls that popular girls don't like just because of their appearance. She's eleven years old and she loves school. Unlike the other people in school she still dresses like a little girl. Pearl never had a lot of popular friends but one day she befriends with a girl named Lenore. Lenore is popular but she doesn't treat Pearl really good. She makes fun of her and makes her feel good. So Pearl tries to change for her but of course it doesn't feel right so she goes back to her nerdy self. I liked this book because it relates a little to my childhood when i was in elementary school. I didn't have many friends and people didn't talk to me a lot because i wasn't the most prettiest or skinniest girl in my school. So i liked reading about another young girl's point of view and how she feels about learning how to be alone most of the time. I've learned that people shouldn't pay attention to mean things that other people have to say. You should not have to change who you are just because you want to be in the "in crowd".

[Ruhama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pearl is a struggling fifth grader when it comes to friendships. She’s not quite ready to grow up, but desperately wants to fit in with the “in” crowd. She gets her chance when Lenore, the most popular girl around, deems Pearl worthy of being in the group. Suddenly Pearl’s outlook on life changes—she starts hanging out (like her older sister does with her friends), tries dressing differently (sometimes) and joins her friends looking for boys. Meanwhile, another friendship is budding between Pearl and a poor migrant girl, Artemisa. Unfortunately, Lenore’s power is stronger than the bonds of what could be true friendship, and Pearl loses Artemisa’s trust forever when Lenore deems Artemisa to be too low for them, and the other three of the quartet beat up Artemisa.

This book takes place in the 1960s and the main characters are all African Americans. It started out a bit slow, but as I kept reading and got used to the narrative style, I grew to enjoy Pearl. She has some major character development through this book—just enough growth to be believable. You feel her emotions and respond as she would when her little sister gets away with everything or she is in a new situation, like going to the roller rink. The main theme is friendship, and Pearl learns a valuable lesson that many girls have to learn at her age, so this will resonate with many, though perhaps after the fact.

[Imani ♥ ☮ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book kind of sucked.

If I am to be honest, you know.

My grandma made me get this book because she thinks I read too many books about old times, about slavery and stuff like that. I think it's not only that, but also the fact the girl in this book has her name. Anyway, my grandma was wrong anyway because this book was set in either the 50s or 60s. I didn't really like it though because I don't think the author did a very good job incorporating the time and setting into the story. Except for a couple things, I would have thought the book was set in modern times. Furthermore, the ending didn't make sense at all. I don't remember a lot about it but I remember thinking: "this sucks".

[Britney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great book. I highly recommend it as a must-read for kids. The interesting thing about reading this book as an adult is being able to view the world through Pearl's 11-year-old innocence. Her innocence of not realizing that the girls she wants to be friends with are bullies and a bad influence, her innocence of not knowing how to be brave enough to be herself, her innocence of not being able to stand up for herself or others, even her innocence of not understanding racism and discrimination. Through her journey, she overcomes all of this and learns what friendship truly is. I think this book would be very helpful for young kids to learn from and I think adults would benefit from reading it as it reminds them of how a child views the world.

[Clare]

This was a touching story

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this youth book as an easy read for my breaks, thinking there wouldn't be much to it. I was mistaken. The writing is good, the dialogue is believable and 'sounds' very natural and it sends a good message. I really enjoyed it.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great message for children today.

[Kara Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A somewhat predictable but affecting coming-of-age story about the consequences of hanging out with the "wrong crowd." Set in 1960s Maryland, against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, the story centers on an 11-year-old African-American girl who is desperate to find a friend. Exactly why Pearl is friendless isn't quite clear, because she comes across as a thoughtful and intelligent child. She is thrilled when beautiful and popular Lenore starts including her in social activities, even if Lenore manipulates her into lying and wearing too much makeup. Pearl also wants to be friends with Artemesia, who's talented and interesting and introduces her to wondrous things like art. But Artemesia also happens to be poor, and that doesn't sit well with Lenore and her crowd. They label Artemesia a "creepy girl" and worse. Pearl knows they're wrong, but isn't brave enough to stand up for her. During the climactic confrontation, Pearl watches helplessly as Artemesia is cruelly attacked by the popular girls. The following day, she discovers that Artemesia has left town for good. Pearl is left to ponder the consequences of her inaction, and mourn the loss of the one person who truly was her friend"

I would love to read this story in my class at the beggining of the year or at the end of the year. I would want to show them how easy it would be to get caught in the wrong crowd. I would like to show the importance of friendship and what that means. I liked this book and thought many young girls would like it too. I think it would be easy enough for many special needs girls as well.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 4-7 243pgs


1963 Maryland. 11 year old Pearl has wished for a friend for the longest time and suddenly finds herself with not one, but two potential friends: popular Lenore who is everything that Pearl wished she was but isn't and Artemesia who like Pearl has to share things with her siblings and can't afford to buy all the things that Lenore has. Pearl is determined to keep Lenore as a friend, but finds herself getting into more and more trouble.....

Mostly a coming of age story with some mention of the March on Washington that her brother and father participate in.

[Melissa Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good, not great, but good. Pearl, an eleven old with no friends lives in a neighborhood where alot of kids are not her age. THen she meets a little girl named Artemesia who becomes her best friend, but this mean girl, named Lenore, turns Pearl aganist her new best friend and things go wrong.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book a lot because it is a story of a girl who has a tough time making friends. Some of the deep things that happened to Pearl are happening to kids my age in society. This book is really realistic, and at times can be a little sensitive. Don't be surprised if you've gone through some of the things in Pearl's life.

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This small story of a child learning about friendship takes, for some inane reason, 250 pages to tell.

The writing is without art or complexity and, at times, is without clarity too. Got this from my literacy student who was having difficulties with it. I think I'll tell her to move on. There are so many much better books out there.

[Morgan Leech · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. It was about a young girl named Pearl from Virginia, and the novel tells the tale of Pearl's experience with her friends and is all about how to act appropriately and how to never take certain friendships for granted because they could end before you know it.

[Salsabrarian]

Can a friend be somebody whom no one else likes but you?

[Karrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg best book i can really relate to this!

[Julia Concepcion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and sweet. You can learn a lot about friendship from this book.

[Drake Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book and all what's in it I'm currently reading so don't spoil Mary you did good