Serena Says: A Funny and Heartwarming Story About Friendship and Vlogging for Children

by Tanita S. Davis

Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis delivers a heartwarming and humorous middle grade tale about a young girl who finds her own voice through vlogging and learns to speak out. Perfect for fans for Wendy Mass and Lisa Greenwald and now available in paperback. JC shines like a 4th of July sparkler. She has the best ideas, the biggest, funniest laugh, and the party starts when she arrives. Serena St. John is proud to be known as her best friend. Everything changes when JC returns from the hospital with a new kidney—and a new best friend. Out of the spotlight of JC’s friendship, suddenly things aren’t quite so sparkly in Serena’s world. Lonely Serena works on perfecting her vlogs, hoping to earn a shot at becoming a classroom reporter. If she can be smart and funny on video, why can’t she manage that in real life? If only she could always pause, edit, or delete conversations. It would be so much easier to say the right thing at the right time . . . instead of not saying what she should, or, even worse, blurting out a secret that wasn’t hers to share. Life doesn’t have a pause button—but as Serena discovers her voice through vlogging, she learns that she’s not just there to reflect JC’s light—she’s fully capable of shining on her own.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Friendship, Juvenile, School

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2020

Reviews

[Colleen Scidmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son actually laughed at me for checking out a Middle Grade book at the library. Hysterically! Because I’ll be honest that’s not my normal genre and I even contemplated if this was to young for me, Queen of the YA reads. But something about this book was calling to me.⁣⁣
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Serena has a best friend named JC who is the sparkly one the one who always speaks up and makes everything seem fun. But things change when JC is recovering from a kidney transplant. She seems to have picked up a new friend in the process and Serena is now on the back burner. And it’s eating Serena up. ⁣⁣
Serena takes up vlogging to fill up the loneliness and along the way she learns she has a talent for something and that she also has a voice and her own unique sparkle. And it’s not the end of the world when things start changing. ⁣⁣
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I loved this book! Tanita S. Davis is such a gifted writer that had me at word one. I also think this is a perfect story for Tweens that talks about how friendships change as you get older, and to use your voice and find your own place in the world. And it also touches on medical illness and psychiatric disorders. You get some education wrapped up in the cutest story. ⁣⁣
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This was such a wonderful surprise because I truly enjoyed this book even as an adult. I suggest this for any tween because of the easy to follow writing or any adult who loves a good younger audience story! ⁣⁣
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[D.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that this story tackled serious health issues, some physical and others mental, while still remaining light-hearted. The main character is also an aspiring YouTuber.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serena Says is a relatable, enjoyable middle-grade book about evolving friendships, sisterhood, and gaining confidence in oneself. With nods to ethnic diversity and mental illness awareness, this slice-of-life middle-grade book is fun to read, and features a cast of memorable characters in a middle school setting. If you enjoy middle-grade books by Black authors or books about sisters, you will definitely love this one. Bonus points if you enjoy audiobooks, because this one is terrific.

Read my full review on my blog.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serena’s usually in her BFF JC’s shadow. The JC gets a kidney transplant and makes a new friend, causing Serena to feel hurt and left behind.

SERENA SAYS is a sweet story about a tween who learns to find her voice and share her friends through vlogging and working with groups in school. Younger middle grade readers will probably enjoy this sometimes heavy-handed story that sometimes feels like a Message Book while older readers would probably prefer something less saccharine and edgy.

Serena is a great character, full of insecurities and flaws. Watching her find her voice makes for a satisfying read.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has the sheen of a "clean read," including some Christian undertones and some fairly heavy-handed anti-drug messaging--I didn't know "Red Ribbon Week" was still a thing in elementary school, but apparently it is! That combo wouldn't normally be my thing, but I was won over by the wonderful writing. Davis has a real knack for character development, and the growing pains Serena goes through as she learns to be more confident and empathetic--essentially, to become a better, fuller person--are so convincingly rendered here. Serena feels like a very real, very modern girl, and I became truly invested in how things would shake out with her by the end of the school year. My investment was rewarded!

[Judy Bagley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“MY MOTHER SAID THAT sixth-grade friendships change, and that change was beyond our control, and that we shouldn’t take it personally.”

With these words my 53-year-old self was swept back to my 6th-grade self! But at the end of the day, don’t these words apply to friendships throughout our lives?

I loved this book as it encapsulates those difficult tween years so well. I also loved the diversity woven into this book, and that the author did it with out it being the focus or the defining mark of the characters. For example there is a character that is a chair-user and the only way it was mentioned was, “Eliana leaned back in her wheelchair and grinned.” The chair shouldn’t be the focal point of the character and it wasn’t!

Serena is my kindred spirit. She says, “Books are the one thing in the world to pick up when your brain needs a break from . . . basically everything.” I couldn’t agree more!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the advanced copy of this highly recommended middle grade novel!

[Ms. Sethi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serena is a phenomenal middle school narrator with so much to say and offer! Her honesty about being unsure, nervous, scared, lonely, mad, and more will really resonate with middle schoolers (and everyone!). Friendship issues are so real and so huge for kids and this book does a good job communicating the enormity of that. The sibling relationship is so well done and the vlogging is a great hook into the book for students and a reminder to find your own voice! It's also just a fun format and provides a different take on a middle school saga. The side stories and more minor characters and friendships are all so real and portray the complexities of middle school and navigating so many things at once accurately. Also, I love the representation in this book - it is done in the best way possible, as characters just happen to be fill in the blank instead of their race, family, disability, etc being their whole story. So many students will love to see part of their experience reflected in this book. The discussion of mental illness is particularly well done as it is not explained away easily or made "okay" but simply something that a friend's family is going through and working on. There is no easy answer or explanation and that is both realistic and humanizing. Can't wait to get this into the hands of students!

*I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ahtiya (BookinItWithAhtiya) · Rating 4 out of 5]

SERENA SAYS is a Middle Grade novel full of heart, empathy, and valuable life lessons for young readers. This novel features themes of self-confidence, growing up, navigating shifting friendships, and finding your voice amidst inner turbulence. The inclusion of Serena’s vlogs serve as insightful diary entries that help us better understand Serena and the memories that helped shape her. I absolutely loved Serena’s relationship with her older sister Fallon and the girls’ relationship with their mother. I appreciated how the obstacles Serena faced were resolved; instead of everything going back to normal, Serena learned to adjust to new circumstances and see the bright side to circumstance she couldn’t necessarily change. This is definitely an excellent life lesson to impart on young readers, especially those in middle school who are in the throes of change. I’d totally read more books about Serena and her friends and family. Perhaps Tanita S. Davis will bless us with more Serena St. John books in the future 👀

[Llyr Heller-Humphreys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great middle grade novel from an excellent YA author

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tanita Davis nails the character arc in this one! Serena gathers confidence and maturity throughout the book, finally getting brave enough to post her vlogs and stand up for and believe in herself.

[Jo ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serena Says was a sweet book. A journey for this young girl to find her own voice and emerge from the shadow of her maybe-former best friend. She stumbles, she second guesses, and she slowly finds her own. This story also thoughtfully dealt with significant health issues both physical and mental. It was navigated through well and wove into the story in a very natural and important way. This book is one I think my daughter will be drawn to. Especially since my daughter would love nothing more than to be a volgger. 😂🤭 #no. 😒

[Alex Baugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

When her best friend JC goes to the hospital for a kidney transplant, Serena uses the time to try to overcome her fear of public speaking by creating a vlog. Finally, Serena is supposed to visit JC in the hospital as their class ambassador, but gets a cold and another girl takes her place. Before long, Serena begins to feel pushed away by JC who seems to want to hang with Lani now. Can these two long time besties work things out.

[Hazel (and Nutsy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book! I finished it so fast, which I guess shows how much I liked it. It was another one of those "middle school girl having trouble with her best friend" stories, but it also had quite a few unique aspects which I very much appreciated. It wasn't really cleared up directly about how Serena felt about Lani at the end, but it's OK. Also, I love how the chapters are fairly short so I don't get bored over long periods of time. Highly suggest it!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It was funny.
There was drama.
Friendships don’t last forever.
I liked it.”
-My daughter’s rapid assessment.

I thought the author nailed the emotional highs and lows, and the moral learnings, of friendship at this age.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

*3.5 stars

Serena Says is a slice of life story about Serena's 1st semester of 6th grade after her best friends gets a kidney transplant. Serena and JC lose touch after a new girl comes to school.

The best thing about this book is the effortless diversity. Most of the characters are different from each other and it's not a big deal. I also like that Serena is a Black character and her story doesn't revolve around Black pain.

I found that the student's actions in student senate seemed a little too old for middle schoolers. They came off too old and responsible.

The story is cute overall. I liked the vlogging elements and the characters.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

this story of the journey of a middle school girl as she finds her voice, struggling through tribulations of friendship stress and awkwardness, is warm and fun and sweet and inspiring even for those of us who left middle school in our dust years ago!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serena Says is a wholesome and honest look at middle school friendships. This notoriously hard age brings with it changes and challenges that often happen without a clear reason, making it all the more confusing and frustrating for young people. Author Tanita Davis captures a slice of this middle school experience. Readers will find themselves confounded and frustrated right alongside Serena as she navigates life and school without a best friend by her side. Serena’s transformation is subtle and realistic, showing that change does not always happen at once. Such a portrayal will resonate with middle grade readers as many will undoubtedly face similar conflicts and questions. Another strength is the novel’s diverse cast of characters. For instance, Serena is Black, JC is Filipino, and Lani is Hawaiian. The diverse set of perspectives will open doors to all types of readers and allow them to connect with the characters. On the other hand, Serena’s vlogging may get mixed reviews. While it provides insight into Serena’s mindset and perspective, some segments do not necessarily contribute to or move the plot forward in a significant way. Even so, other readers may enjoy her vlogs for the breaks they provide from the middle school drama that fills the rest of the narrative.

Serena Says brings a burst of fresh air to the middle grade genre. Many new books focus on larger societal issues or heavier topics, deservedly so. But novels, such as Serena Says, will always have a place in classroom libraries because of the universality of its central theme: the experience of friendship during middle school. Although seemingly a smaller topic in the scheme of things, it is a deeply personal one and potentially quite significant. A person’s own experiences during that time in their life can have a profound impact on them - no small topic indeed. Therefore, Serena will find many fans in the middle grades for the respect it affords young people and the empathy with which it treats their experiences.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Katherine Tegen Books, for an eARC of this book!

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What it’s about: Sixth grader Serena St. John tends to be quiet, staying out of the spotlight. But her interest in being part of the on-camera portion of the school's news team means she's working on getting more comfortable being the center of attention.

Serena works on her skills by shooting video blogs. But she also finds herself getting some unexpected practice in being the center of attention when her best friend, JC, starts to become friends with the new girl at school, Leilani. Suddenly, Serena is feeling left out.

And when Lani takes over Serena's classroom ambassador position, Serena is ready for a fight. When her teacher makes Serena a school senator instead, Serena isn't happy - now she has to deal with Harrison, the boy who's adult-sized and loves to tease Serena.

As the school year continues, Serena's challenges continue to mount. Will she be able to overcome her reluctance to speak her mind and say what she really thinks? Or is she destined to be the outsider of her grade?

What I thought:

Why I rated it like I did: Pros: The message that it's important to stand up for what you think is right, even if it can be uncomfortable; the message that sometimes friendships change, and it's OK to let them go, even if it hurts some. Despite these very good messages, I had a hard time getting into this book. Serena brings a lot of grief to herself, and she doesn't often see that she's doing the things she dislikes in others. That may be a very true-to-life middle schooler representation, but it didn't make me want to root for her. And her former best friend ends up treating Serena pretty badly, despite the fact that Serena was there for her through some major issues. Again - true to life, but not engaging.

On reconsideration, I had to change my rating from 3 to 4 stars. This book offers a diverse set of characters, and Serena does learn some valuable lessons about not being a doormat in the name of "friendship" - an important lessons for middle schoolers.

[michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for a digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a great middle grade book about the way that friendships change in middle school and the power in both believing in yourself and giving others a chance. It also highlights the power in putting your words out there, for yourself or for others, in writing or as videos. Sometimes we just have to get the words out to better understand how we feel.

Serena has been best friends with JC since Serena skipped 3rd grade and entered 4th. When JC undergoes a kidney transplant, it seems to change her personality and Serena has to be on her own at school for the first time. But when a cold keeps Serena from being the one to bring JC the 6th grade class gift and JC seems to enjoy the visit with the new girl, Leilani, the green eyed monster rears its head. Lani has such an effervescent personality that she even takes over as the class ambassador, giving out great ideas for WinterFest, further annoying Serena who struggles to speak up. It goes from bad to worse when JC bails on their WinterFest project to work with Lani, Serena gets voluntold to be on school senate, gets paired up with Harrison to run Spirit Week, and then gets put into a group project with Lani. That's a lot for a tween to deal with. Serena makes mistakes along the way, but learns how to navigate her new world and even find her voice. The chapters are interspersed with Serena's vlogs, some of which get posted, some of which don't. Serena Says feels like what 6th graders go through and parts may really resonate with young readers. (Ages: 8-12)

[Ellie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serena St. John and Jolynne "JC" Gerardo have been best friends ever since Serena first joined their class in fourth grade. Now in sixth, JC is going to be out of school for several months because of her kidney transplant, but Serena is still looking forward to visiting her.
That is, until she gets a cold and can't see JC in the hospital. As a result, JC ends up spending much more time with their classmate Leilani. Soon, she's ditched Serena's craft fair idea to work with Leilani, and doing her homework with her instead of Serena. Meanwhile at school, Serena's absences have caused her teacher to give her class-ambassador title to Leilani, and she is recruited by the Student Senate in its place. This is where other students inspire her to "stand up and speak out," running ideas for things like school assemblies and anti-drug week. Soon, this inspires her to start sharing the vlogs she used to make in secret on her older sister's YouTube channel.
I say it all the time, but I love books that don't follow the traditional plot structure. You know the one, where everything goes wrong or gets ruined at one point and the main character has to work to make it right. That didn't happen. Serena spends the majority of the book trying to think of how she can get close to JC again, as this conflict happens early on. It's not a book about friends fighting, it's more about an individual finding their voice.
The only thing I had a problem with were the multiple times Serena described JC as prettier or overall better than herself. I'm just tired of main characters who claim they "live in the shadow" of people like that. But it wasn't very frequent.

[Baobablady (Stacy Greene) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! It is geared towards middle graders but if you are reading it as an adult, you may find some things reminiscent of your growing up. This was true for me and I found myself discovering along with Serena and cheering for her every step of the way. For Serena, there is never a dull middle school moment! Serena is so likable - she's smart, funny, creative, and trying to navigate the ups and downs of life at home and at school. At the beginning of the book, Serena is beginning to delve into the world of vlogging (her big sister Fallon - a.k.a. Flea - is the vlogging queen), wondering if she and her childhood friend JC are still best friends, and struggling with understanding how Lelani (Lani) fits into everything. If this is not enough to worry about, JC is getting a new kidney, Winterfest is coming and she has no project not to mention...there will be a very important group project to contend with! Through the ups and downs, with the support of her family, "the Boy Mutant Giant," and others "Hobbit" just may discover her voice where, if this happens, no one will be more surprised than Serena herself! Will Serena's vlogs ever be published? Will she ever be able to speak up and will she ever believe in herself?! You will have to read this book to find out and, in so doing, you may start to reflect on and believe in YOUR own story and voice. I finished this book with a smile. Throughout this book, there were times when I felt sad, worried, wondered, and other times when I laughed out loud. I look forward to reading more books by this author!

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Serena is excited to have her best friend JC back at school, but JC and Serena seem to be growing apart. JC is becoming good friends with Lani--perhaps even best friends. JC doesn't seem to care about plans that Serena and JC made months ago, and Lani seems to be taking over every part of Serena's life. Not only did Lani steal her best friend, but after missing school for a few days due to a cold, Serena returns to find out that Lani has replaced Serena as student ambassador too.

Serena is more than a little frustrated when she is voluntold to be on the student senate, foregoing her student ambassador position, since Serena now has even less time with her ex-best friend, instead spending more time with the annoying Harrison. Group projects, more friendship drama, and secrets make Serena feel like she is being pulled every which way, with just her secret vlogs keeping her grounded.

This was a lot of fun! Serena is filled with a lot of heart, and this is another one of those tween books that feels like it honestly depicts the age of its characters. The friendship drama and Serena's mistakes felt real (as did the group project frustration--especially when teachers impose those horrible rules about everyone's behavior affecting the group grade). The vlogging is a fun addition that will appeal to this audience, especially since it doesn't define itself by a platform (which would quickly date this book). A quick, uplifting read filled with that everyday middle school drama.

[Adora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC.

This book fully transported me back to middle school and late-elementary school: the friend dynamics, the feeling of being uncomfortable in your own skin, and the way your relationships with your classmates can change drastically over the course of a year or even a couple months. I loved the focus on being able to accept these changes, and on friendship in general. This book had a positive but realistic feel, where many of the issues the characters were going through weren't wrapped up perfectly, but all the characters (and the reader) are given the tools they need to move forward.

This book does deal with some heavy issues in a way that I thought was perfect for the target age group. It talks about mental health, as well as featuring a character who has had a kidney transplant and is in recovery. Just as with the rest of the plot, there are no easy fixes or answers to what some of the characters are going through, but everything is spoken about in an empathetic and straight-forward manner.

I really enjoyed the vlog format, and how it showed Serena's increased confidence and ability to assert herself and find new interests.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

3.5 stars = Good+

I enjoyed this friendship story with an emphasis on finding your voice. Serena is a great character. I think kids will enjoy her vlog entries as she tries to find the right rhythm as well as her comfort in front of the camera. Her growth there translates to some growth in her relationships, and at school, which I enjoyed a lot.

There's an interesting piece to the friendship story that surprised me. Serena's struggles with JC and her relationship with a new friend are fairly typical for middle grade books. But here, it's framed as a normal part of growing up. Friendships change as the individuals in them change, and that doesn't mean anyone is bad or wrong. It just happens. I would have liked a little more empathy for Serena as she struggles with this; the feedback that these things happen could come off a little unsympathetic. But I liked the overall message.

Add this to your home or classroom library if you are looking for a good friendship story with a side of finding-your-voice-and-using-it. I think kids will enjoy Serena's story!

[Hope Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serena is trying to navigate middle school while dealing with the critical illness of her best friend, JC. JC’s recent kidney transplant has kept the two girls apart, and on the day Serena can finally see her in person again, she comes down with a cold. Instead, the new girl, Lani, is sent as class ambassador. Lani and JC strike up a friendship which leaves Serena on the outside. Lani permanently takes over Serena’s spot as class ambassador and JC’s best friend. Serena is instead placed on the nerdy Student Senate, As Serena works through her hurt feelings with the help of her sister, mother and new friends she makes on Student Senate, she realizes she does have leadership skills, and new friends can be found in middle school. The reader follows Serena’s thoughts and struggles through the script of a vlog that Serena has been working on and is trying to find the courage to share publicly.

This is a mild, but good middle grade story of dealing with change in middle school, and having the courage to be yourself and try new things. This would be a good addition to school libraries that are trying to diversify their collections.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I would definitely “like and subscribe” to Serena’s channel! In SERENA SAYS by Tanita S. Davis, Serena uses vlogging as an outlet to discuss and reflect upon friendship drama and new partnerships for school projects. I was all ears as Serena navigated the changing relationship with her best friend and stepped out of her comfort zone as a reluctant member of the student senate. Through diligent practice on and off camera, Serena builds her confidence to speak out, challenge others and their way of thinking, and problem-solve when needed. Serena is an admirable character: engaging, honest, and has a great personality. I loved how she grows, learning from her mistakes, but most importantly, realizing that her feelings are valid and building up self-esteem to let them be known. Readers will relate to this familiar middle school scene and might even be inspired to find a creative outlet like Serena. A wonderfully diverse cast shines in SERENA SAYS, and Serena is well on her way to becoming a social media star!

[Hillary Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kenosha Public Library Family Book Club book for February. A librarian gave it a rave review, so I was looking forward to it. Serena is a spunky, talkative middle schooler who likes to do vlogs. Serena struggles when her best friend, JC, is going through a kidney transplant. This book addresses the usual pressures of middle school like friendships, bullies, school stresses and more, but the characters fall flat. Serena spends a lot of time lamenting that JC becomes closer to another friend and that she strayed from their project idea for the winter carnival. I didn’t care for Serena’s character. Her vlogs were lengthy, wordy and off base. She wasn’t very empathetic when JC was going through her health crisis and kidney transplant. Serena also reveals one of her classmates has a brother who is inpatient due to symptoms related to bipolar disorder; further demonstrating that she lacks insight and is just plain rude at times. This book has some worthy, universal themes, but the characters are not likable.

[Michelle Tuite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading 2020
Book 184: Serena Says by Tanita S. Davis
Saw this book on Instagram on a few Pub Day posts (pub day Nov. 3, 2020). Put it on hold at the library and got it quickly.

Serena is a young lady who skipped a grade, and is now in 6th grade. Her best friend since 4th grade, JC, is out of school for several months after a kidney transplant. Serena is trying to be seen as a leader and reporter. She so wants a shot at the morning announcement that she started a vlog (just practice to start in her room). She expresses all her opinions of the day, hurts she is experiencing, and voicing the struggles middle school kids have. Serena must deal with her best friend finding another friend, and a boy in her class that she has hurt by sharing his secret. It is hard to be a middle schooler, and Serena is expressing all of it.

This was a cute book, a definite addition to a classroom library as it reviewed for grades 3 and older. You can't help but love Serena. My rating 4⭐️.

[Chris G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems like forever that Serena and JC have been best friends and Serena assumes they always will be, but as JC is recovering from a kidney transplant in sixth grade, she stops turning to Serena first. Now classmate Lani dresses up for Twin Day with JC, and JC ditches Serena to team up with Lani for a school project. Serena is hurt and confused about what happened with JC, making her doubt everything she thought she knew about being a friend. Serena copes by attempting to find her voice through her vlog entries, gets some help from mom, and takes some risks to expand her ideas about friendship while remaining true to herself.

The sixth grade dialogue is spot-on and Serena deals in an age-appropriate way with racism, mental illness, and a variety of school issues. Another excellent Tanita Davis title. E-ARC provided by Edelweiss.

[Desiree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book on my NetGalley shelf for a while, and I have to admit I was avoiding it. I'm more into mysteries and adventure. I requested this book because I have students who like realistic fiction about friendships, but they are not my thing. But I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.

Serena is a very relatable character. She's going through the normal relationship issues that come with middle school and really struggling to figure out where she fits in. By the end of the book, she makes some hard decisions and is learning to stand up for herself. Not everything is resolved by the end of the book, but you know that Serena will be okay.

I know this book will be popular with my students who enjoy realistic fiction.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.