Review | Not the Worst Friend in the World

Summary: Not the Worst Friend in the World

Lou has recently gone through a spat with her best friend Francie and the two are no longer speaking because of something Lou did that makes her feel like the worst friend in the world. Lou has also been ostracized by Francie and her new friend Madison. But when a new girl, Cece, comes to town, she immediately gravitates toward Lou and asks her help because she believes she’s been kidnapped by her dad. As Lou works with Cece to get to the bottom of things, she finds some loopholes in Cece’s story that will once again move her to go against a friend’s wishes.

The Good

I really liked this story! It’s such a unique look at a popular middle-grade theme, and Lou is an intriguing protagonist to follow along. Lou is inspired by Harriet the Spy, whom many modern readers (myself included have yet to read). Still, I appreciated the mystery subplot (and I think kids will too). I loved hearing her observations about Cece and watching the mystery unravel.

There are also alternating flashback chapters (every few chapters) that help readers see how Lou and Francie’s friendship fell apart. We see the girls at the peak of their friendship, the secrets they share, including Francie’s dyslexia, and where the disconnect begins and Francie begins to yearn for more “mature” hobbies and activities than Lou. These kinds of stories aren’t new, but always appreciated because kids are living these complex friendship evolutions and breakups every day.

There are so many themes and interests explored in this book, but everything ties together nicely and the story is engaging and propulsive. Cece is into astrology and the girls are in a Catholic school, so we see a bit about that and Catholic school culture (the girls do regular confessions, for example). Lou has a stepdad whom she’s close to and two younger siblings so we see some warm family moments too as Lou’s mom tries to be there for her through the friendship upheavals.

OVERALL: Not the Worst Friend in the World

Not the Worst Friend in the World is a hugely relatable book about friendship angst, how much words can hurt, and (self-)forgiveness after a mistake. This book also explores how small-town gossip can impact kids’ lives, parental abandonment, and what it means to be a good friend. I absolutely enjoyed this debut and would recommend it to fans of angsty friendships stories with a mystery subplot.

Star Rating

Content Notes

Here are some specifics to know about the content.

Content Warnings

• Death: None on page
• Alcohol/substance abuse: None
• Violence: None
• Sexual content: A tween boy pecks a girl on the lips

Diversity

• Ethnic: Most characters cued white
• Sexual orientation: None

Recommended for ages: 9+

Good for kids who like:

• Harriet the Spy
• Books with a mystery subplot
• Friendship stories
• Books with flashbacks

Publisher Details