I Hate My Best Friend

Annie and Nina are super best friends and do everything together until Nina's cousin Irina arrives from Russia to live with the family.

Grade 2-3?Annie and Nini are best friends until Nini's relatives from Russia move in with her family. Nini is forced to spend time with her cousin Irina at the expense of her friendship. When Annie is invited to join the cousins, Nini, still resentful about the newcomer, angrily tells Irina off. Finally, Nini's mother resolves the conflict when she orders the girls to get along. The characters never grow in this brief story, and they are forever looking to the adults to solve all their problems. Ellen Conford's Can Do, Jenny Archer (Little, Brown, 1993), in which the kids work out conflicts on their own and grow in the process, is a better choice for this age group.?Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TX
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2^-4. With humor and honesty, Annie tells how she and her best friend become enemies. This lively illustrated chapter book begins with Annie saying that she just loves being Nina's superbest friend in the whole world, even if Nina does like to have everything her own way. Then one day, Nina suddenly turns cruel: she taunts Annie in class, ignores her at lunch, insults her in the playground. It turns out that Nina has problems at home; Annie tries to understand, especially when Nina wants to make up, but there is less and less to like about Nina. Finally, Annie stands up for herself, breaks away, and finds new friends. Quarrels make fine drama, and the dialogue is fast and packed with juicy insult. The story is all the more convincing because it is true to Annie's viewpoint. She never articulates that her friend is bossy and overbearing, but kids will recognize Annie's bewilderment, hurt, and anger. Illustrations not seen in galley. Hazel Rochman