Listen to This: Friendship Secrets and First Dances in Middle School

Secrets, rumors, shifting friendships, overbearing parents, and, on top of all that, a first dance—how does anyone survive seventh grade? Told from dual points of view, this novel about two tweens finding their voices and standing up for themselves is for fans of Lisa Yee, Leslie Connor, and Janae Marks.

Lily, Maddie, and Sasha have always been the perfect friendship trio. But this year, everything is changing. Maddie and Sasha made the elite soccer team, and Lily feels that they’re always leaving her behind. And everyone seems to have secrets now: Maddie, and Sasha, and Lily’s sister, and even Lily herself.

Lily’s classmate Will wishes he had some secrets. After all, his life is already out there for the whole world to hear about, thanks to his dad’s super-popular parenting podcast. And Will hates it, but telling his dad that is harder than the hardest climbing wall at Philly Rocks. Until his dad finally crosses a line, and Will’s not sure he can forgive him.

But maybe when Lily and Will meet, they’ll find just what they need: someone who will listen.

Jennifer Blecher is the author of Camp Famous, Stick with Me, and Out of Place. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband and their three children, but spends part of every summer on Martha’s Vineyard. www.jenniferblecher.com