About the Author

Laurie Friedman is the author of the popular Mallory series, The Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair series, and many award-winning picture books. She lives in Florida.

Reviews

"And April Sinclair just thought seventh grade was disastrous! (See Can You Say Catastrophe? 2013.) Eighth grade, she finds, is even worse. Things actually start on an upbeat note: April and Billy are still 'an item.' Meanwhile, April and Brynn have resumed their close friendship, but a rift soon forms when April earns a spot on the high-school dance team. Practice consumes her, leaving Billy and Brynn outside her circle. Then Matt Parker causes trouble again when he passionately kisses her. Can the three close friends make peace? Whether or not readers are already acquainted, there's plenty here to compel them to share the character's joys and angst." --Booklist Online-- (3/25/2014 12:00:00 AM)

"April Sinclair's adventures in Faraway, Alabama, continue in this sequel to Can You Say Catastrophe? (Darby Creek, 2013). Billy and April start eighth grade as boyfriend and girlfriend; April is back to being best friends with Brynn; and her grandmother Gaga has concocted the Happiness Movement, which April thinks is kind of cheesy, but a good idea overall. Things get complicated when April makes the high school dance team but Brynn doesn't. She befriends another teammate, and the distance between her and her former friends grows. Add in April's continued confusion about her feelings toward 'hot' neighbor Matt Parker. Friedman has encapsulated middle school rather convincingly. The journal-style text conveys much more about April than it does about the supporting characters, so readers are often left wondering what they think about April's behavior. The protagonist isn't always likable, as she can be self-centered and not mindful of other's feelings, but her behavior and conversations with herself authentically echo that of many kids her age. Not necessarily a 'squeaky-clean read, ' the novel is still tame and will satisfy the curiosity of younger teen and tween readers." --School Library Journal-- (4/1/2014 12:00:00 AM)

"April's much-anticipated eighth-grade year rapidly devolves into a debacle.
After a turbulent summer (Can You Say Catastrophe, 2013), 13-year-old April is excited for the new school year. She has been dating Billy for a month, and she has reconciled with her BFF, Brynn. However, new challenges arrive with the new year. April's relationship with Brynn is jeopardized when an opportunity to try out for the high school dance team results in April being selected to join the team while Brynn is not. Familiar characters return as Friedman focuses on April's relationship quandaries: her problems with Brynn, her mixed feelings regarding her relationship with Billy, and her perplexing interactions with the enigmatic boy next door, Matt. The journal format provides insight into April's emotional life as she expresses her inner turmoil with poignant honesty. Friedman sensitively explores the emotional upheavals that sometimes accompany the middle school years. The revelation of April's clandestine kiss with Matt wreaks havoc in her life. April's lament, 'Can a girl make a mistake without her life falling apart?' highlights the intense pressures of middle school social life. Relying on the sage counsel of both her grandmother and father, April navigates her way.
Readers will empathize as April displays spunk and resilience in addressing her mistakes and remaining true to herself." --Kirkus Reviews-- (2/15/2014 12:00:00 AM)

"Eighth grade is off to a terrific start for April Sinclair. She has got an amazing boyfriend, an awesome best friend, and, to top it all off, she has just made the high school dance team. Unfortunately, her best friend, Brynn, did not make the team and does not seem too thrilled about April's success. Then there is that troublesome neighbor, Matt Parker, who is causing her to rethink her devotion to Billy, the aforementioned amazing boyfriend. When a betrayal from a new friend leads to turmoil with her dance teammates, her once perfect world is starting to feel like a real disaster. Friedman's portrayal of the emotions experienced by a young teenage girl--frustration with her best friend, embarrassment over her family, and desire to be accepted by those at the top of the social ladder--is sure to connect with young teen readers. April's warm and funny voice, as observed through diary entries, nicely captures the insecurities resulting from the sometimes rapid-fire social changes common in suburban junior high schools. Many readers will identify with April's uncertainty and indecision concerning her relationships with two very different boys. The short, engaging chapters will be especially appealing to reluctant readers." --VOYA-- (4/1/2014 12:00:00 AM)