Asking for a Friend - by Ronnie Riley (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Eden Jones is a nonbinary kid who has Social Anxiety Disorder, and when their mother announces she is throwing a birthday party and inviting all their friends they are thrown into a panic--because while Eden's three 'friends' are all real kids at school they have almost never actually spoken to any of them"--

Book Synopsis

Eden Jones has exactly three friends. And they're all fake.

From a web of lies and anxiety to true friendship and queer joy; this is the wonderful second book from the author of the Indies Introduce and Indie Next List pick, Jude Saves the World.

Why go through the stress of making friends when you can just pretend? It works for Eden and their social anxiety . . . until their mom announces she's throwing them a birthday party and all their friends are invited.

Eden's "friends," Duke, Ramona, and Tabitha, are all real kids from school . . . but Eden's never actually spoken to them before. Now Eden will do whatever it takes to convince them to be their friends -- at least until the party is over.

When things start to go better than Eden expects and the group starts to bond, Eden finds themself trapped in a lie that gets worse the longer they keep it up. What happens if their now sort-of-real friends discover that Eden hasn't been honest with them from the very beginning?

Author Ronnie Riley creates a world full of queer joy and all the ups and downs of true friendship. This book is perfect for fans of Guts or Forget Me Not.

Review Quotes

Praise for Asking for a Friend:

"Riley's fictional world is one in which queer joy always triumphs... A breath of fresh air." --Kirkus Reviews

Praise forJude Saves the World:

Indie Next List Pick

Indies Introduce Pick

"Full of fierce warmth and humor, Jude Saves the World is a life-changer. A tender, radiant debut." --Ashley Herring Blake, author of the Stonewall Honor book Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

"A heartwarming exploration of identity, unconditional friendship, found family, and harnessing the force of love to right the world's wrongs." --Jules Machias, author of Both Can Be True

"Jude's story is full of heart, queer celebration, and an intelligent tenderness so needed in today's homes and classrooms." --Ash Van Otterloo, author of Cattywampus

"Accessible and ultimately hopeful. Jude Saves the World feels like wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket, like a hug to every single reader who might need one. Not only is Jude a courageous kid who just wants to make their world a better, more accepting place, they are a role model for readers hoping to do the same." --A. J. Sass, author of Ana on the Edge and Ellen Outside the Lines

"Filled with courage and positivity, Jude is middle grade's next Pride icon." --Kaliisha Cole, Whitelam Books, Reading, MA

"This is a beautiful book with amazing, brave characters who fiercely guard friendship as a safe space filled with unconditional love - and set about to make the world that way. Jude Saves the World cracked my heart open and poured joy right in." --Justin Colussy-Estes, Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA

"Jude is the brave and loyal friend all young queer kids need." --Gabriella Crivilare, Prairie Fox Books, Ottawa, IL

About the Author

Ronnie Riley (they/them) is many things: queer, trans, nonbinary, lesbian, neurodivergent, disabled, Canadian. The author of Jude Saves the World, which was an Indies Introduce and an Indies Kids' Next List pick. They live with their partner in Toronto, Ontario, and collect books, friends, and cats. They love ice cream any day of the year, birds with long legs, and messy reality TV. Asking for a Friend is their sophomore book.

Find them on social media @mxronnieriley or online at mxronnieriley.com.