Penny Draws a Best Friend - by Sara Shepard

Book Synopsis

A humorous, heartfelt, highly illustrated middle grade series about friendship, feelings, and finding your people, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard.

Why does the cubby room always smell like farts? Who etched the words "I Am Bug Man" inside my desk? Why is Mom suddenly acting like she has a secret?

Nobody said starting fifth grade would be easy, and Penny Lowry's anxiety means a million questions are always spinning through her thoughts. Luckily she's got a lot to look forward to, like her favorite after-school activity, Art Club, and seeing her best friend Violet again after spending the whole summer apart.

The thing is, Violet has been acting weird ever since she got back. She never wants to hang out anymore, says Art Club is for babies, and spends all her time with Riley, the meanest girl in school. Did Penny do something wrong? And if she did, can she undo it?

In this hilariously sweet introduction to a lovable kid still figuring out how to manage her anxiety, the author of the #1 bestselling Pretty Little Liars series gets to the heart of how to let go of the friends who aren't right for you . . . and how to make room for the ones who are.

Review Quotes

Praise for Penny Draws a Best Friend
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards Selection
A Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Selection

"Uses humor and relatability to address big topics like mental health and anxiety in an approachable and tween-friendly way . . . Perfect for fans of graphic novels like Smile, Click, and the Dork Diaries series." --Brightly

"Shepard's light touch and sketchbook-style b&w doodles make for an engaging read that candidly portrays the effect of destabilizing changes on one child experiencing anxiety." --Publishers Weekly

"Imbued with humor, colorful characters, and the perilous dilemmas of childhood . . . Shepard carefully and successfully walks a tightrope in her treatment of Penny's worries by validating her feelings while suggesting that they should not be the only thing that guide her actions and choices. The epistolic format and the quirky, lovable main character will appeal to fans of Rachel Renée Russell's Dork Diaries and Svetlana Chmakova's Brave." --The Bureau of the Center for Children's Books

"A bright and emotionally accessible story full of wit and warmth." --Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will likely relate to [Penny's] concerns . . . This new series comes straight from the heart." --Booklist

"A great new series to help new middle graders figure out and process their new world." --Book Riot

"Fantastically fun, funny, and heartfelt. I loved it." --Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth series

"Perfectly captures the hilarity, anxiety, and silliness of being a kid. A charming, zippy read that will keep you smiling all book long." --Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author of Disney's Descendants series

"Heartfelt and oh-so funny--an utterly charming read that's perfect for any kid who's ever had a worry, or who simply loves to laugh." --Sarah Mlynowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series

"Like the worries in Penny's head, drama and hilarity run amok in this sweet, relatable, and engaging story." --Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series

About the Author

Sara Shepard is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, as well as the series The Perfectionists. She graduated from New York University and has an MFA from Brooklyn College.