Representation: Black and Asian characters
Trigger warnings: Bullying
Score: Six points out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

Best Friends by Nicole Andelfinger was circling my recommendations for a while and when I saw that a library has this one, I seized the opportunity to get it. Eventually, I picked it up and read it, but when I finished it, I was underwhelmed. There were so many flaws I had to lower Best Friends to three stars.

It starts with the first two characters I see, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield who both go to the same school, Sweet Valley. They are identical but their passions are nowhere near that as Elizabeth wants to write the school newspaper and Jessica wants to join the Unicorn Club. The novel's strengths lie in its immersion because I could never stop reading Best Friends and the setting looks contemporary. However, it has flaws that are most prominent in the characters. Jessica was insufferable to read since she irritated her sister and she got worse when she bullied people when she was in the Unicorn Club. The portrayal of Black and Asian characters rubbed me the wrong way for two reasons: it felt like tokenism and the depiction wasn't outstanding. Why are the white people the protagonists and the Black and Asian people bullies and antagonists? At least Jessica had character development, but that left a sour taste. I might read the second instalment in the series when the library gets it. ( )

A good graphic novel adaptation of the original, which modernises things enough to make sense to today's audience without losing the feel of the series.

I'm pro the decision to racially diversify the characters a little more, but some appearance choices felt a bit random, like giving Bruce blond hair and brown eyes and making Amy a redhead instead of a blonde.

I never read the original series this is adapting, so no nostalgia to fog up my vision. I liked the artwork a lot. It's snazzy and the girl's wardrobe is cute. Nice to see a message admonishing it's okay for twins to differ and separate their interests. I thought that part was nicely done and had some heart. Jessica was just as vapid and terrible at the Unicorn girls, so it lowers the reading enjoyment. She belonged right within that crew.

SN: I wished the story said their names more. because even after the wardrobe change, i would forget which twin was who until they referenced something specifically involving the other twin. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr.

Plot Summary: Jessica and Elizabeth are twins who have been best friends and dressing identically for their whole lives. When they are in middle school, one twin wants to join the popular crowd and the other wants to start a newspaper club. To get into the popular group, she must complete a series of challenges: dress differently than her sister (which she does without warning, ouch!), move her teachers notebook from the desk to the teachers bag, and switch the coffee in the the teacher's lounge to soda. She gets in to the Unicorns, much to the dismay of her twin. Trying to be nice and keep the twins together, the new Unicorn convinces the group to let her sister in, which they agree to if she completes a challenge: switch the whipped cream for shaving cream for a classmate. There's no way that's happening, right?

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Recurring Themes: popularity, bullying, twins, family, friendship, being who you are, confidence, differences, ballet

Controversial Issues:
bullying without consequences

Personal Thoughts: I was not happy to see this representation of bullying without the characters every facing the consequences of their horrible actions or without it being labeled as bullying. I also didn't like that the only character that was not slender was the girl being bullied. I think this story is outdated and has not held the test of time. To get into the popular group, a kid needs to be invited and they have to complete challenges that hurt and/or confuse others.

Genre: realistic fiction, graphic novel

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