Just Jaime

by Terri Libenson, Cassandra Morris (Read by), Imani Parks (Read by)

Overview

Another spot-on story of middle school drama and friendship from Terri Libenson, national bestselling author of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy.

Friends. Frenemies. Middle school...

The last day of seventh grade has Jaime and Maya wondering who their real friends are.

Jaime knows something is off with her friend group. They’ve started to exclude her and make fun of the way she dresses and the things she likes. At least she can count on her BFF, Maya, to have her back . . . right?

Maya feels more and more annoyed with Jaime, who seems babyish compared to the other girls in their popular group. It’s like she has nothing in common with Jai anymore. Are their days as BFFs numbered . . . ?

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jennifer L. Holm.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781982656904
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	05/28/2019
Series:	Emmie & Friends Series , #3
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cassandra Morris has received critical acclaim for her voice-over work from Publishers Weekly and AudioFile magazine. She has narrated over one hundred audiobooks, earned seven Earphones Awards, and twice been a finalist for the Audie Award.

Imani Parks is a voice talent and Earphones Award–winning narrator.

As a kid, Terri Libenson was labeled a “good artist.” She’s thankful it was a nice label because it stuck. Since then, she’s acquired other nice ones, like “mom,” “writer,” and “unicycle daredevil” (okay, she wishes). Terri is the Reuben Award–winning cartoonist of the internationally syndicated comic strip The Pajama Diaries and was a longtime writer of humorous cards for American Greetings. Terri lives with her husband and two daughters in Cleveland, Ohio. You can find her online at www.terrilibenson.com.

Editorial Reviews

A delightful tale that navigates the precarious ebb and flow of friendship dynamics.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“This story is simultaneously incredibly original and utterly universal. The emotional roller-coaster of navigating friendships as they change shape, particularly in middle school, is portrayed with admirable sincerity, gentle humor, heartbreaking pain, and of course plenty of texts and emojis. Libenson weaves a beautiful, accessible, layered story yet again.” — ALA Booklist

“Libenson perfectly portrays the gaslighting and passive aggression that can be the hallmarks of middle-school relationships turned sour, and readers struggling with cracking of beloved friendships will find reassurance in the book’s ‘this too shall pass’ sentiment.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

Libenson perfectly portrays the gaslighting and passive aggression that can be the hallmarks of middle-school relationships turned sour, and readers struggling with cracking of beloved friendships will find reassurance in the book’s ‘this too shall pass’ sentiment.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

This story is simultaneously incredibly original and utterly universal. The emotional roller-coaster of navigating friendships as they change shape, particularly in middle school, is portrayed with admirable sincerity, gentle humor, heartbreaking pain, and of course plenty of texts and emojis. Libenson weaves a beautiful, accessible, layered story yet again.

ALA Booklist

Libenson perfectly portrays the gaslighting and passive aggression that can be the hallmarks of middle-school relationships turned sour, and readers struggling with cracking of beloved friendships will find reassurance in the book’s ‘this too shall pass’ sentiment.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Libenson perfectly portrays the gaslighting and passive aggression that can be the hallmarks of middle-school relationships turned sour, and readers struggling with cracking of beloved friendships will find reassurance in the book’s ‘this too shall pass’ sentiment.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

06/01/2019

Gr 4–7—On the last day of seventh grade, Jaime and her best friend Maya are determined to talk about why things have grown awkward between them. Fans of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy will recognize this chatty pair. Jaime doesn't understand why Maya has been distant, and Maya wishes that Jaime would try harder to fit in with the crowd. Celia, the cool girl who wears makeup and kissed someone at summer camp, persuades Maya to shut Jaime out of their group. Maya is charmed by Celia's attention and goes along with the plan, to everyone's eventual regret. Jaime's side of the story is told in short chapters with doodled spot illustrations. Maya's perspective is rendered in full comics panels. In the end, Jaime stays true to herself—with the support of caring adults as well as old and new friends—and Maya returns, asking for forgiveness. This is a realistic, hopeful look at the "drama soup" of middle school. VERDICT A strong purchase for middle grade graphic novel collections, especially where Emmie and Izzy are circulating well.—Jennifer Costa, Cambridge Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

★ 2019-02-06

Jaime's best friend, Maya, is acting strangely—as a matter of fact, so are all of Jaime's circle of friends.

With this the last day of seventh grade before summer, Jaime needs to get to the bottom of what appears to be a coup to kick her out of their friendship circle. Maya has been nominated by the newest, most attention-seeking and controlling member of the group, Celia, to break the bad news to Jaime that she's indeed been voted out of the group. From the time Jaime and Maya see each other on the morning bus throughout the tension-filled day that feels like a roller-coaster ride, both dread the confrontation. But while being ostracized, Jaime is invited to a new friend group, and Maya finds herself ambivalent about being led by the nose by the popular Celia, who holds all of the strings of power within their circle. When Jaime reaches an emotional breaking point, her French teacher, Madame Zukosky, sympathetically shares her own experiences, even confessing to having ghosted a friend long ago. Libenson writes in alternating chapters from the first-person perspectives of Jaime and Maya, mixing prose with sketches and comics panels, punctuating both with humorous dialogue readers will find familiar and sometimes painful. Jaime has brown skin and Maya, white, but cultural background plays no part in the story.

A delightful tale that navigates the precarious ebb and flow of friendship dynamics. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews