Not the Worst Friend in the World

Reillihan, Anne. Not the Worst Friend in the World. 2024. 272p. ISBN 9780823454792.

It's the thirty-fourth day of sixth grade, and Lou (only her grandmother calls her Louise) is desperate to rewind time. She deeply regrets the terrible things she said to her best friend, Francie, on the ninth day of school, and wishes she could go back to a time when their friendship was still intact. Lou's guilt and longing for redemption are suddenly interrupted when a new girl, Cece Clark-Duncan, passes her a mysterious note. The note claims that Cece has been kidnapped, and Lou sees this as an opportunity to prove she's not a bad friend by helping the new girl.

As Lou digs into the strange situation, she quickly realizes that Cece's family life is more complicated than a simple kidnapping. Lou becomes increasingly anxious, facing a moral dilemma: how can she help Cece without causing more harm? How can she be a better friend than she was to Francie? The situation forces Lou to confront the possibility that her attempt to be a good friend to Cece could result in her losing yet another friend in the process.

A light and fast read involving a mystery, investigations, and relationships, Not the Worst Friend in the World delivers realistic characters who are growing up and learning that the world can feel very lonely if you don't have friends. The theme of evolving friendship is explored and reaches a satisfactory solution. Fans of sleuthing adventures will appreciate this book.