Being one half of a BFF heart necklace is serious business—and in the Picture Perfect series, each story tackles a tough friendship challenge. Through the ups and downs of life in middle school, through braces and boy bands, family feuds and fashion disasters, your best bud is there. But what happens when friendship suddenly gets complicated? Tween readers will adore these sweet, accessible stories about the power of friendship.

Alice Kinney shouldn't be nervous about starting middle school. She's got her best friend, Cassidy, by her side, so it can't be that bad, right? Except, Cass isn't at her side. For the first time since kindergarten, Alice and Cassidy aren't in any of the same classes, and Alice is stuck with a brand-new crew in honors class! The girls try to stay in touch from across the hallway with the help of a shared notebook—but when Alice accidentally befriends not-so-nice Nikki from Cassidy's dance class, she keeps it to herself. Cass will never understand.

Alice juggles both friendships, waiting for the right moment to tell everyone the truth. But then, disaster strikes: Cass's play and Nikki's math competition are fall on the same night. Neither girl will ever forgive Alice if she misses their big day. What is Alice supposed to do when her two best friends are total enemies?

Best Friends Growing Apart: For the first time since kindergarten, Alice and Cassidy are in different classes. Can a shared notebook and a long history be enough to keep their friendship from fading?
Making New Friends: When Alice gets to know Nikki, the girl her best friend can’t stand, she discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye. But keeping their friendship a secret is harder than any honors class homework.
Relatable Characters: Readers will see themselves in Alice as she tries to balance homework, stay loyal to her oldest friend, and figure out where she fits in now that everything has changed.
Books About Fitting In: With a school play and a math competition on the same night, Alice is caught between her two friends. Choosing one means letting the other down—a classic middle school dilemma.

Claire Zulkey