THE SCIENCE OF FRIENDSHIP

A traumatic bullying incident sets off a chain reaction of curiosity and learning about friendship.

Rylee Swanson never imagined she’d start eighth grade alone. But after what her supposed friends did at the pool party—events that are revealed through flashbacks—she’s determined to stay away from them, even if that means changing her schedule. Journalism isn’t her first choice; what could she write about for the school newspaper? But an idea is born when it becomes clear that both Rylee and science-obsessed classmate DeNia Alonso have strong opinions—and questions—about friendship. Can people improve their friendships? How are hormones involved? Can friendships survive beyond junior high? Eventually Rylee and DeNia team up to write a series of articles about the science behind friendship. DeNia dives into the research, while Rylee gathers survey data from an intergenerational crowd. As she explores, Rylee starts to question her own past choices and how she’s treated her friends. Will she learn how to repair old relationships and make new ones? Readers will relate to Rylee’s internal dialogue and learn from the gentle modeling of emotional-regulation skills such as self-compassion. Student-written newspaper article copy appears throughout, often citing real published studies, giving the research an unprecedented degree of accessibility and relevance. A racially and ethnically diverse supporting cast surrounds the Black leads.

A killer combo of strong storytelling and compelling science results in a gold mine of social-emotional growth.