SHANNON HALE
Artwork by
LeUYEN PHAMArtwork by
LeUYEN PHAM
New York
Color by JANE POOLE
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Text copyright © 2017 by Shannon Hale
Illustrations copyright © 2017 by LEUyen Pham
Published by First Second
First Second is an imprint of Roaring Brook Press,
a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016945552
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-62672-785-4
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-62672-416-7
Our books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use.
Please contact your local bookseller or the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department
at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by e-mail at [email protected].
First edition 2017
Book design by LeUyen Pham and Andrew Arnold
Color by Jane Poole
Printed in China by Toppan Leefung Printing LTD.,
Dongguan City, Guangdong Province
Inked with black india ink and Hunt 103 nib on
Bristol paper and colored digitally in ADOBE Photoshop
Paperback: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Hardcover: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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For you
when you’re feeling lonely and worried
so you’ll remember that you’re not alone
—S. H.
For Shannon
—L. P.
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One good friend. My mom says that’s all anyone really needs.
Adrienne was back!
But I wasn’t her only friend.
First day of Third grade, and i was so happy...
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Hey Jen.
I’m glad you moved back.
Adrienne already knew Jen because they went to church together.
We were all going to be in the same third-grade class.
Hey Adrienne.
There was something about Jen.
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Though My school was full of Jennifers...
...there was only one Jen.
Jen and Adrienne had a lot in common.
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I could see why Adrienne might want Jen as a best friend instead of me.
Jen danced Ballet. She played flute... ...and piano.
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She was the fastest runner at recess races.
gasp!
She never seemed to get hurt or sad.
phew!Unlike...
waaah!But Jen already had a best friend: Jenny.
You’re such a baby,
Shannon.
So maybe Jen wouldn’t take Adrienne away from me.
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I don’t know who first named it, but Jen and her friends were called The Group. There’s The Group.
The Group is so cool.
Jen’s brother is the most popular boy at East High.
Everyone wanted to be part of The Group.
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Of course Adrienne was a member.
But I wasn’t sure if I was.
Come on, Adrienne!
Okay!
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I love Michael Jackson.
Me too. Me too!Yeah, he’s my
favorite.I don’t know who
that is.
Do you live in a hole?
I felt crummy all day.
Hey Shannon!
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Jen says she likes you. Because you’re honest.
Really?
Jen likes me!
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The next day, I officially joined The Group at recess.
Jen, who do you like second-best after me?
Um...Adrienne.
...and Shannon can go last.
Who do you like third?
First Jenny, then Adrienne, then Sarah, then Emily...
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