Way to Bea, The

Bea and her friends are so looking forward to 7th grade and have many plans for their circle of BFFs. But, when Bea returns from summer vacation she finds herself ignored by her friends and her parents, as usual, have little time for her, so she retreats into poetry writing and working on the school newspaper where she makes a new and different set of friends, each with quirks and unique conflicts. This coming-of-age story for grades 4-8 can be used as a read-aloud or independent novel, has realistic characters, and deals with relatable issues, such as self-discovery, anxiety, friendship, parental absence, social networks, and shows how people’s differences can be treated with respect and kindness.