Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really liked how the two main character's (Izzy and Wren) lives are interwoven throughout the story. They connect through special circumstances and begin a very special friendship. It's a really inspiring story and I definitely enjoyed it. I love how funny some parts were, especially near the end. Each family is battling with something different - Blecher made the families very real and down to Earth.

I think this is one that many middle grade readers will be able to see themselves in and relate to.

Izzy's best friend has moved on to be friends with mean girl, Daphne. Meanwhile, due to financial struggles, Izzy's mom decides to rent out their home to a family in town who has a sick younger daughter, Hannah, who needs to under go tests and surgery and her big sister, Wren, who is an avid ice skater preparing for semi-finals. The Izzy and Wren are wary of each other as Izzy's mom recommends Wren to attend theater camp with Izzy during the weeklong break from school. From wariness to companionship, Izzy learns to find her inner superhero through Wren's eyes.
Very cute low-stakes friendship story. There wasn't much character depth outside of the girls' creative pursuits. Though this is a story with alternating perspectives, it was difficult to differentiate which girl was which, at first. Blecher does a good job with outlining the nuances of middle school drama and friendships. Overall, quick read with a happy ending.

I am so sorry that I cannot do a review. I read this book for consideration for the Schneider Award. While I am allowed to give starred reviews, I cannot give analysis reviews. But thank you for allowing me the chance to read it!

This book feels too truncated to me. The time frame is just too short both for the logistics of Wren's sister's treatment and for the emotional journey both girls go on. It's too much for a single week. Izzy and Wren go from resenting each other to long distance besties. It would have been easier to accept if we were talking about the events of a summer, rather than spring break. And Izzy's issues with Phoebe are very simple. Phoebe seems to have turned from a good kid to a nightmare in a matter of days. The portrayal of friendship, changes, and conflict resolution are overly simplified.

Izzy is having trouble with her former best friend and to make things worse her mom is renting out their house for vacation and they are going to stay in their garage apartment for the week. Who does that?
Wren's family is in turmoil. Her younger sister has been having seizures and must go to the hospital for a week and will be having surgery. They are going to rent a house for the week which means she will miss a week of ice skating practice.
As you can guess Wren stays in Izzy's house. Wren's parents sign her up for a week long theater camp with Izzy so the girls get to know each other. At first there are some pretty big misunderstandings but eventually they become friends.
This was a pretty standard, solid middle grade novel. I found the ending pretty predictable but I can imagine some 5th and 6th graders enjoying it.

Jennifer Blecher perfectly captures all the trials of a middle school girl - lost friendships, hateful popular girls, the struggle to fit in - in such a realistic and relatable way. We've all met a frenemy like Daphne, felt lost in the crowd like Izzy, or invisible in light of our sibling's needs like Wren. The themes in "Stick With Me" lend themselves to deep and interesting conversations about the difficulties of figuring out who we are and our place in the world. Izzy's brother Nate is the voice of wisdom in all of this, and it was touching to watch their relationship unfold over the course of the story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley and Greenwillow Books for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy books with dual narrators so I appreciated getting to hear this story from both Izzy and Wren's point of view. Blecher does a wonderful job describing the ever changing landscape of friendships in a middle school. It can be a difficult time and your friends can change often so I looked the honest look at the impact that has on kids.

I really liked how the two characters lives are interwoven in this one! I liked how the families were very real and down to Earth. I think this is one that many middle grade readers will be able to see themselves in and relate to.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I am usually a fan of dual narrative books (this book has two narrators that alternate chapters) and especially when the two characters' lives are weaved together in a magical but realistic way. Jennifer Blecher does this beautifully! I also found it refreshing that one of the families discusses money troubles and how this affects/will affect them in the future. One of the characters has a sibling with a chronic illness and I found the child description of how adults react to this news/her sibling accurate. I could see this representation also being significant for some students/families. Last but not least, the book does a spot on job of describing friendship troubles and the agony that is shifting friendships in middle school. I hope I can use this book for a book group later this school year!

Izzy doesn't understand why her best friend, Phoebe, is slowly abandoning her for a new friend, Daphne, and has no one else to share her frustration with. So she expresses it through her drawings and her obsession with stickers that she used to share with Phoebe. When her dad's startup is discovered to be losing money, Izzy's parents decide to rent out their house (think Airbnb) and move into their apartment over their garage for a week.

All Wren wants is a second chance at figure skating after she fell last year during a routine and couldn't move on to nationals. Now she takes private lessons every morning, as well as extra sessions with her father when the hockey team he coaches leaves the rink empty. But when her four-year-old sister, Hannah, is approved for a new surgery to treat her epilepsy, her family must leave the rink for a week and stay in a rented house in Boston. Wren is disappointed to find out that the only ice rink nearby is extremely crowded and mostly unavailable to the public, and the local pond isn't cleared. Her parents sign her up for a theater camp at Izzy's school, where she is forced to spend most of the day with not only Izzy but the "queen of mean" Daphne.

My only complaint is that I wish this book was longer, but that's not really a complaint, because the ending was satisfying. Even if Izzy and Wren didn't get much time together, they managed to see each other later on.

The main action takes place in one very dramatic week, no pun intended. Some of the plot twists were heavily telegraphed. I liked the epilogue too. A satisfying read overall.

Izzy is struggling in her relationship with her former (?) best friend Phoebe. Izzy feels left out and confused. Then her parents drop the news that a family will be renting their house for a week. Enter Wren, the 12 year old girl who'll be staying in Izzy's room. Wren is upset that she has been taken away from her ice skating practice so her little sister can get surgery. Can Wren help Izzy learn to deal with the mean girls? A nice middle grade novel about how friendships can change.

I really liked this book! The plot and ending were very well thought out, and I especially loved both Izzy and Wren’s personalities! I cheered and cried (just a little, heehee!), and laughed (a LOT!). Stick With Me is a great book that I will definitely recommend to others!

I really enjoyed this story of mean girls and friendship. It was so touching and I love how funny some parts were, especially near the end. It's a really inspiring story and I definitely enjoyed it. The author's tone is perfect and I love how each family is battling with something different. It's a perfect story and I think it's a great read. This book is perfect for readers ages 9-12.

I received this e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick story that will play well to the middle grade audience. Izzy and Wren are relatable characters with believable storylines. I enjoyed reading it, and expect its target audience will enjoy it just as much.

Izzy’s best friend, Phoebe, has been hanging out more and more with Daphne, a girl who bullies Izzy and others. Wren loves figure skating and hopes to place at sectionals; however, she has to miss training during winter break because her family needs to travel to Boston for her sister Hannah’s surgery. Izzy and Wren meet when Wren’s family rents Izzy’s family’s house. The two girls are sent to theater camp, which they are reluctant to attend. Unfortunately, Phoebe and Daphne are also at the camp.

The ups and downs of friendships, including the loss of a friendship—common in middle school and in other times of life—are well-portrayed in this novel. I liked the inclusion of figure skating and art. I also appreciated the realistic ways in which the girls react to and negotiate the challenges they face. This is one to have on your library shelves.