This is a great middle grade book about the way that friendships change in middle school and the power in both believing in yourself and giving others a chance. It also highlights the power in putting your words out there, for yourself or for others, in writing or as videos. Sometimes we just have to get the words out to better understand how we feel.

Serena has been best friends with JC since Serena skipped 3rd grade and entered 4th. When JC undergoes a kidney transplant, it seems to change her personality and Serena has to be on her own at school for the first time. But when a cold keeps Serena from being the one to bring JC the 6th grade class gift and JC seems to enjoy the visit with the new girl, Leilani, the green eyed monster rears its head. Lani has such an effervescent personality that she even takes over as the class ambassador, giving out great ideas for WinterFest, further annoying Serena who struggles to speak up. It goes from bad to worse when JC bails on their WinterFest project to work with Lani, Serena gets voluntold to be on school senate, gets paired up with Harrison to run Spirit Week, and then gets put into a group project with Lani. That's a lot for a tween to deal with. Serena makes mistakes along the way, but learns how to navigate her new world and even find her voice. The chapters are interspersed with Serena's vlogs, some of which get posted, some of which don't. Serena Says feels like what 6th graders go through and parts may really resonate with young readers. (Ages: 8-12)

This is a very sweet, very earnest middle grade novel, and Serena's tentative vlog chapters are very cute and bubbly. I will say that this seemed geared/written 'younger' than some of the other middle grade novels that have come out lately, and Serena is VERY innocent, despite the novel handling chronic physical illness/organ transplants and mental illness.

Serena is a phenomenal middle school narrator with so much to say and offer! Her honesty about being unsure, nervous, scared, lonely, mad, and more will really resonate with middle schoolers (and everyone!). Friendship issues are so real and so huge for kids and this book does a good job communicating the enormity of that. The sibling relationship is so well done and the vlogging is a great hook into the book for students and a reminder to find your own voice! It's also just a fun format and provides a different take on a middle school saga. The side stories and more minor characters and friendships are all so real and portray the complexities of middle school and navigating so many things at once accurately. Also, I love the representation in this book - it is done in the best way possible, as characters just happen to be fill in the blank instead of their race, family, disability, etc being their whole story. So many students will love to see part of their experience reflected in this book. The discussion of mental illness is particularly well done as it is not explained away easily or made "okay" but simply something that a friend's family is going through and working on. There is no easy answer or explanation and that is both realistic and humanizing. Can't wait to get this into the hands of students!

Serena is having friendship issues. Her best friend seems to be getting very close with a new student. Friendships are tricky. I appreciate that this book deals with that because so many elementary and middle school readers are dealing with this too. Because she's not with her bestie so much, she is also beginning to see other students and interact with them in different ways.

An added bit of fun in the book is that Serena is experimenting with blogging and DIY craft projects.

If you are looking for a heartfelt and humorous book with an engaging young black girl look no further. You have found it in SERENA SAYS. Davis nails the middle grade experience in her descriptions about friendship drama, family issues, schoolwork angst, and day-to-day life of POC.

I highly recommend purchasing this book for classroom and school libraries so we continue expanding our collections of #ownvoice and #diverse books. Let's give students more book where they can see themselves reflected in the pages they are reading!

Thank you Harper Collins: Katherine Tegen Books and Net Galley for this e-arc.

Oh my goodness this book! As I read this book I remembered my life in 6th grade. So much angst and anxiety. Who was your friend, who is your friend and can it all get more awkward. This author did a fantastic job with some pretty heavy subjects. This book touched on many things to include major illness, mental illness and even twelve year old girl issues. Ms. Davis built this world in such a way that I felt myself back in middle school. I loved the characters in this book and enjoyed them working through all the difficulties they faced. I will definitely buy this book for my classroom library.

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Serena Says is a middle grade move about a girl named Serena who wants to start a vlog. Serena’s best friend has just had a kidney transplant, and suddenly doesn’t seem to be Serena’s best friend anymore.

I identified with a lot of the feelings in this book, perhaps even too much - every time Leilani appeared, I felt annoyed by her! Having been a teenage girl, I definitely related to these issues and remembered them strongly.

This book had a really diverse cast. There were characters of color, characters of different physical and mental abilities, and characters with long-term medical issues.

Reading the ARC, this issue may have been fixed, but there was some confusion for me in the middle where Serena was suddenly upset about something Leilani suggested for her subcommittee. It did not seem to be mentioned until later so I don’t know if I missed something in my ARC or not.

All in all, definitely one I’ll place in my class library!

This book has a whole lot to love! The vlogs were spectacularly done! Felt very true to the voice of Serena and the kinds of experiences she is going through as a 6th grader. It speaks truths about friendships and the ever changing nature of them, especially at that middle school age.

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

Serena is a sixth grader whose best friend has just had a kidney transplant. The whole trajectory of Serena's sixth grade year is changed when a cold keep Serena from being the class ambassador and bringing JC the class get well gift. Leilani brings it instead, and she and JC strike a fast friendship that leaves Serena feeling left in the dust.

This book is one a lot of kids will be able to relate to, Serena is a sympathetic but strong main character and her journey is a great one.