Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released August 31, 2021 by First Second Books.

Forever Friendship is a continuation of the Real Friends series. Hale's earlier memoirs, with brilliant artwork by LeYuen Pham, captured the social dynamics of girl friendship and bullying in elementary school. This one addresses Shannon's internal turmoil in middle school. Like the first two, it ends up being a template for how to survive and thrive through a tumultuous time in your life. Older girls and women might learn a thing or two from it.

It highlights the numerous ways girls get socialized into the 'beauty myth.' It explores the roles of magazines, television, movies, church, religion and schooling. It's full of the complex ways we hurt one another.

Starting grade eight Shannon feels pretty good about her friends. Despite this she still worries and is plagued with feelings of not being good enough. She has numerous goals for this new year. She begins grade eight thinking that fulfillment is based on beauty, success, and fame. Add being a good person and being liked by boys into the mix. It's kind of like a recipe for disaster.

Following the introduction, six chapters focus on an area connected to this. Most end with an important message to young girls.

Beautiful
As if it's not enough that Shannon has to deal with her body changing, she attempts to mold herself into society's model of what beauty is. She wears contact lens, gets braces, and perms her hair. Before others can make fun of her, she makes fun of herself. Any critique by others emphasizes that she's not good enough. In the end she halfheartedly decides she doesn't care if she isn't beautiful and will instead, pursue her other dreams.

Fame
Shannon thinks that fame will cover her in emotional armor. She wants to feel special, yet at the same time thinks that if only she can learn to play the correct part - to become the right kind of person, fame is possible. Unfortunately, doing this involves burying her own dreams. This leads to all kinds of complicated feelings. She appreciates her friends' successes and at the same time, is jealous of them. She's terrified that if she makes any mistakes she will lose all her friends forever. Thankfully she decides to dig up her dreams again and follow them. She doesn't get a part in the school drama production. Instead she becomes student director. Ultimately she learns that being a part of something is enough. Being famous isn't necessary.

Boys
This chapter addresses emerging sexuality and negotiating through the messiness of it. One of Shannon's best friends is Andrei. They are not romantically involved. Yet everyone expects them to be. Because of this, she assumes that there is something wrong with her. I loved the complexity in Shannon's relationship with Jane. They are on the cusp of becoming young women, but they are also still kids. Jane is shown exploring her sexuality with different boys, and getting slut shamed for it. There are creepy older men to deal with.
Shannon starts to think, "You're not allowed to feel sad. If you feel sad you're wrong." In the end though, she learns that it's enough for a boy just to think you are cool.

Success
"No matter how hard I worked, it never felt like enough"
Shannon comes to see her value is in how others perceive her. She wonders if her parents only love her because of her grades. She decides to run for class president and loses. The role of fathers in how girls see themselves is articulated clearly in this section. In spite of his comments about the role of women, Shannon dreams of having both a family and a satisfying career. She learns that she wants to 'be successful - but in the ways that make me feel good - not in the ways everyone expected."

Perfect
This section highlights the role of religion and church. To be perfect is to be good enough, to be kind enough. Her attempts to follow through end up in mishap after mishap. Rather than bringing comfort, church ends up exaggerating her so called flaws and exacerbating her feelings of being a bad person. Everything falls apart for her after an altercation with her friends.

Nothing
Shannon ends up deep in depression. If she is loved based on her accomplishments, what happens when she fails? She gives up on her friends, school, and violin. Eventually her parents send her to see a psychiatrist. He's a dud.

Enough
Shannon becomes her own therapist and begins to love herself.
"It felt like an act of rebellion. To choose to love myself even if I wasn't sure anybody else did. Even if I wasn't sure I was worthy enough. Even if I wasn't sure that I actually did. To try to love myself. That felt like a lot."
It makes all the difference. Grade eight turns out to be a pretty good year.

I wish this book, and the others in the series had been around when I was in my preteen and teen years. I'm sure glad they are here today to help young girls navigate the potential minefield of adolescence. As it is, they have helped me resolve issues connected to those times in my life. I'm sure that women of all ages will be able to connect to Shannon's experiences.

I recommend you purchase numerous copies of this for your school libraries. Encourage boys, parents, and teachers in your school to read it too.

Shannon continues her life story, this time telling about the highs and lows of 8th grade, learning how to navigate friendships, figuring out who she was, and navigating the complex emotions of an early teen with undiagnosed anxiety, OCD, and depression.

I love Shannon Hale’s guts to share the roller coaster of emotions she experienced in middle school. I 100% know there are other 8th graders now who need this book. Who need to know they aren’t alone in their insecurities and wondering if they aren’t good enough to get friends, have boys notice them, or just good enough as a person. And Shannon doesn’t just leave them with questions; she offers solid hope and help too. (Make sure you read the author’s notes at the end!) Highly recommended to anyone in middle school. I’m going to need to get multiple copies for our Secondary library. Shannon’s other autobiographical graphic novels are insanely popular. And for good reason.

Notes on content: No language issues. Shannon experienced a mall Santa who said and did something inappropriate (it isn’t graphic, totally presented in a way appropriate for the target audience, and important for kids to realize this kind of behavior is not ok). One of Shannon’s friends is super boy crazy at the beginning of 8th grade and is kissing any boy around. She complains about a boy pushing her to do more. (No details.) Eventually she admits to Shannon she doesn’t like how the boys view her and cuts back on the kissing. A boy at a party Shannon knows has a girlfriend tries to put his arm around her and kiss her, and she ditches him. At that party boys also bring alcohol and Shannon says no to it and eventually leaves early.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in Shannon Hale's "Friends" series, and after having read the first two, it was definitely different. Whereas the first two dealt more with friend issues, this one dealt more with growing up. Even though it dealt with different subject matter than the first two, I still enjoyed it a lot. It will be very relatable for readers who are experiencing the same things as Shannon is in the book, so I think many readers will be able to form a connection with the characters. Also, while it would be helpful for the reader to have read Real Friends and Best Friends prior to reading Friends Forever, since many of the characters from the first two books are referenced in the third, it is not necessary. Friends Forever can certainly be enjoyed as a stand alone.

LeUyen Pham's artistic style complements the topics being discussed because it is the perfect balance between realistic and cartoonish. While the cartoon aspect allows the reader to still feel as if he/she is reading a graphic novel, the more realistic aspects help remind the reader that many of the events in the book actually happened to the author.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book for fans of Shannon Hale, and I will definitely be purchasing it for my library.

I really enjoyed this one like the previous two in the series. Shannon's emotions are so real and it's so smooth. The font reading on my computer was sometimes hard to read but I suspect that won't be a problem in a physical book

Shannon is in 8th grade, where her life is even more complicated. Her relationship with her sisters is strained, expectations from her parents are high, and even though her best friend is a boy, her friends have started dating, but no one seems interested in Shannon that way. She gets braces, hates her hair, and can't seem to succeed at anything popular like the class election, or the school play. She's super worried about disappointing her parents, but loses her drive to do well in school. When everything comes crashing down, Shannon wonders if something is wrong with her.

Friends Forever is a great culmination to an amazing trilogy. Standing alone, but better if you've followed her story, I loved how the topics matured along with Shannon. I loved the end notes, which include help for dealing with mental illness. Shannon's story is raw and at time heart breaking, perfect for middle grade readers who love drama, or need a good read they can relate to.

I have loved all of Shannon Hale's "Friends" books and this was no different. I cannot wait to recommend this to my middle school readers. This graphic novel memoir focuses on Shannon's struggles with depression and anxiety through middle school, trying to fit in with friends, and finding how she fits into her family. This book is amazingly well suited to the age of it's readers, who may be struggling with the same challenges as Shannon. I feel that the illustrations will help readers identify feelings they can't name. I appreciated the letter from the author at the end, in essence "debriefing" the reader of what happened in the book, and providing resources if they are facing similar situations.

Friends Forever is the last in a 3 book series detailing the adolescence of author Shannon Hale. I think the series was rounded out nicely, and shows young Shannon coming of age in an authentic way. As with the last 2 books, I really enjoyed the artwork, from the magazine covers in between chapters, to the varying styles throughout different parts of the book. The color/shading was also very thoughtful and interesting. Since the characters are getting older, some of the content is more mature (romantic relationships, alcohol, unwanted male attention), but these subjects are addressed in a way that will hopefully inspire open dialog between readers and trusted adults in their life.

I received an electronic ARC from First Second Books through NetGalley.
Hale brings us back into Shannon's middle school world. This time, readers see her eighth grade year. Hale's writing style is warm and inviting. She invites readers to become part of the story. Readers will connect to the emotions shared and hidden as they either experience this time period along with the characters or remember this time in their lives. The artwork captures the emotional gamut and adds subtle undertones as the story unfolds.
I've appreciated Hale's vulnerability in sharing her memories and offering support for those currently coping with mental health concerns in the middle grade years. The self affirmation and encouragement come through clearly. This is one that will be checked out constantly.

Shannon has made it to the eighth grade in the third volume of this series, and she is still dealing with school, friendship, self-esteem, and family issues. This volume was a slower read than the other two. In some ways, it feels redundant. Since this book is autobiographical, the author can not create closure for Shannon because she struggles with these things throughout her teens. I can relate to the ups and downs of middle school life and mental illness. However, I wish the author could bring something fresh to the series.

In the third installment in this series, we follow Shannon into her 8th grade experiences with middle school, friendships, relationships, and the struggles that come with this particular season of life and trying to figure out who you are. It also makes topics that can sometimes be incredibly heavy, approachable in a way that would make readers not only understand but also feel like it is okay to open up about them. The artwork gave awesome nods to middle school 80s with the magazines, the book covers, and the note styles. I also really loved the author's note and details coming through in the yearbook style at the end of the story. Additionally, the artwork did a great job of mirroring the motions felt by Shannon. This books has so much to say and so much worth discussing.

Definitely meant for an older audience than the first two books in this trilogy, but it's filled with so many good lessons for kids growing up with good pacing and actual plot and without having to label itself as a puberty handbook. I hope boys won't trim away from this just because it has a girl main character.

"Following up their mega-bestselling Real Friends and Best Friends graphic memoirs, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham are back with Friends Forever, a story about learning to love yourself exactly as you are.

Shannon is in eighth grade, and life is more complicated than ever. Everything keeps changing, her classmates are starting to date each other (but nobody wants to date her!), and no matter how hard she tries, Shannon can never seem to just be happy.

As she works through her insecurities and undiagnosed depression, she worries about disappointing all the people who care about her. Is something wrong with her? Can she be the person everyone expects her to be? And who does she actually want to be?

With their signature humor, warmth, and insight, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham have crafted another incredible love letter to their younger selves and to readers everywhere, a reminder to us all that we are enough."

If you haven't yet discovered the genius of Shannon Hale, well, now's your chance!

This was one of the best comics I have ever read!
As a huge fan of Shannon Hale's book I was elated when my request was approved on NetGalley, this book follows Shannon through her 8th grade as she faces ups and downs and tries to sort a huge mess called life.
A humorous, relatable and inspiring read!!
Thank you Netgalley and First Second books for a copy :D

Another masterpiece by Shannon Hale. We cannot keep this series on our shelves! Do yourself a favor & buy multiple copies! 10 out of 10

I received a sample, and not a full book so I'm unsure how to rate it. I can't say if this was a glitch or just the way the publisher intended? Odd.

Shannon Hale's third installment of her popular Friends graphic novel memoir series is relatable, funny, and realistic in its portrayal of middle-school friendships, crushes, and mental health issues. I'm so grateful for these books that help young readers recognize their own struggles and give them hope. Friends Forever is not just about those awkward years, but about the friendships that shape who we are and reflect who we want to be. This will be well-loved in school libraries, classrooms, and youth departments.

I struggled to get into this one. A LOT of text on the page at times, repetitive imagery, and I cared less and less about the main character as the book progressed.

Shannon Hale gives the perfect glimpse into a middle schooler's mind. One that is mixed with self-doubt, anxiety, and feelings of wanting: wanting to be more, wanting to be liked, wanting to be different but true to oneself. Even though this book is set in the 1980's the main topics still feel fresh and relatable. LeUyen Pham does an amazing job again with this series. The magazine covers and realistic-looking notes are a perfect way to incorporate the "feel" of the 80's..A perfect book for tween looking to read realistic fiction

I was only given the first section of the book, so it's hard to comment on its entirety, but I found the characters relatable and going through the typical challenges that middle schoolers face. Shannon Hale knows her audience and writes in an engaging way about their trials and tribulations!

Oof. The third book in this graphic novel memoir series really packs an emotional punch. Shannon is in 8th grade and is plagued by anxiety and insecurity. It doesn't help that her parents only seem proud of her when she's the perfect student, daughter and musician. Her friends also seem completely wrapped up in their own problems and are blind to Shannon's issues as a result. This is a compelling upper middle grade story that a lot of young readers will relate to and will help them feel seen.