Tae Keller has a gift for tackling tough topics for middle grade readers, and this book is no exception. A book about bullying, being yourself, and finding friendship, this is a great addition to any middle grade bookshelf.

Mallory met new girl Jennifer Chan during the summer. Hoping to help Jennifer fit in, Mallory is nervous about starting school and how her connection to Jennifer will affect her social status. At school, Mallory's fears become reality as Jennifer refuses to follow Mallory's rules and begins talking to others about her belief in aliens. As Jennifer becomes more and more of an outcast, Mallory becomes torn between her friendships and doing the right thing. Mallory is forced into a choice when Jennifer disappears.

Excellent story of being yourself, standing up for yourself and others, and righting wrongs. My favorite part of the story was it's narration by Mallory who is the bully's sidekick. Mallory's perspective of Regan's issues and knowledge of Jennifer's past put her in a unique position of having to rise above it all to make things right.

"Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone" by Tae Keller is an enchanting and suspenseful middle-grade novel that intertwines themes of friendship, courage, and the magic of the unknown. Keller's storytelling brilliance shines as she weaves a tale of mystery, adventure, and the power of belief. The book's relatable characters and captivating plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with middle-grade readers. Keller skillfully explores the emotions of curiosity, bravery, and the bonds of friendship, adding depth to the narrative. "Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone" is a delightful reminder that the world is full of unexpected wonders, and that the strength of friendship and the power of imagination can lead to extraordinary discoveries, leaving young readers with a sense of excitement and a renewed appreciation for the magic of storytelling.

This was such a wonderful book! Tae Keller's writing immediately sucked me in. I sometimes struggle with books that flip back and forth in time, but Keller did an excellent job of it in this story. And while this book was about bullying, it felt very different than any other book I've read with that theme. This book read like a mystery, sci-fi, and drama all at the same time. This honestly was a breath of fresh air. It felt so unique and absorbing. I'm really looking forward to discovering other books by this author - she's definitely a new favorite. Readers that enjoy any of the genres or themes mentioned will likely enjoy this book.

I received an advanced copy of this ebook from the publisher for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I enjoyed the characters in this book. The writing style makes you want to read, more and more to find out what happened. The friendships in this book is described well. I would highly recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. The writing style will keep you turning pages to see what happens next. This book is in stores for $17.99 (USD).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I had a really hard time getting through this book. I normally like books that bring to light what people go through because of bullying in schools but I just couldn't connect to this story. I didn't like the characters and I didn't like the alien life side story. I also felt that this story really didn't paint faith in a good light.

Fantastic story. Well written. Good look into bullying and how it affects people on both sides. Lessons for everyone in this book

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone explores the intricacies and complexities of subtle bullying and how it can snowball into something so much worse. On its surface, the book is about a girl who believes in aliens and then disappears mysteriously. The question of whether or not the aliens in the story may be real will pull MG readers through the story and keep them reading to the end. But the real themes of the book are much deeper than aliens. Mal, the MC, has to face her own culpability in Jennifer's disappearance after an "event" that we know is bad, but we don't actually discover what really happened until toward the end of the book. The book shows how "innocent" snubs and turning a blind eye to bullying can be the predecessors to becoming the bully yourself, and it presents a nuanced examination of what actually leads to group bullying--Mal herself is a character with many shades of gray. (I highly recommend reading the author's note at the end of the book to get even more insight into this. I found it fascinating.) Tae Keller manages to capture middle school in all its innocence and cruelty while also exploring magical thinking and the true mysteries of the universe. I highly recommend this book!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is such a great story about navigating friendships in middle school and trying to figure out where you belong -- and the cost of belonging. Mallorie loves her newfound popularity and her besties, Reagan and Tess. Jennifer Chan moves in across the street from Mal during the summer and they begin hanging out. Jennifer tells Mal all about her beliefs in aliens and extraterrestrial life. Once back at school, Mal quickly realizes that being friends with Jennifer is not good for her popularity. Reagan, Tess, and some other students bully Jennifer and although she knows it is wrong, Mal even partakes in the bullying instead of standing up to her so-called friends.

This is a heartbreaking story about how actions lead to consequences and often at the expense of others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I began to read Tae Keller's JENNIFER CHAN IS NOT ALONE, I thought it was going to be another middle school “mean girl” plot, but it was more involved than that since it was told mainly through the voice of Mallory Moss. I would definitely recommend to middle grade book clubs and literature circles for discussion. Why?? It is character driven, and middle school is where one's character is challenged in various ways. Want to hang with the popular kids? Follow the rules--wear the right clothes, control your image, and know your place. Korean American Mallory Moss has worked hard to be accepted by insiders Reagan and her valley-speak side kick, Tessa, but over the summer Mallory befriended new arrival Chinese American Jennifer Chan. With the start of the school year Mallory realized that Jennifer would not meet Reagan's standards for acceptance into the popular crowd. You see, Jennifer believed in extraterrestrial life, and kept journals to record her observations. After something Mallory referred to as The Incident, Jennifer disappears. The Incident was an escalation of the bullying Reagan, Tessa, and Mallory had inflicted on Jennifer. Family dynamics rounded out the background of the plot. So many ideas to consider in this book--don't miss it!!
Thank you to Random House Books for Young Reads and Netgalley for the digital arc.

It is rare to read a novel from the the mean girl's or the bully's point view, to be allowed to see her as a complex person and understand the pain and the reasoning behind her actions. Mallory has a lot of anxiety about social situations and fitting in at school. She feels fortunate to be friends with Reagan and Tess, whose popularity protects her. When Jennifer moves in across the street, her personality is so big and her obsession with aliens so unusual, that Mallory tries to warn her how to act in their small town. She instinctively knows not to be friendly with Jennifer at school and doesn't tell Reagan about their summer friendship. Things escalate anyway. After a series of bullying incidents that we learn about as the book flips between past and present, Jennifer has run away. Mallory is consumed with guilt and reaches out to other former friends she has hurt in the hope of being able to find her. This is a real, raw look at at the causes and consequences of middle school bullying. Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.

Jennifer Chan moves in across the street and shakes up Mallory's life with her strange belief in aliens and her disregard for the social rules of middle school.. Shortly after arriving, Jennifer goes missing. The adults think she ran away, but using clues left behind in Jennifer's journals, Mal is determined to find her. But not is all that is seems when it comes to Jennifer's disappearance., In order to find her, Mal will have to face the truth about why Jennifer ran and the part she played it her disappearance.

This middle grade books seems light on the surface, but it is so much more than a story of a girl gone missing. It is about the choices we make, our friendships, and what happens when bullying goes too far. Extremely well-written, this is a perfect book to give to readers who like stories about friendships, bullying, or even mysteries. Ever middle schooler should read this!

Jennifer Chan is Not Alone
By Tae Keller
New York: Random House, 2022. Fiction.

At first, Mallory Moss is thrilled when a new girl her same age moves in across the street in her small town of Norwell, Florida. Chinese American Jennifer Chan is nothing like Mallory expected. Jennifer is confident and self-assured, believes in aliens and keeps copious notes about the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and, most terrible of all, doesn't seem to know the cardinal rule of middle school -- you have to fit in to survive. So, when Jennifer Chan goes missing, Mallory and her friends are distressed and filled with guilt over an "incident" that happened days before. As days go by and the search for Jennifer intensifies, Mallory finds herself replaying prior events with dread and frantically searching through Jennifer's journals for secrets of where she could be.

In her first novel since her Newbery winning When You Trap a Tiger, Tae Keller tells an emotionally charged story about the innerworkings of middle schoolers. Told in alternating chapters of "then" and "now" Keller is able to really explore Mallory, her Korean American 12-year-old protagonist, and treats her flaws, faults, ad anxieties with care and attention. It's not often where we see stories that explore how someone can be a bully without ever really meaning to be, but Keller successfully and masterfully does just that. Readers will be hooked from the first chapter and will leave with a sense of how negatively bullying can affect both bullies and the bullied.

Award-winning middle-grade author Tae Keller is known for her gorgeous, emotional stories. Jennifer Chan is Not Alone is as big-hearted as her previous novels, about friendship, loss, and standing up for what you believe in, even when it alienates you.

Bullying in school (and in the workplace and the rest of life, for that matter) is a fact of life. Children learn how to deal with it, or how to fly under the radar to avoid being bullied and all the other ways kids cope with situations they should not have to deal with. Written with middle schoolers as the audience, Mallory is friends with one of the most powerful girls in her class, Reagan. Reagan calls the shots and her friends fit in, or become victims. Mallory has a new neighbor across the street and Jennifer is all about reaching out to aliens. She and her dad who died studied aliens and outer space and Jennifer is a true believer. Because she is seen by the girls as "different" she becomes a victim of their bullying and ostracizing. Oh, yes, she is part Asian as is Mallory, but it sets Jennifer even further apart.

It is hard to like Mallory because she is part of the problem. She and her friends did something that affected Jennifer in a very personal way (we find out what they did much later in the story) and Jennifer runs away. Mallory wants to feel that she is not responsible for any of this, but in her heart of hearts, she knows she is. Many of the parents of these kids are either absent or self-involved in their own lives and the kids are raising themselves. It is not until things reach crisis point that we see much parental involvement.

Just enough mystery for intrigue but not too scary or alarming. Makes a reader think about what is happening and what they believe about what is/might be happening.

Oh my word, this book is phenomenal! Sometimes when I’m reading a book, I know exactly who I’m going to give this book to. This is one of those books. I cannot wait to get it in the hands of my middle school girls. One of my favorites of the year, by far.

Wow! This was an extremely compelling and authentic story about the vastness of the universe and our place in it, the way friendships change in middle school, and what it means to be a good person. Loved the characters, the pacing, the complexity - it was a perfect book.

Absolutely beautiful look at friendship and bullying that pulls no punches. I was hooked from the first chapter.