The Friendship Experiment Book Review

The Friendship Experiment

Erin Teagan

HMH Books for Young Readers

Middle Grades, Fiction

Publication Date: November 1, 2016

Aspiring scientist Maddie Little is having a terrible first year in middle school. Her grandfather whom she loved and admired past away, her best friend is going to a new private school (a school Maddie would love to go to), her older eighth grade sister is just that – an older sister, and she has a rare bleeding disorder that runs in her family.

The only people Maddie can find to sit with at lunch are an eclectic bunch that include a new girl who wants to be an astronaut (stealing Maddie’s scientist-niche) and a spelling bee whizz who spells every word she can, among others. Rather than socializing, Maddie spends as much time as she can in her father’s laboratory and writing standard operating procedures (like her grandfather did) in her lab notebook.

Maddie’s world crumbles further when her somewhat friends discover just what’s included in those SOPs in her secret lab notebook. Coupled with other setbacks, how can Maddie push through to survive life and middle school?

Fifth and sixth graders will love The Friendship Experiment.  They’ll relate to Maddie’s troubles and to how difficult life can seem at times, but they’ll find hope within her family and friendships. 

If you’re interested in reading The Friendship Experiment, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.