"Final year friendships in the spotlight"
Simon Packham is very good at describing the emotional landscapes of Years 6 and 7, and Zak Monroe Is (Not) My Friend is a typically sensitive, honest and involving story that feels both particular to its characters while delivering universal truths about our emotions and behaviour.
It’s the end of the final year of primary school and Sam is worried to epic levels. He’s overhead a conversation between his three oldest friends and discovered that they’re not going to put him on their all-important ‘friends list’ for secondary school: he doesn’t play football, likes singing, and spends too much time with his nan amongst their reasons. Sam has just weeks now to change and disrupting their growing friendship with the class bully would be good too. When his mates all go on a half-term trip to Barcelona, Sam has no choice but to hang out with ‘weird’ Zak Monroe, and to his surprise, finds himself having real fun. When school starts up again, his fears and anxiety return, and he does some things that will shock readers for their cruelty. Has the real Sam gone for ever or will he see who his true friends really are?
It’s a page-turning read, often funny and full of drama as well as genuine insight into the way fear and the urge to be in a group can make us behave in ways that we wouldn’t normally.
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Sam has been best friends with Cal, Fin and Jay for EVER. They're all about to move up to a new school together - scary but exciting.
But then he overhears them saying they're not going to put him on their Friends Lists!
So Sam will be stuck in a different tutor group with a lot of kids he doesn't know. Help!
How can Sam convince them to change their minds?
Can he keep on hiding his new friendship with 'weird' new boy Zak Monroe?
And what will happen when these two sides of Sam's life collide?
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Zak Monroe Is (Not) My Friend and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Zak Monroe Is (Not) My Friend features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Zak Monroe Is (Not) My Friend is available in Paperback
Zak Monroe Is (Not) My Friend was written by Simon Packham and published by UCLan Publishing
Zak Monroe Is (Not) My Friend has 234 pages
£7.19
