My New Best Friend

There’s a new girl in town! After Ida May’s last best friend moved away, she swore she’d never have another. But then she met fun, sparkly Stacey Merriweather, and now she and Ida are like two peas in a pod. When the friends discover a magical mermaid night-light that seems to grant wishes, they start a secret club--just the two of them. Ida uses the mermaid to make something bad happen to Jenna, the mean girl in class. Then Stacey uses the mermaid to undo a scheduled math test. The more they put the mermaid’s powers to use, the more they need to help it along by manipulating the truth with their ＂highly creative stories.＂ Ida goes along with all the lies at first. But before long, Ida suspects that Stacey is using the mermaid to tell some big lies . . . and to cause some big trouble at home. And soon Ida feels caught between telling the truth and hurting friendship with Stacey. How will Ida set the record straight while still keeping her new best friend?

JULIE BOWE grew up in Luck, Wisconsin. Actually she grew up ＂out of Luck＂--about a mile and half away. She is the author of the companion novel, My Last Best Friend, which is perfect ＂for readers who have graduated from sara Pennypacker’s ’Clementine’ stories, Barbara Park’s ’Junie B. Jones’ series, and Megan McDonald’s ’Judy Moody’ books,＂ according to School Library Journal. She knows how to strum a guitar, play a really good game of foosball, and count to three in Danish (en, to, tre!). Plus, she has seen a real bog person, met Dr. Suess, and knows exactly what to do with an æbleskiver. She lives in Mondovi, Wisconsin.