Just as Long as We're Together

A parent would reach for this book when their middle schooler is struggling with the quiet realization that their parents are separating, or when a long-standing friendship is being strained by a new person entering the group. It follows Stephanie, a young girl navigating the secret her parents are keeping about their 'trial separation' while she simultaneously manages the arrival of a new best friend, Alison, who threatens her established bond with Rachel. The book masterfully captures the anxiety of keeping family secrets and the jealousy that often bubbles up in preteen social circles. For ages 10 to 14, this is a quintessential Blume novel that validates the messy, overlapping feelings of wanting things to stay the same while everything is changing. It provides a roadmap for honesty and the importance of maintaining your own identity within a group.