First Second Announces “Real Friends” Sequel “Best Friends”

Acclaimed children’s novel creators Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham are teaming up once again with Macmillan Publishers’ imprint First Second Books for “Best Friends,” the sequel to Hale’s 2017 graphic memoir “Real Friends.” “Real Friends” explored the drama and tribulations in middle-school friendships, as young Hale finds her best friend hanging out with the most popular girl in her class instead. Young readers wanted to know what happened next in Hale’s life, so she decided to continue her story in “Best Friends.”

In an interview with Romper, Hale says that she wrote the graphic memoir for her 9-year-old daughter, who struggled with making friends at school. “I can’t wait to share this story with my now-11-year-old daughter and with everyone else too,” Hale said in the interview. “There’s real comfort in reading about other people’s highs and lows, to know that they struggled too, we’re not alone, and have hope that we’ll get through it.”

Hale is best known for her Princess Academy novel series, about a young girl who must attend the titular princess academy to be chosen as her kingdom’s next princess. LeUyen Pham is the illustrator behind dozens of picture books, and the author and illustrator behind children’s titles such as Big Sister, Little Sister.

“Best Friends” hits shelves August 27, 2019.