Real Friends

Just before the beginning of fourth grade, Shannon gets glasses. She can see things more clearly with her new glasses and is excited for the new school year. At school, she and Jen sing a song that they made up together at Jen’s cabin. Jenny is jealous that Shannon got to go to Jen’s cabin. Shannon sees lots of similarities between herself and Jenny. Jen is more popular than Jenny, just like Adrienne is more popular than Shannon. Jenny is also the middle child in a big family; she has eight siblings. Shannon remembers how Jenny used to bully her in the first grade. She continues this pattern now, calling Shannon “four-eyes” because of her glasses. Jenny starts telling Jen lies about Shannon; Jen is often angry with Shannon because of what Jenny says. Shannon has a hard time keeping track of when her friends are upset with her and when they are not. When she tries to tell Adrienne that Jenny is mean, Adrienne insists that Jenny is always nice to her. 

Shannon also experiences turmoil at home. Wendy continues to be mean and unpredictable. Shannon feels as if she is living with a huge wild bear instead of an older sister and cannot understand why her parents and siblings do not see when Wendy is mean to her.