The Best Friend Bracelet

by Nicole D. Collier

A tender, funny story about making—and keeping—friends, perfect for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.

At Hurston Middle School, best friendship is a big deal. And Zariah Brown makes the best best friendship bracelets in town. Business is booming; Zariah can hardly keep up with orders. 

The problem is, Zariah doesn’t have a best friend of her own. As the entire seventh grade gears up for their big Pajama Jam weekend, it seems as if everyone else is paired up except her. 

So Zariah pours her heart and soul into making the ultimate friendship bracelet, using a set of beads gifted to her by a mysterious woman. But the bracelet turns out to be a tiny bit . . . magical. In fact, anyone who puts it on instantly becomes Zariah’s best friend. Now all she has to do is find the perfect best friend and get the bracelet on them. Easy, right? 

It turns out finding the ideal friend isn’t so simple, and things quickly spin out of control. Will Zariah ever find her true BFF, or is she destined to be alone forever? 

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Contemporary

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2024

Reviews

[Florence Migga · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars, rounded up

Super cute! Great MG voice. I loved how all the angst was friendship angst and not boy angst. Because friendship is so big and important, especially at that age.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun surprise! So many of the middle grade novels I read have kid characters who talk and think like adults, but this one is refreshingly age-appropriate. Best friend breakups! The absolute weight of a slumber party invite! Dialogue that you could actually imagine coming out of the mouth of someone under 30! Really enjoyed it.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zariah (Mariah with a Z!) loves using spreadsheets, being a maker, and excelling as entrepreneur. She’s popular, but lonely. Artsy, but a bit strait-laced. I hope you'll love getting to know her in this grumpy/sunshine X fake dating - but make it friendship - story.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Collier (Just Right Jillian, The Many Fortunes of Maya) has written two books for elementary aged readers filled with messages of being true to yourself, and positive friend and family relationships. This 3rd book has main characters just beginning 7th grade and facing the anxieties typically associated with middle school but is still very much targeted at readers in grades 3-6.

Zariah has started middle school without the all-important best friend and has set an almost desperate goal of having a shares your secrets/has your back friend before the homecoming events of October come to their climax with the expected Pajama Jam spend the night event set aside for besties. But even though Zariah has a knack for creating the perfect bracelets for best friends to gift to one another, she has no clue how to find and keep one for herself. When one of her much sought after bracelets seems to magically make the wearer immediately view Zariah as their soul mate, she sets out to find the best choice to wear it permanently. But like most magic, there is always a catch and certainly mishaps will follow.

Using Zariah, her failed attempts at finding someone who really understands who she is and her project partnership with Theo, readers will not only enjoy a solid friendship story but may also begin to examine their own relationships and seek ways to deepen or change them for the better. Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. Representation: Main character Zariah and several of her friends are Black, others may be Hispanic, AAPI and Caucasian but descriptions and naming conventions provide only clues and are not definite; families include a single grandmother as mom and Zariah’s traditional 2 parent home with a father who is absent for long periods of time but obviously works hard at keeping his relationship with his daughter strong.

Thanks for a preview copy, Nicole C. Collier and Harper Collier Children’s Publishing.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best friends are a big deal at Hurston Middle School, so not having one makes Zariah feel insecure. When she stumbles upon magical beads that once made into a bracelet makes anyone who wears it instantly become her bestie, life couldn't be better—or so she thinks. Zariah must tackle her inner feelings about not having a best friend before she ruins the potential one right in front of her.

Middle-grade girls will love The Best Friend Bracelet! Zariah insecurities will make readers feel for her while her business savvy and creativity show depth of character. I appreciated how she was really looking for someone to connect and be herself with. That's what true friendship is all about. Theo is Zariah's potential best friend who's not looking for a best friend. However, she needs to convince her mom she has friends so she strikes a deal with Zariah to help her with a science project. This means lots of time getting to know each other while eating PB & J sandwiches.

Zariah is usually seen wearing all black with the perfect makeup look on. She's very much an introvert who guards her heart. Seeing how she slowly opens up and trusts Zariah was so heartwarming. I loved getting to know Zariah and Theo and seeing their friendship grow. The Best Friend Bracelet is a great story for creative readers who enjoy friendship stories with a dash of magic.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of The Best Friend Bracelet in exchange for an honest review.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Friend Bracelet may be the first book by Nicole Collier that I have read. She seems to understand the minds of middle school girls - their insecurities and desires for a best friend. I loved the fact that the main character is a young female entrepreneur.
Zariah makes unique bracelets for girls to give to their best friends. She questions the purchaser for details and then designs a bracelet just for the recipient. But deep down, she really wants a best friend of her own. Her grades begin to slip because of her focus on her business, so she has to do extra credit. She is thrown together with another girl who doesn’t need the extra credit but does need her mom to think she has a best friend. Theo and Zariah work together to accomplish their individual goals. Meanwhile, Zariah creates a bracelet for the best friend she doesn’t have, and it turns out to have magic, and anyone who wears that bracelet is immediately her bestie.
I enjoyed this story and would place it in my library. However, because of the magical element of the bracelet, I encourage each school librarian to make their own determination as to the book's appropriateness for their library. The Best Friend Bracelet is appropriate for middle school girls.
I received a complimentary copy of The Best Friend Bracelet. This is my honest review.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this lightly magical tale, Zariah is known for the fantastic friendship bracelets she has a gift for making.

All manner of middle school students hire her to make custom bracelets for their besties. The thought and care Zariah puts into each bracelet makes them special, but all that effort just highlights how alone Zariah feels since being dropped by her former best friend. On top of her loneliness, the booming bracelet business means Zariah has dropped the ball on her school work and her science grade is suffering. The mysterious proprietor of Flaming Heart—Zariah's favorite place to get bracelet supplies—gives her beads that are more than meets the eye. Before she knows it, Zariah has crafted a bracelet that will turn its wearer into her new bestie; but finding a best friend isn't a problem fully solved by magic.

The Best Friend Bracelet gently covers familiar adolescent ground: not feeling like you fit in, social media pressure, balancing demands, and learning to be true to oneself.

Theoretically the themes in the novel could appeal to middle schoolers, but the bracelet illustration at the beginning of each chapter and the bright, cartoonish cover make it look like it is intended for younger readers.

Optional Purchase for readers in grades 4-6.

K.M.
School Librarian

[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book courtesy of the Goodreads First Reads Program for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Overview: Zariah is looking towards Homecoming Week with both enthusiasm and despair. Enthusiasm because her best friend bracelet business is booming. Despair because Homecoming Week is the week of the Pajama Jam. Zariah may make great best friend bracelets, but she doesn't have one of her own. But does her answer lie in a set of special beads that makes up a magical bracelet? Let's find out.

Dislikes: I do have a couple of problems with this book. The first is the linguistic spellings of a few words. These spellings just bug me. It just draws my focus, and can be distracting.

The second is how Zariah handled the bracelet. It could be considered as theft, or being an Indian giver, though I have to admit that it would be hard to let some of these recipients to keep it.

Likes: Theo showed that she was willing to push past her self-imposed boundaries. And her reasoning is sound. She did it for her Mom.

Zariah's family did try to help by giving her some good advice.

Conclusion: This was a fun little story. It's perfect for those heading into Middle school or Junior High. Enjoy it with your new teenager.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this lightly magical tale, Zariah is known for the fantastic friendship bracelets she has a gift for making. All manner of middle school students hire her to make custom bracelets for their besties. The thought and care Zariah puts into each bracelet makes them special, but all that effort just highlights how alone Zariah feels since being dropped by her former best friend. On top of her loneliness, the booming bracelet business means Zariah has dropped the ball on her school work and her science grade is suffering. The mysterious proprietor of Flaming Heart—Zariah's favorite place to get bracelet supplies—gives her beads that are more than meets the eye. Before she knows it, Zariah has crafted a bracelet that will turn its wearer into her new bestie; but finding a best friend isn't a problem fully solved by magic. The Best Friend Bracelet gently covers familiar adolescent ground: not feeling like you fit in, social media pressure, balancing demands, and learning to be true to oneself. Theoretically the themes in the novel could appeal to middle schoolers, but the bracelet illustration at the beginning of each chapter and the bright, cartoonish cover make it look like it is intended for younger readers.

Optional Purchase for readers in grades 4-6.

[Shakirah Bourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me all the feels! Collier is so good at capturing that authentic middle school voice. Zariah's friendship bracelet business makes her popular in school, yet she herself doesn't have a best friend. Zariah's still recovering from an awkward friend break-up, so though she's always surrounded and has no shortage of people to hang out with, she feels extremely lonely since she doesn't have that one true bestie. This is when Collier turns the "fake dating" trope on its head, makes it MG and introduces "fake best friendship", where a moody, antisocial Theo teams up with Zariah for a group project and in return, asks that Zariah pretends to be her friend to appease her mother. Enter a magic bracelet, a bit of magic, plenty laugh-out-loud hijinks, poplocking, and tons of heartfelt moments, where both Zariah and Theo learn the true meaning of friendship and that "time doesn’t make someone your best friend.” Loved this one! Thanks so much to the publisher for the ARC.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

In THE BEST FRIEND BRACELET by Nicole D. Collier, Zariah is known throughout her school for making the best friendship bracelets, yet she doesn’t have a best friend of her own after having gone through a best friend break up the year before. When she is gifted some special beads, Zariah creates a bracelet that seems to have magical powers that make the wearer instantly into Zariah’s bestie. While this seems ideal, will this be the key to connecting Zariah with her new bestie—or is she overlooking something or someone else?
Friendship bracelets are having their moment now, so many readers will be engaged by that alone, but will find so much more once they dig into the book. From the end of a long friendship to the trials of forming a new and meaningful bond with a new friend, many friendship issues that are all too real to elementary and middle schoolers are addressed here with a touch of magical realism that makes this a winner.

[Alysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can always tell a story by Nicole Collier by the beautiful, tender, and loving touch she imbues in her characters and their worlds. Vulnerability and honesty are Collier's calling cards, as are vivid world-building and a deep-seated respect for her characters, their families, and their struggles. The small moments of touchstone connection Zariah has with her father while he's away for work draw a direct, and beautiful line to her search for true, deep friendship.
Like Collier's two previous titles, THE BEST FRIEND BRACELET melds humor with heartfelt truths and wraps it all up in a beautiful story about the meaning of true friendship.

I highly recommend this for avid readers, crafters, and anyone with a heart.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an E-Arc.

[Jessica Vitalis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship bracelets are a middle school rite-of-passage, and this book weaves them into a delightful story of a young girl, Zariah (like Mariah but with a Z!), who makes such fantastic friendship bracelets that she sells them to her classmates. The only problem? Zariah would give anything for a best friend of her own, but she hasn't had one since the girl she thought was her best friend drifted away. Zariah discovers that one of her bracelets might have the power to magically gift her a best friend, but it turns out that a magical best friend might not be the same thing as a real friend. This story is sweet and poignant, and it will keep readers turning the pages to see if Zariah ever manages to find the (real) best friend she longs for. Perfect for every middle grade collection!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is ironic that the girl who makes the best, most thoughtful best friend bracelet does not have a best friend of her own.

Zariah makes one of a kind, to-order best friend bracelets for sale in a middle school where best friends seem to be de rigueur, but the bracelet that she made for her best friend was never acknowledged. When she goes to her bead shop, the somewhat unusual owner gifts her beads for a bracelet that turns out to be magical; whoever wears it immediately becomes her best friend. Zariah thinks this bracelet will be the answer to her best-friend quest. As she tries out girl after girl to find a best friend, she finds that special friend may not be where she was looking.

An important novel about friendship and navigating middle school life.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read middle grade! THE BEST FRIEND BRACELET perfectly captures middle school friendships in all their tenderness and drama. Zariah's middle school world - HOCO sleepovers, cliques, talent shows, the dreaded group project, and the terror of eating lunch alone - is so expertly drawn. And just as in all her books, Nicole D. Collier has crafted a beautifully realized main character kids will identify with and cheer for as she navigates friendship's tricky waters in her quest for a bestie. Young readers will be lining up for this one. My thanks to Harper Collins, Net Galley, and the author for the advanced read.

[Melissa Dassori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly relatable and totally touching, Nicole Collier's THE BEST FRIEND BRACELET captures the joys and pressures of middle school friendships. Sometimes the center of attention but often feeling alone, Collier's protagonist, Zariah, longs for the best friend everyone else seems to have. While her hard emotions feel big and real, the story is full of fun and charm, and as with her previous two books, Collier lends a warm and relatable undercurrent to the story through Zariah's parents. It's a charming, joyful, and thoughtful book, infused with a hint of magic, perfect for middle grade readers.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost want to call this a romance. It’s all about a girl finding a real BFF, in this case through a bracelet she makes (she has a small business making custom bff bracelets) that makes any girl who tries it on instantly her bff. She cycles through several girls before finding a real friend.

Creepily, she never considers that this is coercive? She does feel bad when she realizes that she accidentally displaced another girl as bff when trying out a prospect, but she never worries about the kids she is directly manipulating. But if you don’t get hung up on that it’s pretty funny. There was a lot of social media stuff that I was clueless about so I had a local expert read it to fill me in.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the story is realistic, about a 7th-grader with some anxiety who likes to make special beaded bracelets and runs a mini-business selling them to other kids at her school. She's in a friend-funk, since her "bestie" cut off their relationship for unknown reasons.

Then MAGIC happens - via the bead store owner - and she makes a bracelet with special powers. This doesn't happen until one-third into the book.

Then it's a wild ride on the one hand, and a sweet friendship story on the other hand. I think 10- to 12-year-olds who like talking about friends, clothing, makeup, and crafts will enjoy it.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you took this exact story and made it about a romantic couple, this would be a cliche, paint by numbers rom-com. Coupled with the weird lack of romantic talk in this book, that genre of story telling is really weird fit for this book.

Also, internal social media networks for school are a trope that I can never believe in a book. Like a school's letting kids sell stuff on a site they facilitate. Hard pass on reality.

One question. Collier lived in Atlanta. One of my favorite rappers, Killer Mike, is also from Atlanta. Collier's name for her social media app in this novel is Look Book... which is a lyric in a Run the Jewels song. Coincidence?

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole Collier has written another fun, endearing, and heartfelt middle grade novel exploring universal truths and concerns of kids. Zariah is a budding entrepreneur selling special friendship bracelets but struggling to find her own best friend. When she stumbles across a magical bracelet that allows her to become instant besties with anyone she chooses, the complications quickly unfold, even as she and another girl Theo become fake best friends for their own reasons. Altogether a delightful read!

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and fast-paced story about friendship and what a true friend is. Cleverly plotted (I didn't guess the ending, but when I got there, I smiled!), with just the right touch of magical realism. Librarians and educators please note: I love how Zariah mentions favorite books in her customer profiles. And it's not just classics like Matilda, but also recent books like Nightmare Island by Shakirah Bourne. I've read (and loved) that book! Also excellent for STEM; Zariah is a Maker (of bracelets) and the school encourages Makers with a club.

[Sam Subity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole Collier is so good at capturing the feel of the tumultuous middle grade years. In this story, we've got a bracelet-making business, the musical-chairs feel of changing friendships, lots of popcorn (I'd suggest arming yourself with a bowl before reading), and a dash of magic that plays out in unexpected and hilarious ways (like a teacher dancing in the classroom!) It all weaves into a feel-good story that is sure to put a smile on kids' faces. Easy five stars!

[Jessica Speer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upper elementary and middle school students will love this story about friendship and authenticity. Zariah Brown's friendship bracelet business is booming at her middle school, but what she really wants is a BFF to call her own. The story follows this journey, weaving in a magic bracelet, the countdown to the big Pajama Jam weekend, and many revelations about friendship. Whether healing from a lost friendship or feeling like you don't really fit with a friend, this book explores experiences relevant to preteens today. Highly recommend!

[Chrystal D. Giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collier has penned another endearing and relatable character in Zariah, the main character in THE BEST FRIEND BRACELET! Readers will land right in the center of a cast of characters experiencing friendship joys and woes. I loved the real-time portrayal of middle-school life and the uncertainties that come with how to show up just as you are. Don't miss this sweet, heartfelt read!

[Destiny Lerner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super sweet story driven by classic tropes with unique and heartwarming twists. The main character was quirky and anxious in a way that was relatable and human while still being aspirationally ambitious and successful. Overall, a fun read with a good message.

Side note: It was funny to see what pop culture references were considered relevant to today's middle-grade audience lol

[Megan Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this newest treasure from Nicole D. Collier. Such a clever premise with a fresh and unique main character I loved rooting for. Filled with entrepreneurship, artistry, self-reflection, and a dash of magic, The Best Friend Bracelet is going to delight middle grade readers everywhere.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun story! I love the touch of magic and the interplay between making art, being yourself, and finding a bestie. I love that Zariah is a great entrepreneur and not totally friendless, she just doesn't have a level 5 friend. Collier gives this sweet story heart, at the end.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great middle grade read! Perfect for readers who like stories about friendship and who enjoy a dose of magical realism. And it made me want to design a best friend bracelet or two!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always love friendship stories, and this is as Middle Grade as it can get. As another commenter had noted, these kids actually sound like kids. And more stories addressing friend breakups please!

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

after school special vibe