Chris Makes a Friend
Alex Gino
Scholastic/Scholastic Press
Ages 8-12
Available November 4th, 2025

Chris knows exactly what she’s going to do with her summer: the Great Summer 72 Book Challenge. She and her best friend Vicky are going to read 72 books each, one for every day of the summer. But their plans come crashing down Chris finds out that she and her sister Becca will be spending the summer with their grandparents while their mom recovers from surgery. It’s not so bad — at least Chris can still message Vicky about their progress on the GS72BC. Except Vicky is spending all her time with her new friends from theater camp, and barely messaging Chris at all. When Chris meets Mia, a fellow bookish 11-year-old, while reading in the woods, it seems like she’s finally found someone who understands her. But there’s more to Mia than meets the eye.

Chris Makes a Friend, like Gino’s other titles, focuses on the realities of being a kid with a heavy focus on diverse and authentic characters. Chris faces challenges that will be relatable to many young readers: loneliness, friend troubles, parental illness, and difficult younger siblings. As she explores the world around her and the way she (and Mia) exist in it, Chris is met with kindness, understanding, and just enough pushback to allow her to learn and grow. At the crux of the book is a question anyone can relate to — what can we do when we feel lonely?

Chris’ ever-present love for reading (and complete list of 70 book recommendations) will make hungry young readers feel at home in Chris Makes a Friend. Themes of chronic illness and disability will be familiar to some readers, while providing a window of insight for others.