Book picks similar to
You're Invited by Jen Malone


middle-grade
friendship
contemporary
parties

Ruby Reinvented


Ronni Arno - 2015
    As the only child of model-turned-TV-host Celestine Cruz and pro-baseball star Zack Miller, she has everything a twelve-year-old girl could want. Well, except for real friends. After a disastrous birthday party where she discovers her supposed BFFs are only friends with her because her parents are uber-famous, she finds a place as far from fake and phony Hollywood as she can get: a boarding school in Camden, Maine. In her desperation to distance herself from her star-studded parents and the paparazzi who trail them, Ruby tells her new friends that she’s an orphan. She feels awful about lying, but once she starts, it’s hard to come clean. Plus, now that nobody’s comparing her to her perfect parents, Ruby can finally let her own talents as a dress designer take center stage. When Ruby finds herself connecting with a cute boy who really did lose his parents, she’s torn between who she is and who she’s pretending to be. And with Parents’ Weekend approaching, she must find a way to keep her secret—without losing her new best friend, the trust of her first crush, and the chance to shine as the designer of her very own fashion show.

The BFF Bucket List


Dee Romito - 2016
    SkylerandElla.But Ella notices the little ways she and Skyler have been slowly drifting apart. And she’s determined to fix things with a fun project she’s sure will bring them closer together—The BFF Bucket List. Skyler is totally on board.The girls must complete each task on the list together: things like facing their fears, hosting a fancy dinner party, and the biggest of them all—speaking actual words to their respective crushes before the end of summer. But as new friends, epic opportunities, and super-cute boys enter the picture, the challenges on the list aren’t the only ones they face.And with each girl hiding a big secret that could threaten their entire friendship, will the list--and their BFF status--go bust?

Willows vs. Wolverines


Alison Cherry - 2017
    girls prank war in this hilarious summer camp novel from the author of The Classy Crooks Club!Izzy Cervantes and her best friend, Mackenzie, have spent summers together at Camp Sweetwater since they were eight. So when their parents decide to ship them off to Camp Foxtail instead, the girls find themselves completely out of their element—and worse yet, in different cabins! Izzy feels like an outsider in Willow Lodge. But when she hears about the time-honored prank war between the Willows and the Wolverines, the rival boy cabin, she sees a chance to make her mark. Convinced the girls will never accept her as one of them unless she has roots at Camp Foxtail, she boasts that her older brother is the most respected prankster in the camp’s history and would be happy to help them win the war. In reality, Izzy doesn’t even have an older brother, but the Willows embrace her as their new secret weapon, and Mackenzie agrees to help her hatch a series of epic stunts. As the hijinks escalate, so does Izzy’s popularity. But she becomes so focused on impressing her new friends that she starts neglecting Mackenzie, putting her friendship and her secret prank-master identity in serious jeopardy. Can Izzy keep the truth under wraps and win her best friend back, or will she end up on the wrong side of her allies as well as her enemies?

Queen of Likes


Hillary Homzie - 2016
    Before Karma became a social media celebrity, she wasn’t part of the in-crowd at Merton Middle School. But thanks to one serendipitous photo, Karma has become a very popular poster on SnappyPic. Besides keeping up with all of her followers, like most kids at MMS, her smartphone—a bejeweled pink number Karma nicknamed Floyd—is like a body part she could never live without. But after breaking some basic phone rules, Karma’s cruel, cruel parents take Floyd away, and for Karma, her world comes to a screeching halt. Can Karma—who can text, post photos, play soccer, and chew gum all at the same time—learn to go cold turkey and live her life fully unplugged?

The Day the Mustache Took Over


Alan Katz - 2015
    Or is it 734? Either way . . . there's got to be someone who can handle these two. Enter: Martin Healey Discount, or “Murray Poopins” as the boys dub him. When they first meet, Martin is all business-well, business and a very bushy mustache. The boys must brush their teeth and clean their rooms and there is absolutely no television allowed. But is there more to Martin than meets the eye? When David and Nathan's parents leave, the twins aren't the only ones acting like children . . .From the hilarious mind of Alan Katz comes a brand-new series with a cast of characters that will tickle more than your upper lip.

Gabby Duran and the Unsittables


Elise Allen - 2015
    After months of investigation, Gabby Duran, Associate 4118-25125A, has proven herself to be a babysitter extraordinaire. Her celebrity clients fly her around the country to care for their rambunctious little humans. Our spy, Associate 4118-23432B, otherwise known as Edwina, believes Gabby can be trusted with the truth: aliens are living among humans on Earth. And here at A.L.I.E.N we believe that even extraterrestrials need a babysitter now and then. No one was up to the task until now.After accepting the top-secret position, Edwina has paired our new associate up with her first charge, a little girl from the planet Flarknartia. The timing for associate 4118-25125A is less than ideal. It's a school day on Planet Earth, Gabby's audition for the solo part in the band is tonight, and this tiny alien is a bit more than meets the eye. Can Gabby Duran, Associate 4118-25125A, First Sitter to the Unsittables, keep her otherworldly charge safe in the unpredictable halls of middle-school and keep A.L.I.E.N hidden?

Katie Friedman Gives Up Texting! And Lives to Tell About It.


Tommy Greenwald - 2015
    Katie is swearing off phones for life! (No, seriously. She just sent the wrong text to the wrong person!)2. She wants to break up with her boyfriend. (Until, that is, he surprises her with front row tickets to her favorite band, Plain Jane. Now what!?)3. She wants to be a rock star (It's true. She has a band and everything.)4. Her best friend is Charlie Joe Jackson. (Yeah, you know the guy.)5. And most importantly, Katie's been offered the deal of a lifetime—get ten of her friends to give up their phones for one week and everyone can have backstage passes to Plain Jane. (A whole week!? Is that even possible?)

The Summer of Bad Ideas


Kiera Stewart - 2017
    Reckless. Foolish. Ridiculous. Still, by accomplishing everything on the list, rule-abiding Edie feels certain that she can become the effortlessly brave adventurer she dreams of being, just like her daring cousin and bold grandmother. For this one summer at least, bad ideas are the best shot she has at becoming who she wants to be.Bad Idea Number One: It’s time for a new set of rules.

Out of My Shell


Jenny Goebel - 2019
    But not this year. Not when her parents have recently separated, and her father has to stay behind in Colorado. Olivia doesn't know what she'll do all summer without him. They've always been a pair, and she's never felt the same bond with her mother or younger sister. So Olivia plans to spend the summer laying low, and trying to ignore the hurt gnawing at her heart. But when she learns that the local sea turtle population is in serious risk of dying off because of her neighbor's poorly designed house, she knows she has to do something. She can't just watch the beautiful creatures suffer. Yet her chances of helping the turtles are slim, and she can't handle any more heartbreak. Will Olivia turn her back on her favorite animal to avoid the pain? Or will she find the courage to stand up for the turtles, and maybe heal herself in the process?

Pugs and Kisses


J.J. Howard - 2018
    One day, at the park, Osito befriends another pug, Pancake, whose owner just happens to be a cute new boy named Calvin. When Calvin assumes that Osito belongs to Ana, she doesn't correct him. No big deal, right? Ana doesn't realize the trouble she has unleashed until Calvin shows up at her school. Calvin suggests setting up play dates for the two pugs, and Ana can't bring herself to admit that Osito isn't hers. In fact, her fibs keep multiplying! Will Ana fess up and figure out how she feels about Calvin before her white lies catch up to her?

Dreamer, Wisher, Liar


Charise Mericle Harper - 2014
    Then seven-year-old Claire shows up. Armed with a love of thrift-store clothes and an altogether too-sunny disposition, Claire proceeds to turn Ash’s carefully constructed life upside down.While every part of Ash’s life seems to be disrupted, she must protect a carefully hidden secret: She has discovered a magical jar in her basement. It’s a wish jar, full of someone’s old wishes—and it has the power to send her back in time and provide a window into another friendship between two girls. Discovering her own connection to the girls’ story shows Ash that her life is full of surprises and friends she never saw coming.

Colonial Madness


Jo Whittemore - 2015
    Not many girls have a mom who'd take them to a graveyard for hide-and-seek or fill the bathtub with ice cream for the world's biggest sundae. But as much as Tori loves having fun, she sometimes wishes her mom would act a little more her age. Like now.Thanks to her mom's poor financial planning, they are in danger of losing their business and their home. But an unusual opportunity arises in the form of a bizarre contest run by an eccentric relative: Whoever can survive two weeks in the Archibald Family's colonial manor will inherit the property. The catch? Contestants have to live as in colonial times: no modern conveniences, no outside help, and daily tests of their abilities to survive challenges of the time period.Tori thinks it's the perfect answer to their debt problems, but she and her mom aren't the only ones interested. The other family members seem to be much more prepared for the two weeks on the manor - and it doesn't help that Mom doesn't seem to be taking the contest seriously. Do they stand a chance?

Stella Batts Needs a New Name


Courtney Sheinmel - 2012
    She is eight-years old and she loves to write. She loves to write lists; like her favorite things and kids in her class. And she's writing her autobiography ("That means it's all about me"). Stella's favorite color is yellow and she LOVES fudge. As a matter of fact, there is a special fudge counter at her family's candy store because fudge is one of her favorite things to eat!But Stella has just one problem----her name. A boy from her class keeps calling her "SMELLA" after she trips on their class nature walk ("I don't even want to say what I landed in, it was too gross, so I'm going to leave out that partIn this early chapter book series, the ups and downs of Stella's life are charmingly chronicled.

Lost in London


Cindy Callaghan - 2013
    So when she gets the chance to take part in a London exchange program, she's thrilled to ditch her small town in Delaware and see the world across the pond.Unfortunately, Jordan's host sister in London, Caroline, isn't exactly enthusiastic about entertaining an American girl. Despite the chilly welcome, Jordan finds herself loving the city and Caroline's group of friends, who are much nicer than Caroline herself.And then a major misstep leaves Jordan and Caroline trapped together overnight—inside Daphne's, the world's largest department store. Given they have complete access to all the fancy shoes, designer dresses, and coolest makeup around, there are worse places to be stuck. But when the girls' fun has not-so-fun consequences, Jordan's wish for excitement abroad turns into a lot more than she ever bargained for...

Pippa Morgan's Diary


Annie Kelsey - 2014
    So perfect, that Pippa tells her a teeny tiny lie-that she once auditioned for Voice Factor-to impress her. And it works. It works so well, in fact, that Catie enters Pippa into the school talent show.The only problem? Pippa can't sing. Not at all. In fact, her singing is so bad it scares the neighbors. But if she doesn't participate in the talent show, Catie will know she lied. But if she does participate, the whole school will find out what a horrible singer she is...including Catie!It's up to Pippa to put an end to this pesky problem!