Seventh grade besties navigate crushes and friend drama in the second book in bestselling author Lisi Harrison's new middle grade series, Girl Stuff, perfect for fans of The Baby-Sitters Club, Real Friends, and Invisible Emmie. Halloween is just around the corner and with it comes the dreaded overnight class trip at a smelly farm. Fonda has ideas for a way cooler trip but before she can say Catalina Island, other kids (including her best friend's crush's best friend!) come forward with class trip proposals of their own. There's only one solution: a petition competition, and whoever gets the most signatures wins. Fonda enlists her besties Drew and Ruthie to help, but are they ready to do whatever it takes to win? Between school stuff, girl stuff, and crush stuff, this trio's trip--and hearts--are on the line. Editorial Reviews "Sibling rivalry, drama between cliques, and early explorations of romance all ring true . . . Sweet." --Kirkus Reviews "The plot will keep readers on their toes to see what adventures or mishaps will occur next . . . An easy read following enjoyable yet mischievous middle school girls and their friends." --School Library Journal - From the Publisher 09/01/2021 Gr 3-7--Crushes, overnight field trips, makeovers, sea monsters, and paintball! Best friends Ruthie, Drew, and Fonda, better known as the "nesties," or next-door besties, attempt to navigate seventh grade. After asking Principal Bell to change the class field trip location, Fonda finds herself making promises she can't necessarily keep in order to get the student body to vote on her idea: going to Catalina Island. Drew is crushing on Will, who has Keelie as a "bender": a boy friend who is blocking all of Drew's attempts to get him to notice her. Ruthie is living in the figurative dark ages without a cell phone, a job, or money to buy one, until she starts tutoring her neighbor Owen, who is wealthy and actually doesn't even need academic help. The plot will keep readers on their toes to see what adventures or mishaps will occur next. The nesties also have different personality types, so readers will find themselves relating to at least one of the characters. VERDICT An easy read following enjoyable yet mischievous middle school girls and their friends. A solid addition to any collection.--Amanda Austin, Iberville STEM Academy, Rosedale, LA - School Library Journal 2021-07-28 The nesties (next-door besties) are back and focused, minus some boy distractions, on changing the location of the seventh grade field trip. Fonda, Drew, and Ruthie from Girl Stuff. (2021) are still finding their place at Poplar Middle School. This year, Fonda is committed to changing the site of the Seventh Grade Slopover--an overnight field trip to a farm where the students clean out barns. She convinces the principal of the need for a new venue and pitches Catalina Island. Unfortunately, Fonda presents her argument in front of two students who suggest other sites: Henry wants Camp Pendleton, and Ava prefers the set of the TV show Makeover Magic. Now the three are in competition, each trying to get a majority of students behind their choice. For Fonda, winning means not only a less-stinky trip, but a spot out of the shadows cast by her popular older sisters. Ruthie and Drew are slightly less driven, distracted by crushes and their desires to bring their circles of friends together. Thanks to the advice of Fonda's mother, readers will learn volumes about campaigning. The shenanigans that erupt during the competition add color, as does Fonda's wordplay. The sibling rivalry, drama between cliques, and early explorations of romance all ring true. Best of all, each of the nesties' storylines ends on a sweet note. The main cast defaults to White. Lighthearted fare for tweens. (Fiction. 9-13) - Kirkus Reviews