On Saturday, I finished reading Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller. This mystery is about Mallory Moss, a girl who worries about following the rules of middle school and fitting in. When Jennifer Chan moved in over the summer, Mal befriended her, but she was always concerned that her friends, Reagan and Tess, wouldn't accept Jennifer because of her belief in aliens and interest in finding them. After the Incident at school and Jennifer runs away, Mal decides to search for her with the help of Jennifer's journals and the only two members of the Science Club, Kath and Ingrid. As the three girls come across possible signs of aliens and Jennifer's whereabouts, Mal must confront the truth about her role in the Incident and the guilt she feels.
This book was such an unexpectedly compelling read. I especially enjoyed how it alternated between "Now" and "Then" because the story gradually revealed the events that led to Jennifer running away. I also loved how the story used the real science behind the search for extraterrestrial life. Even though the consequences of bullying are at the core of this novel, all of the main characters are three-dimensional and I understood where they were coming from even if I didn't approve of all their actions. Mal, Tess, and Reagan did come across as mean girls at first, but I think it came from deep misunderstanding of Jennifer. Even Kath and Ingrid weren't completely innocent, although I mostly think Ingrid was trying to do the right thing and the least to blame. The story definitely made me feel deeply sad about how girls sometimes treat each other, but I think that shows how important female friendship really is. The climax was excellent and the author did an amazing job of building to it because I was a little nervous that maybe something bad did happen to Jennifer. Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone is a fantastic choice for middle school girls and I also think it would be good for some middle school boys to read it, especially ones with sisters.
