A Stormy Spring

When Brittany's parents reconcile, she expects life to get better — instead she finds herself feeling invisible as they focus on each other and forget to focus on her. It is a real emotional note for tweens, and Bonnie Compton Hanson handles it within the warm community of the Ponytail Girls, a group of Christian pre-teen friends who navigate life's complications alongside each other. The integrated devotional content and Bible activities after each chapter give this book a dual life as both fiction and faith curriculum, which is its clearest strength for Christian households. The honest caveat is equally clear: the explicitly devotional structure means this book is written for and will resonate most with faith-centered families; readers outside that context will find it a narrow fit. Series readers arriving at book four will have the most to gain.