The Friendship Matchmaker

Lara Zany has a system for everything — matching lonely classmates, categorizing social types, intervening strategically — and no close friends of her own. That irony is the warm, funny engine of this middle-grade novel, which draws loosely on Austen's Emma without requiring readers to know the source. Abdel-Fattah has a genuine ear for middle school social dynamics, and Lara's voice is likable and specific rather than generic. Kirkus called it 'keenly observed,' and that's right — the social anxieties feel authentic without being heavy. The caveat is that secondary characters stay somewhat sketched and the resolution wraps up quickly. Entirely family-safe with positive themes of empathy and self-acceptance over social status. A solid, enjoyable pick for girls ages 10-14.