SERENDIPITY

An instructive awakening for the overachieving crowd.

Things have a way of working out for Serendipity, from winning radio call-in contests to getting an extra ice cream cone at a carnival. She’s generous with her best friend, Basil, and suggests a “BE NICE” campaign to her class president election team; she’s not a jerk about her good fortune. But Serendipity’s happy-go-lucky ways are reversed by a robotic fortunetelling machine that seemingly curses her with bad luck. Staring down roles in a basketball game, an election debate, and a stage play, all scheduled to take place on the same day, Serendipity turns to the occult to bail her out. Meanwhile, because she can’t stand disappointing others, her people-pleasing response to anyone’s concerns is to insist that nothing’s wrong—in fact, “everything’s cool!” Serendipity’s somewhat extreme approach to life is headed for a collision with teamwork and responsibility. Benda’s debut brings the world of middle school to life with all its comedic highs and weighty lows. Her use of foreshortening effectively depicts overwhelming moments, while her dramatic employment of light and shadow enhances the fraught scenes between the best friends. The soft colors and rounded shapes make the illustrations visually appealing. Serendipity and Basil present white, and there’s ample racial diversity among their peers.

A humorous story that will help tweens gain self-awareness and set healthy boundaries.