YOU'RE INVITED TOO

After successfully establishing their party-planning venture, (You’re Invited, 2015) the four friends behind RSVP feel ready to handle their first wedding.

However, seventh-graders Sadie, Lauren, Becca, and Vi soon encounter a raft of obstacles, both collectively and individually, as they work to arrange the wedding of an outrageously demanding bride-to-be. Each girl narrates the tale from her individual perspective in alternating chapters that begin with snippets reflecting the girls’ personalities: Sadie’s to-do lists, Lauren’s vocabulary words, Vi’s recipes, and Becca’s horoscopes. Malone and Nall explore topics such as complicated parent-child dynamics, mean girls, new crushes, first kisses, and the pressures to be a perfect student. Amid the flurry, Sadie frets about her mother, Lauren’s plans to schedule mandatory fun time go awry, the new boy in town captures the effervescent Becca's interest, and Vi contents with the continual taunts of Linney. An impending hurricane and the resulting evacuation to their middle school provide the catalyst for the girls to resolve their concerns. Throughout the tale, the authors highlight the loyal, genuine friendship the girls share. As the quartet endure the bride-to-be’s antics, wild weather, and life dilemmas, they gain a renewed appreciation of their friendship, recognizing that they can rely upon each other to weather life’s upheavals.

In this lively sequel, both fans and readers new to the story can enjoy the enterprising endeavors of these steadfast friends.