Green, Debra. Rules for Liars. Lerner/Kar-Ben, 02/2026. 276pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 979-8-7656-3979-5. GRADES 3–6. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Nikki and Rebecca’s very different worlds collide and slowly begin to change after they meet and eventually become friends. Nikki has recently reluctantly moved from a wealthy neighborhood in Portland to a less well-off area, ending up in a small apartment next to Rebecca. Both preteen girls are struggling with believing in themselves, which readers will quickly realize is more important than the expensive clothes Nikki is used to wearing or the bat mitzvah that Rebecca is preparing for. Only after they both stop telling lies (or partial truths) to the other can their friendship, and their lives in general, become better. Nikki reads as white, Rebecca is Jewish, and the neighbor boy that Nikki likes and who helps both girls is Black. An intriguing look at developing friendships and being truthful to yourself and others.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library