Shug

Shug by Jenny Han (NY: Aladdin Mix, 2006).

Sweet read about a 12-year-old girl named Annemarie, aka Shug, who is starting junior high and trying to figure out why, all of a sudden, she wants to kiss her best friend Mark, who she's known all her life! Things aren't all that great at home with Mama drinking too much, and Daddy gone all the time on business. All of her friendships seems to be shifting and changing, too. What's a girl to do? Shug tackles her problems with spice and spunk. Great novel for grades 4 & up.