Read An Excerpt From ‘The Popularity Pact: School Squad’ by Eileen Moskowitz-Palma

In former elementary school teacher Eileen Moskowitz-Palma’s debut middle grade series, The Popularity Pact, she perfectly captures the challenges faced by two middle grade girls who must navigate friendships, betrayal, and complicated family dynamics, illuminating the “difficulty of both forgiveness and trust, as well as the nature of true friendship” (School Library Journal).

In book one, Camp Clique (released April 2020), two former best friends, Bea and Maisy, end up at the same summer camp—and in the same bunk—and neither is happy about it. In order to survive summer, they come up with a pact: Bea will help Maisy fit in at camp if Maisy will make Bea popular when they go back to middle school in the fall.

This October, the second book in the series, SCHOOL SQUAD (Running Press Kids; October 6, 2020), picks up where Camp Clique left off as the girls head back-to-school poised to execute part two of their pact: helping Bea fit in with the M&M’s, the popular girl clique in school. As Maisy helps Bea change everything about herself in order to win the approval of the M&M’s, she realizes just how fake they all are and begins to lose interest in being a part of their group. Meanwhile Bea, popular for the first time in her life and thrilled not to be eating alone and invisible anymore, completely loses sight of herself and what true friendship is all about.

Outside of school, Maisy and Bea are each coping with changing family dynamics. Bea’s mom has a new boyfriend, who happens to be a teacher at the middle school, and her dad is getting re-married to a woman with two daughters that he plans to adopt. Maisy’s mom returns home early from rehab and Maisy is the only one not thrilled to have her back. Fear of her relapsing—and of losing her for good—keeps Maisy from letting her guard down and giving her mom a second chance.

At a time when they each need a true friend more than ever, the girls find themselves drifting apart—again. Can Maisy convince Bea that their pact was a mistake? Will Bea see the light and realize that she shouldn’t have to change to be accepted? Can the girls find their way back to each other?

As kids start school this fall (virtually or otherwise), SCHOOL SQUAD shares important messages about being authentic, resilient, and kind while reinforcing the power of true friendship, family and forgiveness.