Chris Makes a Friend — Alex Gino

From the award-winning author of MELISSA, a sweet and tart story about unexpected friendship and family reconciliation.

Chris does not want to be spending the summer with their grouchy grandmother and social butterfly sister. But they don't really have a choice, once their mom leaves them at Grandmother's house. They can, however, try to escape whenever they want to -- into the woods, where they encounter another kid who is the friend they need to survive the summer.

Only... there's more to this friend than meets the eye...