The Tangled Web — Kathryn Reiss

Julie really likes the new girl in her class, Carla Warner. Still, there's something odd about her. The things Carla says don't quite add up, and she seems to avoid answering certain questions. At first Julie is sure there's a sensible explanation, but as Carla's stories become more outlandish, Julie can't escape a disturbing fact: either her new friend is lying or she's in real danger. An illustrated Looking Back essay provides facts about America in the 1970s.