A gripping, emotional debut novel set in the summer of 1927. When two mistreated young girls cross paths on a dusty baseball field, their instant connection becomes their only lifeline against a world of treacherous adults.
Summer 1927. Jo's mother is in prison, her stepfather's temper has left more than one bruise, and every grown-up in her Midwestern city seems to be looking the other way. Sam is an orphan riding the rails, safer dressed as a boy than as the girl she is.
When these two outsiders approach a group of young boys playing baseball and blow them away with their skills, they form an instant bond. They quickly learn each other's stories, bonding over how they've been betrayed by every adult figure in their short, wretched lives.
But the precariousness of their situation looms in the background, and more nefarious adults will arise to test their resolve. Must Be Friends is a powerful coming-of-age historical novel where vulnerability is protected by solidarity, and mistreated girls must rewrite their own destinies to survive.
"Vivid characters and fresh takes on childhood friendship elevate this novel... Johnson's core idea—mistreated girls transform a murder into the most positive event of their lives—is undeniably clever. The solidarity between the girls is especially moving."
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