A huge thank-you goes out to all the young people across the country who made this book possible with their invaluable, creative insight and candor. Gratitude is also in profuse order for the teachers and administrators who helped muster input from their troops of preteen tweens: Kathy Namura, Mike Cawthra, Nancy Stephens, Tim Moore, Melissa Sublette, and Julie Williams. And profound appreciation to all my friends and family who put up with my temporary departure from the regular responsibilities of mom-dom to immerse myself in the all-consuming, wonderful yet turbulent world of tweens.
Guen Sublette is a writer and editor in the foothills outside Denver, Colorado, where she balances being mom to two pre-tweens with writing about childrens and family issues for various publications. She is also the author of the popular reference trade paperback The Book of Days (Berkley Group).
Chocolate for a Teens Spirit: Simon & Schuster, 2002. Author Kay Allenbaugh compiles stories for young women about hope, strength, and wisdom. Geared more toward teens than tweens; however, its still a good source of stories on setting goals, rising above difficult times, and nurturing faith in yourself.
http://kidshealth.org : This Web site includes helpful sections on dealing with feelings from peer pressure and gossip to bullies, cheating, and special needs.
Private and Personal: Questions and Answers for Girls Only: HarperCollins, 2000. A compilation of advice about school, friends, family, and more for tweens and teens alike by Carol Weston, the advice columnist from Girls Life Magazine. Check your local library in the junior readers section for a copy of the handbook.
www.americangirl.com : A Web site based on the magazine American Girl (available by mail subscription or in many libraries on the magazine rack in the junior readers section) that explores many of the issues girls face today.
www.disney.go.com : Home of the Disney Channel online. Lizzie news, quizzes, activities, photos, and style tips.
www.disneystore.com : Source for purchasing Disneys Lizzie-related items, including sound tracks and books.
www.girlslife.com : Based on Girls Life Magazine (available by mail subscription or in many libraries on the magazine rack in the junior readers section). A resource for girls ages ten to fifteen, includes advice on friends, family, school, crushes, fashion, and beauty.
www.hilaryduff.com : The official Hilary Duff fan site, includes Hilarys own regularly updated diary, pictures, a biography, news, and dates for Hilarys upcoming events and tours, and ask Hilary E-mail opportunities with an archive of Hilarys past responses.
FriendsWho Needs Em Anyway?
W hat a cutie: In The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Lizzie meets a new friend, Paolo, who proves irresistible, what with his dimpled olive complexion, smooth Italian accent, great hair, and shiny red motor scooter. In fact, hes everything Lizzies longtime, messy-haired pal Gordo isnt. Hes also quite different from classmate Ethan, who worries more about shreddin the wheels of his skateboard on Roman cobblestones than finding adventure and romance under the twinkling nighttime lights of an ancient Citt Eterna. Duh, who wouldnt trade a dreary old pal and juvenile skateboard wheels for a crazy chance on a speedy moped?
As Lizzie learns, however, a crazy chance doesnt always lead to the outcome youd expect. For one, it brings longtime snobbish rival Kate to her side as an unexpectedly supportivechum. Go figure: Add one little r to the word fiend, and youve got a friend!
Whats more, good old boy-pal Gordo turns out to be one of the best friends Lizzie could ever hope for. For some, having a boy whos just a friend (rather than a romantic diversion like Paolo) can be a bit tricky. Like, what should you talk about? Take a tip from Gordo and try telling some old half-forgotten joke about the king of Norway. (OK, so maybe thats not the best advice after all. But at least its a good way to stall for time if you need it!)
We asked girls and boys from across the country what theyve learned from watching Lizzie, what it takes to be a real friend, and how to keep your old friends. Read on for some unexpected insights on friendship!
Katilyn, 13
One thing you might learn from watching Lizzie is that you shouldnt judge someone by what they look like but how nice they are to you and your friends. I hope that I can trust my friends and my family. Its important to always talk to them and never be mean or talk about them behind their backs. How you can tell that someone is a friend is by being nice to them and they are nice back to you. Thats how you know whether someone is a real friend.
I was not surprised that Lizzie became better friends with Kate in the movie because they had always beenfriends, but when they are with their separate friends they hate each other. I think that it made the movie more interesting.
Brigid, 12
Friends are people you can trust. You can keep your old friends by staying loyal. You can tell someone is a good friend when they stay loyal, like Gordo is to Lizzie in the movie as well as on the TV show.
I was, but I sort of wasnt, surprised that Lizzie and Kate became better friends at the end of the movie because Kate was mean most of the time, but she and Lizzie used to be BFs (see Speaking of Which section at end of book for a glossary of tween terms such as this one).
Nicole P., 10
I can trust my friends especially if they are faithful. I can keep my old friends by not fighting or being mean to them. You can tell by their attitude whos a friend.
I think it was good that Lizzie and Kate became better friends in the movie because Lizzie and Kate always argue. You should never fight with friends.
Bailey, 11
I pick a lot of the same types of friends as Lizzielike Miranda and Gordo. At my age its not a problem having a friend whos a boy. Maybe when I get older it will be different.
Being just friends with someone of the opposite sex can sometimes get a bit complicatedespecially as you get older. I dont understand girls, says Lizzies little brother, Matt. Even Lizzie sometimes wonders about the just friends relationship she has with pal Gordo. Why do I feel all flushed and light-headed? she wonders, in one TV episode when Kate tells her that Gordo has a crush on her. In another episode, Lizzie tries to change herself to become someone Ethan likes as more than just a friend. In the end, Lizzie learns that her true palsno matter what their sexare the people who trust and care for her.
Michael, 9
Sometimes all the characters in the TV show are enemies. Once they had a race and at the end, near the finish line, Lizzie said sorry first to everyone, then they all said sorry back and they all crossed the finish line together. I liked it because they didnt have their usual friends as partnersGordo was with Kate, Miranda was with Larry, and Lizzie was with Ethan. It taught me to say sorry first when you get in a fight. If it doesnt work, just walk away.
Kameron, 11
I think Kate (deep, deep down) is a nice person, but shes afraid to show it.
I learned from the movie that a real friend will sacrifice just about anything.
As a boy, I know what its like to have friends who are girls because most of my friends are girls. Its the same as having a friend whos a boy.
