When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk
Published by Delacorte Press on March 10, 2020
ISBN: 1524715913
Pages: 400
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Woodfolk has crafted an emotionally wrought but ultimately beautiful tale of friendship, love, and relationships.  Cleo is a wonderfully quirky teen who loves jazz music, her best friend, and Shakespeare.  Layla is that best friend, or used to be, and has a stutter and a love for musical theater.  The full story of Cleo and Layla is told in alternating timelines, so we don’t find out exactly what happened to ruin their friendship until near the end.  Cleo  takes an amazing journey through grief, anger, forgiveness, and acceptance.  While her friendship is falling apart, she’s also dealing with the divorce of her parents, lingering difficulty with the death of her beloved grandmother, and meeting a new love interest.  Cleo struggles but ultimately comes out on top with a new lease on life and new relationships.  Anyone who has lost a friend will feel a deep connection with Cleo and this book.  This is a lovely emotional journey that ultimately ends up hopeful.  Recommended for grades 7+.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library