Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge
by Grace Ellis, Brittney L. Williams (Illustrations)

3 out of 5 stars

Lois and her best friend, Kristen, are entering the neighborhood bike race, but the fireworks for the big event have been stolen. Lois only wants to record the event for her online channel where she hopes to create a viral video. She’s so focused on her own project that she doesn’t understand how anxious Kristen is feeling about leaving for camp the day after the race. Can their friendship survive when Lois is so determined to be an internet star?

I loved the artwork and the cute designs! The story is vibrant and the plot is interesting. I really liked how Lois learns about the moral differences between journalism and detective work. “Journalism isn’t about justice. Journalism is about the truth.”

However, I didn’t really understand the characters in this book. Lois is up and down all the time.

One minute, she doesn’t want to be a detective because she says that’s for “babies”, and then she throws herself into the detective work with all the enthusiasm in the world. The story doesn’t explain what happened to change her mind. I guess she realized that she could use her detective work to make a viral video? It’s never really clear. She insists that she doesn’t want to join the bike race, and then it becomes her main goal to win the bike race. I can’t figure out why she suddenly cared about the bike race when she spent half the book telling everyone that she didn’t want to race.

Her whole personality changes in fits and starts through the story without any clear reason. She’s annoying and she’s always bragging about herself. She doesn’t do any actual detective work. She just runs around randomly accusing people and making trouble for innocent bystanders.

Lois has a mean attitude. She doesn’t take anyone else’s feelings into consideration. Through the whole story she is assuming the worst of everyone. She argues with her best friend, accuses innocent people, and bullies a little girl.

I understand that the story was trying to create character development as Lois learns not to be so selfish, but she didn’t really develop that much. It was a very unsatisfactory character arc. I think the author was trying to show Lois’ tenacity and intensity, but it only came across as an obnoxious and harsh personality.

There is one supporting character who is extremely shy and who literally runs away when she sees Lois and Kristen on the street, but later in the story, she is suddenly un-shy and talkative and ready to join in their adventures. It’s a sudden personality shift that felt jarring and strange.

The friendship between Lois and Kristen is way too dramatic. They fight and make up several times through the story, and I got tired of it. How are they still friends if there is that much conflict in their relationship?

Overall, I am disappointed in the characters, but the design of the book is lovely and the basic plot is good.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.