Books like 'The Secret Message'
Readers who enjoyed The Secret Message by Sally Rippin also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary children friendship literary-fiction
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Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNobody ever talks to strangers on the train. It's a rule. But what would happen if they did? From the New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling author of The Authenticity Project, a heartwarming novel about unexpected friendships and the joy of connecting... -
![Nantucket Jubilee by Katie Winters]()
Nantucket Jubilee by Katie Winters
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's time for the Nantucket Jubilee— an iconic celebration that calls back the most secretive of the Copperfield children, Ella.Twenty-five years ago, Quentin, Julia, and Alana fled The Copperfield House, leaving Greta and Ella alone— feeling completely abandoned.But it wasn’t the first time.Abandonment, as it turns out, has been the theme of Ella’s life. And she doesn’t even know it, yet... -
![Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt]()
Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAnna’s hands tense on Alice and she hesitates. In that endless pause, I see all I need to know. She doesn’t want to give Alice to me – not now, and not ever. And part of me doesn’t even blame her… Milly always dreamed of being a mother. Adopted herself, she has always imagined a powerful intimate connection with a child of her own... -
![Fragile Hearts by the Loch by Hannah Ellis]()
Fragile Hearts by the Loch by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow long does it take to mend a broken heart?Jess expects life on the Isle of Skye to be calm and peaceful. But when she falls for her colleague things quickly become complicated. Rory comes with a whole load of baggage, but she just can’t seem to stay away from him. When Elspeth is forced to take a break from work, she evaluates what her future holds... -
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![Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan, D.M. Blackwell]()
Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan, D.M. Blackwell
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHakeem Randall can't take it anymore. First he learns that his father is sick and that his parents can no longer afford their home. Then he finds out he has to leave his friends at Bluford High and move in with his uncle in faraway Detroit--where he has to share a bedroom with his moody, secretive cousin Savon... -
![We Are All Connected: Caring for Each Other & the Eearth by Gabi Garcia]()
We Are All Connected: Caring for Each Other & the Eearth by Gabi Garcia
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTeach your child the power of empathy, kindness, and respect. We Are All Connected is a lyrical picture book that reminds kids to celebrate differences, stand up for each other, and work together to make the world a better place.Let’s speak up for others—include and embrace.We all make mistakes. We can give others grace.We have more in common than we may believe.We are all connected... -
![I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley]()
I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA modern classic, this whimsical story has been celebrating the beauty of African-American hair for 20 years!In this imaginative, evocative story, a girl named Keyana discovers the beauty and magic of her special hair, encouraging black children to be proud of their heritage and enhancing self-confidence...Categorized as:
children friendship black-mc children-books contemporary family female-author fiction -
![The Nanny and the Heartthrob by Krista Sandor]()
The Nanny and the Heartthrob by Krista Sandor
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThings couldn’t get worse for Harper Presley. Her music career is nonexistent, she’s got pennies in the bank, and her grandmother is on the cusp of losing her house. What’s a gal to do? Go to Vegas and seek a last chance opportunity. What she didn’t expect was to wake up in her birthday suit next to pop star Landon Paige with a massive diamond on her ring finger... -
![The Lost House of Ireland by Susanne O'Leary]()
The Lost House of Ireland by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn enchanting story about forgotten family secrets that will transport you to the charming village of Sandy Cove on the beautiful Irish coast.Allegra Casey is searching for a new beginning. So when she discovers an engagement ring buried in the sand near her home in Cape Cod, the last place she expects it to lead her is to the west coast of Ireland... -
![A Friend in Need by Hannah Ellis]()
A Friend in Need by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere’s nothing quite like a baby to turn your world upside down … Just when it seems things can’t get any crazier, Marie and Brian are now navigating the ups and downs of parenthood!As Marie is thrown into the world of playgroups and sleep deprivation, she finds maternity leave isn’t quite the year-long break she anticipated...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship contemporary fiction womens-fiction female-mc humor book -
![No time to say good bye by Kate Hewitt]()
No time to say good bye by Kate Hewitt
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis ISBN 10 and 13 is for the paper back because although I read the audible (audiobook) format there was no ISBN listed for it. It hit me, the reality of it, in a way it hadn’t before like a sledgehammer straight to the chest. Laura was gone. She was never coming back...Categorized as:
children friendship literary-fiction fiction contemporary womens-fiction historical-fiction drama -
![The Butterfly Garden by Sophie Anderson]()
The Butterfly Garden by Sophie Anderson
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI blamed my son for the death of my daughter…When twenty-five-year-old Erin flees London for Cornwall and takes a job at Hookes End, a huge house clinging precariously to the Cornish cliffs, all she knows about it are the stories people tell. The owner, reclusive novelist and butterfly enthusiast Maggie, has kept the curtains of her dusty house drawn for many years... -
![Can You Get An F In Lunch? by Nancy E. Krulik]()
Can You Get An F In Lunch? by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBest-selling author Nancy Krulik delves into the mind of a twelve-year-old girl just trying to survive middle school.After spending the night studying the Joyce Kilmer Middle School Handbook, Jenny McAfee feels totally prepared to start sixth grade. But Jenny has another reason to feel confident. She'll have her best friend, Addie Wilson, right there by her side...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books contemporary fiction middle-grade realistic womens-fiction -
![The Mistake by Joanne DeMaio]()
The Mistake by Joanne DeMaio
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes The Mistake, Book 21 of The Seaside Saga.Mistakes. Everyone in the New England beach town of Stony Point has made one. Some mistakes are as big as the blue depths of Long Island Sound. Others, as small as a speck of sand. Some mistakes make their presence known, like the call of the gulls feeding on the bluff... -
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![The Paris Roommates: Dean by Ava Miles]()
The Paris Roommates: Dean by Ava Miles
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEmily in Paris meets Friends in International Bestseller Ava Miles’ hilarious new heartwarming story about the world's most likeable hero following his dreams and looking for love with the help of an unlikely group of friends.If only love was all bonbons and champagne... -
![Daughters of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O'Leary]()
Daughters of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA heart-warming page-turner set on the Irish coast, where secrets hide, romance is waiting and there is every chance to make a new beginning… Jasmine Delon feels completely lost: having just broken up with the man she thought was the love of her life, all she knows is that she can’t face living alone in her empty apartment in Paris... -
![Our Song: The Wilder Books #1 by Savannah Kade]()
Our Song: The Wilder Books #1 by Savannah Kade
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJD Hewlitt gave up the good life. He quit his high-stress job, sold his high-rise condo, and left his high-maintenance girlfriend behind to start over in Nashville. Three years later, his band Wilder is still struggling for the recognition they deserve and his hopes aren’t what they used to be... -
![Vinyl Cafe Unplugged by Stuart McLean]()
Vinyl Cafe Unplugged by Stuart McLean
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBestselling author and radio storytelling sensation Stuart McLean revisits the heartwarming and hilarious friends from his iconic Vinyl Cafe.Dave and his wife Morley would no doubt tell you that life is what you make it. Unfortunately for them, that means a compilation tape of mistakes, miscues, misunderstandings, and muddle... -
![Madame President by Nancy E. Krulik]()
Madame President by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBest-selling author Nancy Krulik delves into the mind of a twelve-year-old girl trying to survive middle school.Jenny McAfee never thought of herself as a leader, but then again, Jenny had also never thought that her best friend, Addie Wilson, would ditch her for the Pops-- the most popular kids in school...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books contemporary fiction middle-grade realistic womens-fiction -
![হাত কাটা রবিন by Muhammed Zafar Iqbal]()
হাত কাটা রবিন by Muhammed Zafar Iqbal
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratings...Categorized as:
children literary-fiction action-adventure audiobook book children-books contemporary fiction -
![Robert's Rules by J.F. Riordan]()
Robert's Rules by J.F. Riordan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the new Chairman of the Town Board, Fiona Campbell finds that life has become a series of petty squabbles, dull meetings, and papers everywhere, all complicated by her guardianship of the as yet unidentified screaming goat. In desperation, she hires an unknown newcomer, the compulsively orderly Oliver Robert, to run her office and keep her organized... -
![Who Is Bugs Potter? by Gordon Korman]()
Who Is Bugs Potter? by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWho is Bugs Potter? When he was last seen, he was wearing a moustache and running out of a crowded rock club. Then, he was spotted dressed as a telephone repairman, trying to break into a glamorous movie star's hotel suite. Next, he was observed playing the drums at the high school band festival rehearsal... -
![The Farmhouse: A Hickory Grove Novel by Elizabeth Bromke]()
The Farmhouse: A Hickory Grove Novel by Elizabeth Bromke
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA desperate hairdresser. Her handsome friend. And a farmhouse full of secrets. When Maggie Devereux is served an unexpected eviction notice, everything falls apart. Out of options, the nearly divorced forty-something stumbles across an unopened letter regarding her late aunt's estate: a ramshackle farmhouse on the outskirts of town... -
![Sprinkles and Secrets by Lisa Schroeder, Nathalie Dion]()
Sprinkles and Secrets by Lisa Schroeder, Nathalie Dion
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn this companion novel to It's Raining Cupcakes, twelve-year-old Sophie has a dream come true when she's offered a TV commercial spot...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books contemporary fiction middle-grade realistic young-adult -
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![World Cup Wishes by Eshkol Nevo]()
World Cup Wishes by Eshkol Nevo
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFour friends get together to watch the 1998 World Cup final. One of them has an idea: let's write down our wishes for the next few years, put them away, and during the next final - four years from now - we'll get them out and see how many we've achieved. This is how World Cup Wishes opens, and from here we watch what happens to their wishes and their friendships as life marches on... -
![Katie and the Cupcake War by Coco Simon]()
Katie and the Cupcake War by Coco Simon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSydney Whitman, leader of Popular Girls Club has moved away! Does that mean Callie will try to be friends with Katie again? Just when Katie thinks things might get back to normal, Callir announces that the Popular Girls Club is baking cupcakes for this year's school fund-raiser...Categorized as:
children friendship middle-grade realistic children-books fiction contemporary family -
![The Celebrants by Steven Rowley]()
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises--especially to ourselves--by the bestselling and beloved author of The Guncle. It's been a minute--or five years--since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began... -
![Home of the Floating Lily by Silmy Abdullah]()
Home of the Floating Lily by Silmy Abdullah
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaught between cultures, immigrant women from a Bangladeshi neighbourhood in Scarborough struggle to navigate their home, relationships, and happiness.Set in both Canada and Bangladesh, the eight stories in Home of the Floating Lily follow the lives of everyday people as they navigate the complexities of migration, displacement, love, friendship, and familial conflict...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship fiction contemporary journey poc-author anthologies female-mc -
![Ploof by Ben Clanton, Andy Chou Musser]()
Ploof by Ben Clanton, Andy Chou Musser
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCome play with Ploof! Meet a friendly cloud full of feelings in this interactive picture book for fans of Hervé Tullet's Press Here, from the creator of Narwhal and Jelly and the co-creator of Science Explorers...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books fiction outdoors humor anthropomorphism contemporary -
![The Lamb Who Came for Dinner by Steve Smallman]()
The Lamb Who Came for Dinner by Steve Smallman
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWolf is really hungry for his favorite meal--lamb stew! To his great luck, a cold, shivering lamb knocks on his door looking for shelter from the winter storm outside. So begins a funny tale of friendship with a wonderful twist at the end... -
![The Audacity of Goats: A Novel by J.F. Riordan]()
The Audacity of Goats: A Novel by J.F. Riordan
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAll is not well north of the tension line. A series of unsettling nighttime incidents have left the islanders uncertain whether to be nervous or annoyed... -
![The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson, Maria Dismondy]()
The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson, Maria Dismondy
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHave you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? The kids at Pete's new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise"...Categorized as:
children friendship realistic children-books fiction bullying psychological contemporary -
![Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Paulette Bourgeois]()
Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Paulette Bourgeois
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn this Franklin Classic Storybook, our hero discovers that, unlike most of his friends, he doesn't have teeth, and worries that he's missing out on the Tooth Fairy's magical visits... -
![Accidentally Fooled by Lisa Papademetriou]()
Accidentally Fooled by Lisa Papademetriou
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSeventh grader Amy Flowers is finally making her mark at ultra-exclusive Allington Academy, but there's always one thing standing in her way: the League. They rule the school, and their queen is oh-so-mean Fiona, who doesn't exactly appreciate a new girl invading her turf. This time, Amy's stuck working on a service project with Fiona and preppie know-it-all Preston... -
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![The Daisy Picker by Roisin Meaney]()
The Daisy Picker by Roisin Meaney
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Daisy Picker is a warm and engaging read — everyone can relate to the idea of wanting to change your life! Lizzie seems to have it all: loving parents, a nice creative sideline in mouth-watering cakes, and the most eligble man in Kilmorris waiting to marry her. But one day she stumbles across something that will change her life...Categorized as:
friendship literary-fiction action-adventure adult book contemporary female-mc fiction -
![The New Girl by Nancy E. Krulik]()
The New Girl by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBestselling author Nancy Krulik delves into the mind of a twelve-year-old who is trying to survive middle school.Joyce Kilmer Middle School is holding a fundraising carnival, and Jenny and her rival Addie make a bet that each girl will raise more money than the other. The loser will have to wear her pajamas to school! The competition gets even hotter with the arrival of a stylish new girl...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books middle-grade fiction realistic contemporary young-adult -
![Thank You Bear by Greg Foley]()
Thank You Bear by Greg Foley
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEarly one morning, a little bear found a little box. He looked inside. Then he exclaimed,"Why, it's the greatest thing ever! Mouse will love this."Bear's friends aren't so sure of his newfound treasure, however. "That's not so great," says Monkey. "I've seen those before," says Owl. And by the time Bear finds Mouse, his own doubts have grown... -
![My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe]()
My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAs Ida May begins fourth grade, she is determined never to make another best friend--because her last best friend moved away. This is a doable plan at first. Thanks to bratty, bossy Jenna Drews who hates Ida, no one in class has ever really noticed her before. It's when the sparkly Stacey Merriweather comes to her school that her plan goes awry...Categorized as:
friendship children realistic middle-grade children-books fiction contemporary female-mc -
![Katie, Batter Up! by Coco Simon]()
Katie, Batter Up! by Coco Simon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA sporty addition to a sweet tween series that’s all about friendship—and cupcakes, of course!Katie’s Cupcake Club friends all have other activities besides making Mia and Alexis are on the soccer team and Emma plays the flute. Katie sets out to find her extracurricular niche and soon she’s dribbling, passing, and catching...Categorized as:
children friendship middle-grade children-books fiction realistic contemporary religion -
![Mia's Baker's Dozen by Coco Simon]()
Mia's Baker's Dozen by Coco Simon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMia finds that one more in the mix is always better in this treat of a tween series!Mia is getting used to her new family now that her mom is remarried to Eddie and she’s gained a new stepbrother, Dan. She’s in the groove of going to her dad’s house on the weekends, and everything is going pretty well at home and at school. Well, except for Spanish class...Categorized as:
children friendship middle-grade children-books fiction realistic contemporary female-mc -
![The Curvy Girl Club: All Grown Up by Kelsie Stelting]()
The Curvy Girl Club: All Grown Up by Kelsie Stelting
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCatch up with the original Curvy Girl Club as adults in this full-length story told from alternating points of view!Life has a way of pulling friends in different directions. Not all of them are good.Five friends found each other senior year of high school, but things have changed since then...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship romance young-adult audiobook fiction contemporary female-mc -
![Girls Rule! by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor]()
Girls Rule! by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSUMMER IS AROUND the corner, and the rivalry between the Malloys and the Hatfords is heating up! The kids have two weeks to earn money for a fundraising contest sponsored by the local hospital. Those who collect $20 or more for the new children’s wing can choose to be in the annual Strawberry Festival Parade or get all the strawberry treats they can eat...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books fiction middle-grade contemporary realistic humor -
![Hier kommt Lola! by Isabel Abedi]()
Hier kommt Lola! by Isabel Abedi
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAb 9 JahrenLola hat einen brasilianischen Vater, eine 80 Zentimeter große Tante und ein paar Millionen Fans, wenn sie sich nachts in die berühmte Sängerin Jacky Jones verwandelt. Was Lola nicht hat, ist eine beste Freundin – und die wünscht sie sich am allermeisten. Doch in Lolas neuer Schule gibt es nur diese komische Flo, die entsetzlich nach Fisch stinkt...Categorized as:
children literary-fiction children-books middle-grade contemporary female-mc young-adult fiction -
![Lake Rescue by Annie Bryant]()
Lake Rescue by Annie Bryant
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBig time adventure awaits the Beacon Street Girls and the rest of the seventh grade. The class is heading to Lake Rescue in New Hampshire for outdoor adventure...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books middle-grade realistic fiction contemporary action-adventure -
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![P.S. I Really Like You by Nancy E. Krulik]()
P.S. I Really Like You by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBestselling author Nancy Krulik takes an inside look at what it takes to survive middle school.Jenny has been getting gifts, cards, and notes from a secret admirer. Who could the mystery boy be? While Jenny is dealing with her admirer, Rachel and Felicia stop speaking following a basketball game in which Rachel refused to pass the ball to Felicia, and then missed the winning basket... -
![I Heard a Rumor by Nancy E. Krulik]()
I Heard a Rumor by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBestselling author Nancy Krulik delves into the mind of a twleve-year-old just trying to survive middle school.Can you keep a secret? Are you the go-to girl when your friends have a secret to share? Can you be trusted to keep the info under wraps, or are you known for your loose lips?The debut of the Madame X gossip column has turned Joyce Kilmer Middle School upside down... -
![Bridge to Terabithia: The Official Movie Companion by David Paterson]()
Bridge to Terabithia: The Official Movie Companion by David Paterson
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDiscover how the magical land of Terabithia was brought to the big screen in the major motion picture Bridge to Terabithia... -
![Summer Dreams: Dual Image/Untamed by Nora Roberts]()
Summer Dreams: Dual Image/Untamed by Nora Roberts
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratings#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Nora Roberts presents classic stories of two unlikely couples who choose…love!Dual ImagePlaying Booth DeWitt's cruel ex-wife in his semiautobiographical film is the chance of a lifetime for actor Ariel Kirkwood. Not only is it a giant boon for her career, but she also gets to work with the screenwriter himself... -
![Who Won the War? by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor]()
Who Won the War? by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWho will win as the curtain closes on the war between the girls and the boys?Summer vacation is almost over and after one year in Buckman it looks like the Malloy girls will be going home to Ohio. The Hatford boys are relieved to finally be rid of Eddie, Beth and Caroline, also known as the Womper, the Weirdo and the Crazy...Categorized as:
children friendship children-books fiction middle-grade contemporary realistic humor -
![Who's Got Spirit? by Nancy E. Krulik]()
Who's Got Spirit? by Nancy E. Krulik
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBestselling author Nancy Krulik delves into the mind of a twelve-year-old trying to survive middle school.It's fall spirit week at Joyce Kilmer Middle School, and the Pops have established their own exclusive "pep squad," complete with matching outfits! Jenny's friends decide to fight back by forming a rival group with their own uniforms...Categorized as:
children friendship middle-grade children-books realistic fiction contemporary young-adult
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