Maya thought she had the greatest friends in the world. But suddenly, BAM!, she's out of the group, with no idea of why her friends have dropped her The listener will find out, though, as the story of why Maya has been shunned unfolds through five skillfully intertwined, sometimes scorching, first person narratives. With uncanny precision and unsparing accuracy, Amy Goldman Koss explores the world of middle school cliques, and exposes the "mean girl" phenomenon in this insightful look at the real world behind the headlines. Praise for the print version of THE GIRLS: "Suspenseful and realistic" -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review An ALA Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Quick Pick (Top Ten) IRA-CBC Children's Choice AMY GOLDMAN KOSS is the author of several novels for young readers, including THE ASHWATER EXPERIMENT and STRANGER IN DADLAND. She lives in Glendale, California, with her husband, two children, and numerous pets.