Among book series about the ups and downs of childhood friendships, few are as delightfully charming as the Friends for Keeps series. With pure honesty and a dash of humor, author Julie Bowe has cleverly captured the joys and heartbreaks of playground politics, growing up, and finding yourself. In the fourth and latest installment of the series, Forever Friends, published by Dial Books, young readers will continue their journey with the quirky and loveable 9 year-old, Ida May, as she is caught between two feuding friends. Once all the girls in the class choose sides, Ida must serve as the intermediary, resolving the fight while bridging the gap between differences. As a local author and mother, Bowe enjoys reaching out to young readers, hearing their reactions, and visiting schools. Her goal is to reach girls in that tricky period between childhood and adolescence by creating characters that are both likeable and relevant to them. “The series has many young fans and we hope the newest installment, My Forever Friends, will be the perfect addition to the series,” said Bowe. “My goal is to create books that are funny and fast-paced, and that ring true to young readers.” My Forever Friends will be released on July 7, with a book signing on July 16 from 1-3pm at Borders in Eau Claire.