Shug by Jenny Han.

Shug is a charming story about the perils of being a twelve-year-old girl.  Shug, also known as Annemarie, struggles with her family where her mother is a distant drinker, her father is in and out of her life, and her older sister is focused more on leaving for college than in her younger sister.  When Shug realizes that she has suddenly fallen for her best friend, Mark, she no longer knows how to act around him, and the distance between the two of them grows.  Starting junior high as a non-popular girl is also a challenge as she tries to navigate between being herself and still having friends.  As her best girl friend Elaine is courted by the popular crowd, Shug finds another friend in the very last place she expected to.

The writing in this book is sparklingly clean and clear, making it easy and very pleasurable reading.  The characters face challenges that are not easily solved and the world of junior high is as confusing and amazing as it was when I was that age.  I truly appreciate someone writing a great book for girls at this age, before they are teenagers but at the same time that so many confusing things are happening with their emotions and their bodies.  The character Annemarie or Shug is so well-developed that she becomes real. 

Recommend this to preteens as well as teenagers.  This is a true tween book, and you know where to find the exact girls for it.  Additionally, it is a great book for mothers to share with daughters and have a conversation about the new challenges of becoming a teen and the world of junior high.