Finally

Annabelle is Rory’s best friend. She and Rory share a sense of humor and an understanding of how to be supportive of and engaged with each other. Aside from a mutual interest in Jake Harrison and being extras in his movie, they do not have much in common. Unlike Rory, Annabelle stands out wherever she goes. She has a “colorful wardrobe” and “her blond hair has an inner glow that can be seen clear across the school yard” (165). Annabelle is stereotypically feminine: interested in clothes, makeup, and hairstyling. When she and Rory go to the mall alone for the first time, Rory has no interest in some of Annabelle’s favorite stores, “like the one where they only sell hair accessories” (147). Annabelle is also far more confident than Rory, a quality that Rory admires greatly.

Despite her confidence and the greater freedoms her parents allow her, Annabelle is more naive about the world than Rory is. When the older girls prank them at the mall, Annabelle believes it is simply an honest mistake, while Rory knows better. Annabelle is also easily impressed by the makeup store’s marketing claims of all-natural makeup, having not yet developed much understanding of how others’ motives may differ from her own.

Annabelle is a generous and caring friend to Rory. She supports Rory’s interests, attending the babysitting class with Rory and going into the pet store to see Kyle R. even though she finds the place smelly and off-putting. She believes completely in Rory’s ability to do new things like get her ears pierced, stay home alone, and make herself over for Natalie’s party. She is willing to sacrifice her own comfort for Rory’s and is quick to defend Rory if she thinks someone is being critical of her friend. Her steady friendship is a part of the story’s thematic argument about Support from Family and Friends During the Tween Years.

Rory’s friend Sari is in some ways more Annabelle’s friend than Rory’s, although she and Rory grow closer once Rory has access to a cell phone and an IM account. Sari has more in common with Annabelle than she does with Rory, because both are very interested in makeup, clothes, and boys: Sari is “always cutting [her hair] in these weird styles or wearing really bizarre accessories” and when Sari and Annabelle talk about hair, Rory “[tunes] right out” (71). This interest helps Sari secure a job in the movie’s makeup trailer where, to her great delight, she assists the professionals each day.

Sari is friendly and outgoing, but unlike Annabelle and Rory, she does not actually want to be an extra in the movie because she has stage fright. Sari’s energetic nature often leads her to talk rapidly and in great detail about things she is excited about. She can get carried away with her enthusiasm, like when she sneaks into the makeup trailer when she is not supposed to be there and is nearly fired. She can also be dramatic, like when she swoons upon meeting Jake Harrison so that the teen heartthrob has to catch her.

Like Annabelle, Sari is a good friend and a kind person. She is encouraging when Rory is insecure about her appearance, she looks for solutions to Rory’s problems—as when she takes Rory to the makeup trailer to get her a hat to hide her swollen ear—and she is supportive when Rory encounters obstacles. Like Annabelle, Sari illustrates the importance of Support from Family and Friends During the Tween Years.

Rory’s father owns a company that makes puzzles, and her mother works at home, running the household and caring for her children. Both of Rory’s parents are frugal people. Her father has a blue stripe in his hair—not because he likes it, but because a friend has agreed to pay him $50 dollars for every month he keeps it. Her mother is constantly clipping coupons and is always on the hunt for bargains.

Rory’s parents are both deeply engaged with their children’s lives. This is particularly true of Rory’s mother, who is frequently depicted taking three-year-old Sawyer to activities like birthday parties and yoga class, and who has always driven Rory to school and packed her lunches for her. Sometimes Rory feels like her parents are too involved; in fact, she considers them overprotective. The two met while in college and married and started their family shortly after graduation. This means that they are much younger than many of Rory’s friends’ parents. They tell Rory that they are overprotective because they remember their teen years more clearly than older parents might.

Despite their struggle to accept that Rory is getting older, her parents show that they are ethical and loving when they follow through on their agreements and grant her the privileges they have always said she could have when she turns 12. They are skillful in showing her the appropriate kinds of support for a child of her age. They are always available to talk and offer guidance. They consider her perspective and do not overreact when she makes mistakes. They encourage Rory to take responsibility for herself and keep growing and moving forward, even when she feels uncertain about her own abilities and decisions. Their understanding of how to provide appropriate boundaries for Rory while still supporting her growing independence is an important part of the book’s exploration of Support from Family and Friends During the Tween Years.