What a sad and bittersweet book.
Told from the perspective of Phyllisia Cathy, a young girl in middle school who has recently emigrated to Harlem from The Island (unsure of which Caribbean Island they are from originally) in the 1970s, we see Phyllisia struggle to navigate this new, and at times, violent environment. She's bullied mercilessly by her classmates and teacher, fights with her sister and father, and struggles feel the same bond with her mother they shared on The Island, but hesitantly forms a friendship with Edith, a girl that Phyllisia has some shame admitting is her friend. Family issues from both Phyllisia's family and Edith's family pull them apart, but as all true friends seem to do, they find their way back to each other.
I had a hard time finding Phyllisia to be a sympathetic character through most of the book. However, she does redeem herself in the end. If you're struggling with that as I was, I encourage you to continue reading. The resolution was incredibly bittersweet but satisfying.
I think something else to note is the language and some situations used in the story are from a different time, a different era. I think some young readers (this was picked out of a middle school library by one of my students) may struggle with understanding some of the circumstances and motivations behind the characters actions. However bullying, neglect, racism, classism, these are all sadly timeless issues, and some young readers may be able to identify with these battles themselves.
After some research, it appears The Friends is the first in a set of a trio of books, all in this same world, but each focusing on a different girl's perspective: Phyllisia, Edith, and Phyllisia's sister, Ruby. These books don't seem to have been published recently, so if you're interested in reading any of them, you may need to look for second hand book sellers, though I was able to find copies through Amazon. ( )

1973. Phyllisia is a 14 year old girl from Trinidad. Her father owns a restaurant in Harlem. She and her sister Ruby hate cold, dirty New York at first. The kids in school pick on her because she’s smart and has an island accent. Finally she makes friends with Edith a poor and wild girl who defends her from the bullies. Phyl, as Edith calls her, loves Edith, but is ashamed of how poor she is. Edith steals things from stores. She has learned to survive. She also tries to take care of her three younger sisters. There is a lot of hardship and suffering in this book. Edith’s father disappears. Her brother is shot by the police. Her youngest sister dies of the measles. Phyl’s mother dies of tuberculosis. Her father works so hard he wants to send them back to Trinidad, because he can’t keep an eye on them and work too. Finally Phyl convinces him to let them stay. This book pulls no punches, the way kid’s books were in the seventies. It is gritty and real. Now I want to read Ruby and Edith Jackson as well. ( )

A very nice book. It took me along, on Phyllisia's path to adulthood, talking about being bullied at school, having no friends, getting a friend, losing a mother, wanting to be free, growing in body and spirit. I loved the journey and I'm sorry I've finished it. ( )

For fourteen-year-old Phyllisia Cathy, the problems that she has as well as her lifestyle have become increasingly overwhelming. Having recently arrived from an island in the sunlit West Indies - along with her mother, father and sixteen-year-old sister, Ruby - Phyllisia finds it a very difficult adjustment to live in New York. After growing up in such an idyllic paradise, she finds New York cold, cruel and filthy; nothing at all like her previous home. She is insulted daily and is constantly beaten up by her classmates. What Phyllisia desperately needs, as it seems divine intervention is currently unavailable, is a friend.

When she first started out searching for a friend, Phyllisia would never have put fifteen-year-old Edith Jackson's name anywhere near her list of potential candidates. Edith's clothes are unpressed, her stockings worn and baggy with big holes. She is nothing but a ragamuffin in Phyllisia's mind. Edith's knowledge of school studies is essentially zero; she barely goes to class. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is the only one kind enough to offer her friendship and protection to Phyllisia when she needs it most.

I must say that I found this to be a very intriguing book. In my opinion, it was a deeply thought-provoking and engaging story with a moral; told from a very different perspective. This is a story that I wasn't expecting to be as poignant as it was and I give this book an A+! ( )

Alice Walker, The New York Times: …Edith Jackson--She is fifteen. Her clothes are unpressed, her stockings bagging with big holes. Her knowledge of school is zero. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is kind and offers her friendship and protection to Phyllisia. "And so begins the struggle that is the heart of this very important book: the fight to gain perception of one's own real character; the grim struggle for self-knowledge. RGG: Wonderful story of friendship between young adults and between adults. Allies come in all guises. Written in the 1970's, but issues are still current.