Swirl Series

Is achieving the social status of your dreams really all that sweet? Taylor wishes she were popular. It's not like she doesn't have any friends, but when she tries to throw a giant cotton candy–themed birthday bash, it ends up a huge flop—no one shows up. So when her dad gets a new job and they have to move, Taylor sees it as an opportunity to reinvent herself. As luck would have it, in the first week of her new school, she's partnered on a project with the queen bee of seventh grade herself, Elle. Soon, she's one of the popular crowd. She's even on her way to a date with the cutest boy in school! All her dreams are coming true! But Taylor starts to learn that being with the in-crowd involves a lot of gossip and backstabbing—and she realizes that her favorite part of the day is actually hanging out with Colin, her nerdy math partner. However, Elle is not a fan of Colin—and ultimately, Taylor has to choose between them. Will she risk alienating Colin and his friends to maintain the social status she always wished for?

Friendship without drama? Dream on! Jasmine has always been best friends with Kiara. They have a secret handshake, plans to open a joint Etsy shop, and even invented a salted caramel drink together at the local cafe. But when Kiara joins the basketball team, she starts to become distant . . . and then she betrays Jasmine's trust. Jasmine has never felt so alone. Eventually, her mom forces her to join drama club—and it's much more fun than she expected! She starts to make new friends, including a very cute boy. Things are looking up! But just as Jasmine is getting used to her new normal, there's a crisis with the play—and Kiara suddenly reaches out. Can the former friends help each other when they need it most?

It's bestie vs. bestie… Suki is assigned to run the student council Valentine's Day fundraiser at school with JJ: her former bestie turned worst enemy. He and Suki have been ultra-competitive about everything for years—there's no way they can work together. In fact, they almost immediately resolve to hold competing fundraisers. Meanwhile, Suki longs for a dog, but her parents won't let her get one. Befriending a stray at the park (who she names Cinnamon Bun) leads her to volunteer at the local animal shelter, which becomes her new home away from home. But then the fundraiser gets out of control, and the shelter might close. Suki is determined to save the day, but she can’t do it alone… and will she ever get a dog of her own?

Sometimes secrets aren't so sweet... Just as Maddie picks up her pumpkin spice frappe from the coffee shop counter, she spills it all over the cute boy behind her. Talk about mortifying! Luckily, the boy -- Jacob -- is also friendly and easygoing, and soon Maddie is deeply in crush. But before she can tell her best friend Jana about him at lunch the next day, Jana announces her huge new crush -- on Jacob! Maddie doesn't want to cause trouble, so she keeps her feelings hidden. Jana will get over him soon, right? Add major school stress to Maddie's secret, and it's a recipe for disaster. Can she stay true to both her friend and her heart... without it all turning into a sticky mess?

Lily has lived with her mom since her parents got divorced several years ago, and her dad has recently remarried to a woman with a daughter her age named Hannah. But now, Lily's mom has gotten a once-in-a-lifetime work opportunity in Africa and she'll be gone for a year, so Lily is moving in with her dad—and new stepmom and new stepsister. It'll be as easy as apple pie, right? Wrong. Lily promises her dad that she'll try to get along with everyone, but she is not happy about it. Her stepmom is nice, but she's no replacement for her real mom, and Lily feels like she barely gets any one-on-one time with her dad anymore. The real problem, though, is Hannah. What starts out as tension between the new stepsisters becomes a full-on war, both at home and at school. Harmless pranks turn into total sabotage. Can Lily survive the year—or is her family fractured beyond repair?

Friends, cocoa, crushes... catastrophe! Sasha is so excited. 'Tis the season for snow, gifts, peppermint cocoa, and the Holidaze Spectacular -- the school's variety show competition with an amazing grand prize! She and her best friends, twins Karly and Kevin, are working on a dance routine for it, and Sasha is sure they'll win. She's also sure that her crush -- Kevin -- likes her back. She just needs to find a way to tell him. But then nothing goes as planned. Karly disappears into quiz bowl, things with Kevin are going nowhere, and Sasha's head is spinning between rehearsals, homework, and volunteer commitments. Everything is falling apart! Can Sasha repair a friendship, figure out her crush, and still make the most of her moment in the spotlight?