Jumble Pie by Melanie Lynne Hauser

Jumble Pie is an interesting tale of friendship of two very different girls Emily and Juliet. How there friendship starts, how it grows, how it withers and how it restarts.

Emily Meredith, who talked at 9 months, Longfellow Elementary School Spelling Bee Champion for three years in a row, the youngest champion, ever, then the youngest editor of the Ravenwood Rooster ever, then graduate at the top of our class and get a scholarship to a fancy-schmancy college.

But Juliet Montague, she is just an average confused person.
Em, is so sure of what she wants! and Jules, she knows only to follow Em.
They meet the first time, and make a pie in Home Ec classes. They makes Jumble Pie... which they make thereafter at their every meeting, every special day. Jumble Pie, for Em is a symbol of their friendship, a metaphor!

Em's feeling for Jules are beautifully expressed in these lines -

But whatever it was I had done it, I had made Juliet safe and happy, at least for a little while. And I know that I want to do it again, forever. I want to protect this sad little person from something, I’m not sure what. I want to make her happy. I’ve never felt that way before about another person. And I’m not sure why, but I’m a little scared of it. And also, a little proud [Pg. 57]

These lines I found really touching. This shows how Emily felt about Juliet!

But then, as these 2 ladies grow into their years, many things change. There outlook to "what they want from life" changes. Jules and Em both change a little bit. For Em, there Jumble Pie is still a metaphor. Like Em helped Jules out in high school, she wants Jules to do the same... the only thing is that Jules has other priorities and Em is jealous of Jules achievements. Her happiness is infectious to her!
There are some really thoughtful paras that I would like you to read -

All I meant is that the important thing isn’t whether or not you’re happy this minute. But whether or not you open yourself up to the possibility of happiness[Pg. 189]

Emily's thoughts are very profound to say the least! I like the way she thinks about words in these lines -

Words used to be my refuge; they took me to other worlds, they protected me from the ordinary. But somewhere along the way they also deceived me. I found out that words can hurt when used in the wrong way. And by the wrong person. Pg. 209

It is a very good book.
I really liked it!
And if you want to read it, it is available free for download! Yep! All you have to do is to goto www.MelanieLynneHauser.com/JumblePie and give your mail ID there. And the author will send you the PDF in the mail :)
It is a cute little story, you feel so sad for Em and in some ways for Jules too. In some way for their friendship.

But all in all, it is an Enjoyable read!