Clique Books In Order

Publication Order of The Clique Books

Publication Order of Clique Summer Collection Books

Publication Order of Clique Companion Books

Publication Order of Clique Graphic Novels

“The Clique” is a series of contemporary young adult novels by Lisi Harrison, the Canadian author also known for the writing of the “Monster High”, “Pretenders”, and “Alphas” series of novels. Harrison was born to Shaila Gottlieb and Ken Gottlieb of Toronto and has dedicated the first novel of the Clique series to her family. Lisi went to Hebrew school till age 13 before she moved to Forest Hill Collegiate, a public high school. She graduated high school to move to McGill University in Montreal Quebec, where she studied film. She soon realized that film was not her thing and quit to pursue a degree in fiction at Emerson College where she got her bachelors in Creative Writing. In 2007, she moved to Laguna Beach in California from where she writes her exhilarating contemporary young adult fiction.

Before becoming one of the most popular young adult authors in the US, Harrison was a Senior Director of Development at MTV where she was charged with developing and creating new shows. It was the MTV job that made her transition into a writing career as she got to know what appeals to the teenage demographic. She learnt that teens most important need is to be accepted and fit in and also how to hold their attention. Her experiences reminded her of middle school life and would become the inspiration for “The Clique” that would become her number one bestselling series. She did start working on the first two novels while still employed by MTV as she was not sure that a career in TV could provide her with the security she needed. By 2004, she had sold more than 9 million copies of the novels in her “The Clique” series and felt secure enough to quit her job to focus on writing. “The Clique” series includes a prequel, a dictionary like book she calls the Cliquetionary, a summer collection and twelve novels. “The Summer Collection” are five novels about the summer adventures of each of the five leads. “The Alphas” and “Monster High” series each have four titles while her adult series debuted with the title “The Dirty Book Club” in 2017.

“The Clique” series of novels is about five girls Claire Lyons, Kristen Gregory, Dylan Marvil, Alicia Rivera, and Massie Block of the “Pretty Committee”. The Pretty Committee is what you would call the popular clique at the Octavian Country Day all girls middle school. Claire is the newest member of the clique having just moved to Westchester, New York from Orlando, Florida. She finds the going tough as the Pretty Committee initially treats her like an outcast given her terrible fashion sense and financial status. However, over the course of the series, Claire becomes good friends with Massie as she earns the trust and friendship of the group as she sees it as essential in becoming who she wants to be. in 2007 Warner Brothers in conjunction with Alloy Entertainment who published the novels, came out to announce that “The Clique” series of novels would be adapted into direct to DVD films. The first film titled “The Clique” directed by Michael Lembeck came out in November of 2008. The novels have also been made into a video game known as “The Clique: Diss and Make up” and a graphic novel series published by Yen Press. “The Alphas” novel series were spun off from The Clique series.

In “The Clique” series, Claire Lyons family moves from Orlando to Westchester New York throwing the teenager’s life into a tailspin. The family lives at the Blocks guest house given that they are in dire financial straits and cannot afford to buy a house of their own. The Blocks guesthouse belongs to Jay, an old friend of her father who lives the ultimate life of wealth with personal driver, a huge pool, and servants. Claire is happy to make a friend in Massie who she learns will be a classmate at the Octavian County Day School. But Massie will have nothing to do with her in school as she is the member of an exclusive clique of friends composed of Dylan, Kristen, and Alicia. The girls are the popular, glamorous, and envied seventh graders that rule the roost at the fictional OCD school. The girls come out with designer clothes and have made the act of shopping an art form. They are quick to banish girls they don’t like and often gossip about those they deem unfashionable. Claire is desperate to become part of The Clique but the girls are brutal in their rejection. Massie the defacto leader makes certain that none of the Clique associates with her. They go as far as engaging in cruel acts such as smearing her clothes with red paint, throwing food at her, and ignoring her presence to make her feel unwanted. Struggling to find acceptance and adapt to the harsh surroundings, she grows up fast and is soon turning the tables by creating fiction within the Clique.

“The Clique”, the first novel of the series introduces the Massie a clothes obsessed 12 year old from Westchester, New York that is the ring leader of a popular clique of seventh graders. But one day, a poor girl named Claire moves into her house and now Massie may have to hang out with her. As is to be expected, Claire wants to join the popular clique but Massie does all in her power to put her down. It is an excellent novel showcasing just how mean, terrible and cruel girls at that age can be to each other. This is not just about a bunch of rich, and snotty girls taking down an innocent girl. While the girls are rich, they have personality with each girl having her own unique identity. The Clique represents the shallow mentality of middle schoolers as they bully and torment Claire who cannot afford the Gucci tank tops. It is a clever novel written to portray the lengths girls will go to get acceptance and recognition in a society obsessed with materialism and looks.

“Best Friends for Never” is the second novel in the series that opens to Massie being declared a hero after she announces a debut girl/boy Halloween party for the eighth graders. Massie has engaged the services of Landon Dorsey the best party planner in Westchester though she is chaffed that her parents will only allow the party if the entire class is invited. Layne hates that boys will have to attend even as Claire begins to wonder if maybe a boyfriend is what she needs to be happy. Meanwhile, the Clique and Massie are in a squabble as to who get the honor of inviting the hottest boy in class Derek Herrington. Dylan thought she had the upper hand given her history with Derek but is ready to give him up to avoid all the drama. She will leave him to Kristen given that there will be so many guys at the party and Derek is a terrible dancer. It is a novel full of insanely entertaining, spectacular melodrama set at Octavian Country Day – probably the most expensive and snobbish school ever.