Phones are fun!

Friends are fun!

But phony friends are the worst!!

In this tale of friendship lost and found, long-time friends Emo and Chickie will be tested. With one click of a button, an embarrassing video is posted to social media. Can their friendship survive? Or will it be lost forever?

In modern times, Emo and Chickie face a classic test of loyalty as they find their way through the challenges of new technology. Follow them as they learn ways to restore friendship after trust is broken and all seems lost. Through talking and finding out what is most important to each other, Emo and Chickie learn how to triumph over conflict--a lesson every child can learn. And they re-discover the meaning and value of true friendship.

Bill Richardson, Former Governor of New Mexico and Former US Ambassador to the United Nations

“The lessons here are invaluable for kids and adults alike. We can all learn from the language and techniques in this book to communicate effectively and to solve problems. Kids who learn these skills at an early age will become the world’s future negotiators and diplomats.”

Sheila Heen, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School, and Co-author of the bestselling book, Difficult Conversations--How to Discuss What Matters Most

“Phony Friends offers a wonderful catalyst for talking with our kids about that confusing crossroads of social media, popularity and friendship. Follow Emo and Chickie as they navigate the joys of capturing juicy footage, the temptations of posting and instant celebrity, and the rough road of understanding the impact it has on each other — and on themselves. This new episode is sure to spark important conversations for kids and adults alike.”

Jim Melamed, CEO of mediate.com

«Emo and Chickie have a falling out, yet manage to somehow work things out using a variety of ‘modern forest’ communication devices that young and old will relate to and be humored by. My favorite is using ‘Forestgram’ for communication. Emo and Chickie getting back together is the result of clarifying emotions, intentions and communications, all woven together with both ‘online’ and ‘face-to-face’ communications. Emo and Chickie's effective communication is a model for young and old alike also beyond the forest.”

Dr. Clare Fowler, Managing Editor at Mediate.com, ADR professor at University of Oregon School of Law

“The Relyea and Weiss team have done it again. They have managed to slip fundamental truths into an easy-to-read format. My kids love reading these books because of the warm graphics and the funny characters, and they don’t even realize they are learning dispute resolution concepts that they will draw on for the rest of their lives.”

Gregg F. Relyea

Books