Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 4)

Amazon.com

Ann Brashares has created a wonderful, heartfelt series for teens (and adults) around a pair of pants. In her breakout bestseller, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Brashares introduced readers to four girls, Lena, Bridget, Carmen, and Tibby, and to the magical pair of jeans that fit them all perfectly, and inspired them to live their young lives to the fullest. Forever in Blue, the fourth and final novel in the series, promises a dazzling finale--one "last glorious summer" for the four girls, and their fans. See a note from author Ann Brashares, below.--Daphne Durham

A Note from Ann Brashares

December 1, 2006

Dear Amazon Reader,

Well, here we are together again. If you are getting ready to read the fourth book, Forever in Blue, that means we've probably spent some time together. I hope you've enjoyed it. I know I have.

We don't know each other and we may never get to meet, but I feel like we are connected nonetheless. We've spent time with four fictional girls together. We've puzzled over their lives and their choices. We've rooted for them and sometimes felt annoyed by them. We've shared some hopes for them, I think, and in the process for ourselves.

So thank you for being part of the sisterhood with me. I have really appreciated your company along the way.

Happy reading,

Ann

Spend Time with the Sisterhood

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Boxed Set

Girls in Pants

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Book Description

With unraveled embroidery and fraying hems, the Traveling Pants are back for one last, glorious summer.

Lena: Immerses herself in her painting and an intoxicating summer fling, fearing that the moment she forgets about Kostos will be the moment she sees him again.

Carmen: Falls under the spell of a sophisticated college friend for whom a theatrical role means everything and the heritage of the Pants means nothing.

Bridget: Joins a dig for an ancient city on the coast of Turkey and discovers that her archaeology professor is available in every way except one.

Tibby: Leaves behind someone she loves, wrongly believing he will stay where she has left him.

Join Ann Brashares's beloved sisterhood once again in a dazzling, fearless novel. It's a summer that will forever change the lives of Lena, Carmen, Bee, and Tibby, here and now, past and future, together and apart.

Book Description

As their lives take them in different directions, Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget discover many more things about themselves and the importance of their relationship with each other.

Customer Reviews:

I liked the others better.......2007-08-10

This was the book made to tie up loose ends. Everyone came to a conclusion about their life and the pants. The whole thing was sort of boring. Yes I liked the book, but in a way everyone was the same as they started. I suppose the point of it was to show how they had grown up and still stayed the same. Maybe it was that there wasn't enough excitement or maybe it's that I'm tired now but i thought it wasn't as good as the other books.
-cdm

Sisterhood.......2007-08-04

I have enjoyed this entire series...takes me back to my Judy Blume days. The girl in all of us can identify with these characters as they grow, change, and try to not lose themselves or each other in the process. The earlier on you learn that nothing means more than your girl friends...the better off you are! I think the quotes between the chapters are insightful, and I enjoy finding their relation to the story as I read on. That brings a literary aspect not often found in young adult novels. I appreciate that this book and its prequels can be light and real at the same time. A book about pants sounds like fluff, but you feel with these girls as they deal with real issues both internal and external. Real doesn't have to be dark...bittersweet seems more fitting. These books capture the laughter through tears that is what sisterhood is about. I highly recommend reading them all.

So Long Sisterhood.......2007-07-26

Although this wasn't my fave Sisterhood book, it deserves kudos for not only reflecting the maturity of the characters at this point in their lives, but also the realities of growing up and growing apart. This is the fourth and supposedly final chapter of the Sisterhood tomes, and is likely to provide a conclusive feeling for the readers of the series.

To recap, the Travelling Pants series details the summers four best friends spend, sometimes apart, sometimes together. They are of course, as per the legend, bonded together by a pair of 'magical' pants that give them the strength of the love they feel as friends even when they aren't together.

In all fairness I read the third book quite some time ago so reading the new fourth one was a bit of a cognitive leap - I could barely remember a lot of what happened in the past! Anyway in this one the girls are bridging the gap between their first and second year of university. They've actually shared the pants year-round this time because they have spent the year at different colleges etc. That should be your first clue something is up - the girls are very very much so a lot more individual characters this time around, which was both refreshing and problematic. Of the latter, it was good because I was sick and tired of how cheesy and overemphasized their relationship was - although some sappy moments still exist towards the end, they are certainly toned down. But in the absence of their friendship it almost defeated the purpose of the book, and the pants of course.

This time around the girls spend most of their summer apart. Tibby is still in New York working and taking a summer class and wondering whether she has made the right choices when it comes to her relationship with Brian. Bee (my fave as always) is in Turkey getting back to basics on an archeological dig site and wondering whether the best alternative to missing her boyfriend is not missing a single thing her hot professor does. Flamboyent Carmen has surprisingly shrunk into her shell over the last year, and fallen under the wing of a supposedly protective, glorious friend, who turns out to be anything but as their summer continues. Lena is at art school and enraptured with a guy, shockingly this time, not the love of her life, Kostos.

As I mentioned earlier, the book definitely took on a more mature tone than the others - most of it dealt with sex and relationships and very little of it focused on friendship and personal self-growth - although most of the storylines evolve to give the girls those girl power moments of epiphany. Although I enjoyed the storylines a lot more this time it almost felt like the characters were under-used and less developed because there was far less crossover opportunities given their summer was spent so far apart emotionally and physically.

Brashares does a good job wrapping up the series in a realistic way though - Upon finishing it, I realized why she decided to do a fourth (I completely assumed the third would be the last) as each book is kind of meant to represent each of the four girls.

All in all a fitting conclusion to the series that represented, quite honestly, the realities of growing up and moving away when it comes to those true blue friends you thought you'd never forget, and those true blue jeans you thought you'd never lose.

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants).......2007-07-19

OMG!!! I loved every single one of the books preceding this book and this one hit the mark! It is so wonderful, and though it is so sad that it ends the series the finish is remarkable. Brashare's masterpiece is complete!!!

One too many.......2007-07-15

I thought the prime qualities of the first three books of this series were charm and innocence. For the fourth installment, one of our heroines poses nude for a male art student and another falls for a married man with children. Whatever other qualities the book may have, charming and innocent it is not.

Girls in Pants (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 3) (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants)

Average customer rating:

Another Great Read
Fast read!!
Girls in Pants
Girls in Pants Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Abagayle Johnson's Review

Girls in Pants (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 3) (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants)
Ann Brashares
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553375938
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Amazon.com

Ages 12 and up. Best buds Tibby, Carmen, Lena and Bridget are back with their magical pair of shared jeans in Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood. Each summer brings new and difficult challenges, as the perennially separated friends discover afresh this last season before college. Tibby struggles with the idea of close friend Brian becoming her boyfriend, and their fragile relationship is soon tested by a tragedy in her immediate family. Carmen doesn't know how to react when she finds out that her middle-aged mom is pregnant, and Bridget is unpleasantly surprised to be reunited with the boy who broke her heart two summers ago. Finally, Lena, still coming to terms with the loss of her first love, tries to convince her strict father that art school is a better career path than Greek restaurant management. But through every crisis, each girl is assured of the love and support of the created sisterhood when she pulls on the denim armor of the cherished, and by now, a bit fragrant ("Rule # 1. You must never wash the Pants.") Traveling Pants.

Full of homey platitudes about life, love and the pursuit of perfect jeans, Girls in Pants occasionally reads like a lengthy Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul entry. But often that's precisely the kind of friendly reassurance female readers are looking for, and fans of the wildly popular series who've journeyed every summer with the "Septembers" will find much to laugh and cry about in this volume. --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

The Pants first came to us at the perfect moment. That is, when we were splitting up for the first time. It was two summers ago when they first worked their magic, and last summer when they shook up our lives once again. You see, we don’t wear the Pants year-round. We let them rest so they are extra powerful when summer comes. (There was the time this spring when Carmen wore them to her mom’s wedding, but that was a special case.)

Now we’re facing our last summer together. In September we go to college. And it’s not like one of those TV shows where all of us magically turn up at the same college. We’re going to four different colleges in four different cities (but all within four hours of one another—that was our one rule). We’re headed off to start our real lives.

Tomorrow night at Gilda’s we’ll launch the Pants on their third summer voyage. Tomorrow begins the time of our lives. It’s when we’ll need our Pants the most.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Another Great Read.......2007-06-27

I stayed up till 3 o'clock in the morning reading this book, it was so good. This 3rd installment in the sisterhood of the traveling pants series was a great, easy summer read. Ann Brashares did another fabulous job on this novel. Once again this one, tells the story of the four girls as they embark on new journeys in life. High school is over and the girls are saddend by the fact that this is their last summer together. Carmen gets a job taking care of Lena's grandmother and she convines the Kiligares to let her go back to Greece. Carmen finds out her mother is pregnant and Tibby helps deliver the baby, while having a strong relationship with Brian. Bridget goes to a soccer camp in Pennslyvania where she mets up again with Diana, her soccer friend, and Eric, former coach whom she has fallen in love with. Bridget gets back to gether with Eric, and things work out great. Lena is caught up with her job and wants to go to art school, which her father doesn't approve of, so she works to get a scholarship and succeeds. Overall this book was another great book written by a great author. You should definitely read this series!

Fast read!!.......2007-04-28

I loved the second and third books of the Sisterhood. (I had to wait for a bit until the fourth one came out but loved that one just as much.) Brashares's writing flows so smoothly - it's a fantastic and realistic take on girls' lives. I'm just heartbroken that this series has come to an end. Other suggested books to get you through the summer: Sunshine by NSLee Sunshine, Stargirl (Readers Circle) by Jerry Spinelli.

Girls in Pants.......2007-04-05

I love the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants books, I can relate to the problems dealing with friends and family. I bet other people will feel the same way after reading this book. Although this was a good book, it wasn't the best out of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. This book has major suspense. I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what would happen next in the girls' lives. I recommend this book to people who loved the first two books and, to peolple who love to laugh!

Girls in Pants Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.......2007-04-01

I was pleased that the books just keep getting better and better as the series goes along, I can't wait to read the next one. Awesome read. Highly recommend this series of books.

Abagayle Johnson's Review.......2007-03-09

I liked this book because of the exciting parts in it. Carmen's mom, Christina, is going to have a baby. Bridget goes to a soccer camp to coach a team of her own. When she arrives she finds an unexpected surprise.
Bridget, Lena, Carmen, and Tibby graduate from high school. They have only one summer left before they go off to college. Bridget goes to a soccer camp in Pennsylvania to coach a team. Carmen, Lena, and Tibby stay in Washington D.C. Carmen gets a job watching Valia, Lena's grandmother. Lena's father wanted her close so he made her move. Lena goes to art classes to improve her artistic skills. Tibby gets a job working at a movie theater.
I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys reading about a strong bond between friends and one very special pair of pants. There is also a little bit of romance in the book that I think makes it so wonderful. This is one of the greatest book I have ever read and I know that you will love it to.
This book in my opinion was better than the first and second books. It also had more action and suspense in it which I think makes it better.

Average customer rating:

Perfect Assumption ...
not too good to be true
Despicable, uninspired propaganda
Awful
yogagirl5117

The English Roses, Too Good to be True
Madonna
Manufacturer: Callaway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0670061476

Book Description

With a whirling dervish of a teacher and a sprinkle of magic fairy dust, the English Roses learn valuable lessons about friendship and surviving their first crush. Readers of all ages will delight in this much-awaited sequel to Madonna's first children's book, The English Roses.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Assumption ..........2007-08-16

New Kid in Town (... I think his name was Donovan ...) he lives near the airport (... La Guardia ... get it?) - is turning all the girls heads - Never in the history of the planet... (... on all 6 (7?) continents ...) has so much angst been shared amongst a bunch of 5th (6th?) grade girls - until M(r)s. Fluffer-nutter comes up with a devious plan - (... some have called it religion ...) - this is the tale of three (4?) brothers - the elder (8th grader?) has a wand..., ...the second (7th grader?) a stone, ... the third (6th grader?) - virtually invisible -- will he-who-has-no-nose beat it? -- ... it's a thriller ...

not too good to be true.......2007-05-10

Out of all the children's books Madonna has written, this was my LEAST favorite. However - just like the rest of her books the illustrations are beautiful and the story teaches a lesson.

Despicable, uninspired propaganda.......2007-03-19

Well, I finally purchased something at amazon, and now I too can write a review. I note the warning to "focus your comments on the product." Which is, I admit, a fair request, but with this series of books (this one being the newest), the review must include things other than the product itself.

These books are vanity projects. No publisher which respects the special significance of a children's book should allow this monster, Madonna, anywhere near such things. The reviews for the other books in this series tend to be comprised of two camps: Madonna's feckless fans, ecstatic over the release of any new "product," and the small percentage of the population which encounters the books by accident, with the latter category almost unanimous in their condemnation of these "works."

Madonna is a person who happened to be in the right place at the right time, and had enough sense to decide to exploit herself to make a dollar over the last twenty years. And, because she was a willing participant, that makes her a genius to some of you. Not to me.

Outside of her catchy pop songs, which even I enjoy for the fluff they are, Madonna has made the bones of her career out of a ceaseless parade of cheap stunts, almost always involving sex. Her body of work which has made her a celebrity has almost nothing to do with music, and everything to do with reckless and clumsy titillation. The last three times Madonna caught our attention, she was pouring hot candle wax on a man's genitals in the terrible film Body of Evidence, hanging naked from chains in an S&M club in her Sex book, and hanging from a mirrored disco cross while wearing a crown of thorns to open her most recent tour.

The reason why she is producing these books is not to improve the quality of children's material, nor is it to raise money for charity, as she is already so wealthy it matters not if she receives so much as one penny from these sales. If she wants to donate to charity, she can always sell one of her castles.

The reason she is doing this is to shovel her sick, twisted view of life straight down the throats of the most impressionable members of society. The books exist to introduce children to her name, so that they may remember her, and then go on to discover her life's work, which is nothing but greed, self-exploitation, and depravity.

The books themselves provide Madonna with the thrill of being famous and talked about, which is worth more to her than money, as she already has plenty of money. The books are not good. It is well understood that if a non-celebrity were to submit these projects, they would be rejected. However, due to her name, they will sell. Madonna then takes that as some kind of indication that her work has triumphed, as you can tell, as the self-serving introduction to this newest book indicates.

I could go on, at length, but briefly: Madonna moralizes, but she had her daughter, Lourdes, sired from a brief encounter with a man she admits she no longer has anything to do with. She points the finger over money, but is herself a supremely wealthy person who lives a lavish, materialistic lifestyle. She preaches humility, yet contrary to the tradition of children's books, she denies credit on the books' covers to the artists who illustrate them.

You could not ask for a more repulsive and hypocritical role model. She is a [...] actress who sings, and is the last among us who should be writing children's books. If you have not gone mad, I would suggest that you purchase any one of the many, many wonderful children's books available, or take the time to play with your child and write one together just for fun.

Do not, under any circumstances, buy these books, unless it is for a gag gift, and only then, do so only if you can be guaranteed it will be burned to ashes in less than an hour after the joke is over, lest the damn things find their way into a library or a school.

To reiterate: These books are vanity projects and garbage, meant to indoctrinate children into Madonna's wretched life philosophy. Avoid every one of them, and when you get the chance, do us all a favour, and destroy them.

Awful.......2007-02-27

Anyone remember when she deep throated that bottle in her documentary? Yeah, I remember thinking, "Someday I hope to buy a childrens' book from her." And yeah, the book is as uninspiring as her others.

yogagirl5117.......2007-02-13

Either I am having a "that time of the month moment" or I am just an emotional person but this video did make me cry. We saw a different side of Madonna. I saw from her true sincerity since no one in Malawi knows MADONNA: POP ICON/QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE. Once you travel to a third world nation either in Africa, Asia (as I have) the word "culture shock" does not prepare you. It's the commitment you make while you are there and the therapy you NEED to seek when you return to a developed nation in Europe, North America or South America. I have a new respect for Madonna. I hope this documentary though when it comes out is NOT all about her mission but the plight of the Malawians!

Bad News/Good News (Beacon Street Girls #2) (Beacon Street Girls)

Average customer rating:

Postive reading for girls- a Mom's point of view
I LOVE BEACON STREET GIRLS!!!!!!
I LOve THIS BOOK
I LOVE IT
Booorrrring!

Bad News/Good News (Beacon Street Girls #2) (Beacon Street Girls)
Annie Bryant
Manufacturer: B*tween Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0974658707

Book Description

Things are a little complicated for the Beacon Street Girls right now...Charlotte's dream is to be a writer. But she doesn't seem to care that The Abigail Adams Junior High opened its newspaper, The Sentinel, to seventh-grade writers. Why? Because she's got a heartbreaking secret and it involves moving...again!

And just when Charlotte really needs her friends, they've got major problems of their own. Maeve has a really great idea for a community service project, "Blanket Brookline with Love." But try as she might, she can't seem to get it off the ground. And the new girl, Isabel Martinez, is creating major tension. Avery and Katani don't like her, but Maeve and Charlotte do. What will this do to the Beacon Street Girls' friendship? Will it ever be the same?

Customer Reviews:

Postive reading for girls- a Mom's point of view.......2007-06-09

I bought this book for my 12 year old daughter. I feel it is a wonderfully written book series for "tween girls." It is very positive- sometimes a bit too positive for real life at times. If reading books like these make girls think about how they treat each other and be kinder to one another, then I say it's a good thing! I am reading the books after my daughter finishes with them. And enjoying chatting with her about the different issues contained in the stories.

At times the story can be a little hokey/unrealistic. The girl's homeroom teacher assigns the students tables to sit at lunch, and has a tablecloth on each table. Charlotte has a klutzy moment and notices her zipper is down. She unknowingly zips the table cloth in her pants, making a huge mess and angering the other girls at the table. The girls start off not liking each other and are told a sleepover might help them to work it out. At the sleepover the girls become best friends. I have never had any of these things happen to me in real life, but it makes for a good story. And brings the girls together. In the stories, aside from the hokiness, the girls have real life problems- lying to their parents, being the new girl, overextending themselves, weight issues, being bullied, parents separating, having an ill parent, etc. I feel the author wraps it all up in a positive but not perfect story book way.

I liked that the girls all represent something different. They are of different ethnic backgrounds, have different issues & problems as well as different personalities & talents. The girls compliment each other very well. The BSG
(Beacon Street Girls) try to protect their friendships and are very supportive of each other. In the books, there are girls who are nasty. The BSG, aren't fond of those girls but are never mean or cruel in return. Hopefully, this will encourage the girls who read them to be kinder to people/ friends than they had been. I can't wait to read the next book!

I LOVE BEACON STREET GIRLS!!!!!!.......2006-09-30

My mom just brought me these BSG books and they are the best. Everyone should read them. I only read two of them so far but we are going to buy the rest soon. If you are a girl and you like to read you HAVE TO get these books TODAY!!!!!

I LOve THIS BOOK.......2006-03-12

This book was my #2 favorite book ever. Next to the Sisterhood Of the Traveling Pants! You are a very inspiring author and I have decided to write a book simalar to this one. My BROTHER even liked this book! Once again you are a very inspiring author & thank you for writing this series of books.

I LOVE IT.......2006-03-10

I started reading this book and I couldn't put it down. I thought that it was so great and true to life. I love the Beacon Street Girls books and I would really suggest reading them.

Booorrrring!.......2005-11-21

my mom got me this book cause she read about it in a newspaper or something. i think it has a stupid title. i read that loads of girls suppposedly loved it so i tried it anyway. but i think its grown ups who like this book cause its not like real girls. this book is like a tv movie for girls ( not even cable) but written by a guidance counsellor or a shrink not a real writer writing from their heart or their life. its like the book is good for you but not good. i think girls could write better themselves. its 2 babyish and 2 adult. btw the books got one of everything like a menu at an appleby's or denny's: one asian girl, one african american girl, one red head, one blond, one shy one, one "drama queen," got it? 2 many girls.I like babysitters club better or harry potter. And one has a father moving to oxford in england to teach, like the best college in the world. how many dad's do that? and her mom is dead, and another girl's mom is sick and another girl's mom and dad are breaking up but she can save them. the writing is ok and i kind of like a couple of the girls but i would not read this again or read another one or buy a cd or anything.

Best Friends: The Pleasures and Perils of Girls' and Women's Friendships

Average customer rating:

Well Researched Thoughtful Discussion of Female Friendships
Enlightening
Thought Provoking
A wonderful insight in understanding friendships
GREAT, and INCITEFUL!!!!

Best Friends: The Pleasures and Perils of Girls' and Women's Friendships
Terri Apter , and Ruthellen Josselson
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0609804723
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Book Description

Best Friends provides the missing link to understanding and recognizing the impact of some of the most important relationships in girls' and women's lives.

Every woman remembers the sting of betrayal of a girlfriend, and every parent of a daughter has seen her come home from school in tears because a girl she thought was her best friend suddenly and inexplicably became her enemy. While boys hash out differences with fists and kicks, girls' societies are marked by secrets and whispers and shifting affection. The lessons learned as an adolescent girl are often carried into adulthood, making women fear confrontation--especially with other women. But the intensity of the struggles reflects the support and healing to be found within these friendships. Girls find themselves in the mirror of other girls, hence the power each has to influence the other.

Ruthellen Josselson and Terri Apter's many years of working with hundreds of girls and women have given them insight into the emotionally important relationships that are integral to a girl's self-image. Best Friends explores the bonds of friendship between girls and between women and the sorrows and joys they experience together, from early adolescence and throughout their lives.

Customer Reviews:

Well Researched Thoughtful Discussion of Female Friendships.......2007-06-13

Written by two female professionals, the authors discuss their research of female friendships. Originally intended to be a book for young girls, their research ended up including adult development for female friendships. The author's clearly understand the quality of affection and bonds that women have for one another and uncover the perils of emotional connection that can cause emotional havoc between women. Recommended for mature teens and mothers of teenaged girls. Also recommended to women who have been hurt by their female friends. This discussion is not about lesbian feelings, but feelings all women (including lesbians) have for strong female friendships.

Enlightening.......2001-06-01

Woman share there thoughts and heartache with the reader about the perils of friendship the good things and the bad. sort of depressing

Thought Provoking.......2000-03-10

This book caught my attention from the very first page. I was surprised at its honesty at analyzing friendship among women of all ages. It contains in-depth detail about the ups and downs of friendships and explains why girls and women behave the way they do in their relationships with other women. I was able to relate to many of the incidents described and I was left with a better understanding of my past and current friendships. The book proved to be a companion in its own right as I was able to refer to it to strengthen my relationship with my best friend without sacrificing too much. The casual tone carried out throughout the book makes it suitable reading for all ages as well. Definitely recommended for anyone who values friendship.

A wonderful insight in understanding friendships.......1999-11-17

I found this book very insightful, not only as the father of four daughters, but for my own friendships as well. She has interviewed both young and adult women and has brought out many of the issues dealing with friendships -- the "real" friend, rejection, viewing ourselves in relationship to our friends (the "mirror"). We often do not understand that these friendship issues follow us throughout our entire lives. Many of the stories she tells are quite thought provoking and will "hit home". I highly recommend this book for anyone, man or woman.

GREAT, and INCITEFUL!!!!.......1999-05-30

I couldn't put this book down, it should be read by all women, young and old. We all can feel and understand what these girls and women are talking about.

As a teenager, we all remember those petty quarrels that ended great friendships, and now 20 years later your still doing the same thing.

Friendships are sensitive matters, and that's what makes them great. Who can you tell everything about yourself except a friend. And yes, when that trust is betrayed it does hurt, but look at your self, you have probably betrayed someone else.

Book Description

Charlotte Ramsey is the new girl again. After causing the biggest cafeteria blunder in history, Charlotte's assigned lunch partners-the very stylish Katani, irrepressible Avery, and super-friendly Maeve-can't wait to dump her.

Can it get any worse? Absolutely! Nobody is talking, and Katani wants out of the group. What a mess! Can the girls become true friends or will they remain worst enemies forever?

Customer Reviews:

cool book reveiw by silverfeather.......2007-07-30

this book was pretty good but the others in the series are better. i really recomend the series!

mom's review.......2007-01-16

I am a mom of an avid reader, aged 9. I am always concerned that, because she can read well, she will choose books that may be challenging in length and context but may be too advanced for her socially and emotionally. I just finished this, book 1 of the series, and am happy to say that this looks like a series I can get behind 100%. The series revolves around the friendship and loyalty of a group of diverse middle school girls who create a club in an attic. In book 1, the author tackles the subjects that kids at this age deal with (diverse backgrounds and interests, snobs, crushes, learning diabilities - one girl has a laptop not because she's a rich snob but because she has a learning disability)in a language they understand...hip slang, cyberspeak, etc. The values of loyalty, honesty, civic duty and friendship are paramount in this story. Moms and Dads, fret not. Only positive messages found in this book. I look forward to my daughter reading these and getting hooked on a series based on strong girls and their friendship.

A Delightfully Funny Read! .......2007-01-04

This is the first installment in the Beacon Street Girls series. And, by far my favorite book of them all. Probably because this story is being told from the views of the original four BSGs (Beacon Street Girls). It's a fun read for girls my age (11). But you have to admit, the whole "As soon as they meet, they despise each other and in the end are friends" thing gets really old and overrated. I understand the reason they didn't like each other was first impressions, but still, "Never assume", that's my motto. It may surprise people but Annie Bryant, is not just one person writing these funny but somewhat serious books, but a whole team writing together. And from reading these books I realized that I have a bit of all the BSG in me. I love creativity like Isabel, I can imitate voices like Maeve, I love writing and reading like Charlotte, I love animals like Avery, and I love fashion like Katani. I really enjoy the message of being yourself. So really, there's something for everyone in these delightful books. The summary of the book is basically Charlotte is new and she doesn't hit it off very well with the other girls when they should be trying to be working together as they are working on an assignment. It's a very funny read and I definitely reccomend it!

Fantastic Find!.......2006-08-05

I bought this book for my niece hoping that she would discover the wonders of reading if she had material that pertained to her life. Not only did she love the book, but she seems to have an insatiable desire for the series! Nothing makes me happier than to hear her bubbling about how Katani resembles her best friend at school! She has truly found herself in these books. I reccommend this book for anyone who wants to incite a passion for reading in a little girl!

Worst Enemies/Best Friends (Beacon Street Girl Book #1).......2006-08-04

Worst Enemies/Best Friends is a book that starts with a girl named Charlotte who just moved to Beacon street. (She lived in Paris before)! She has to of course start at a new school. It is the first day of school when she figures out that everyone in her class is told that they have setting arangments! everyone at her tabe hates eachother and are Worst Enimies! One day their teacher gave them an assingment to wite a letter to her if they have any rule they would like to cange. One girl at Charolttes table asked if they could have a sleep over and then beable to sit where ever they want! The teacher said yes! after the sleep over the were best friends and became the Becon Street girls or BSG as they said!

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Bass Ackwards and Belly Up
wonderful coming-of-age tale
Four Square
Read this book!
Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Bass Ackwards and Belly Up
Elizabeth Craft , and Sarah Fain
Manufacturer: Poppy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316057940

Book Description

For readers of the New York Times bestselling Gossip Girl and A-List series, here is a smart and highly commercial first novel about four best friends who, after graduating high school, decide to postpone the standard college route to pursue their creative dreams. Harper Waddle, Sophie Bushell, and Kate Foster are about to commit the ultimate suburban sin--bailing on college to each pursue their dreams: write the next Great American Novel, make it as a Hollywood actress, and backpack around the world. Middlebury-bound Becca Winsberg is convinced her friends have gone insane...until they remind her she just might have a dream of her own. So what if their lives are bass ackwards and belly up? They'll always have each other. Harper is going to be the next Jane Austen.Or Sylvia Plath.Or Plum Sykes.Figuring out which should be easy.It?s living with the lie she told her three best friends that?s going to be hard.Kate doesn?t know exactly what she wants.But whatever it is, she won?t find it at Harvard.Maybe the answer is in Paris, or Athens? or anywhere Kate can be someone besides the girl with perfect grades, perfect hair, and the perfect boyfriend.Sophie is a star.She?s already got the looks, the talent, and a list of demands for her dressing room.Now that she?s wrangled a furnished guesthouse in Beverly Hills, it?s only a matter of time before she?s discovered.Unless she isn?t.Becca is dysfunctional.At least, her family is.Which is why she can?t wait to flee the drama and get to college.But Becca?s friends know she needs more than a spot on the Middlebury ski team and a cozy dorm room.They know she needs to fall in love.Dreams are complicated.They almost never turn out like you imagine?they almost always change. Sometimes, they change you.

Customer Reviews:

Bass Ackwards and Belly Up.......2007-05-07

It is the time for their lives to truly take flight. Best friends Harper, Kate, Becca and Sophie have graduated high school and are going to separate colleges to pursue their separate careers. But to Harper's disappointment, her future is crushed when she received the rejection letter from NYU and rather than tell her friends the truth, she decides to spend the year writing America's next Little Women. Although her gambling journey was not to be taken alone, for Harper inspired both Kate and Sophie to chase their dreams as well. Sophie blindly stumbles into Hollywood in search of the perfect audition that will propel her into the movie business, but instead finds love with the wrong actor. Leaving home with only a passport and an open road, Kate bails out of Harvard to explore the world and its broad opportunity where she hopes her dream is hidden. The only one to stick to her plan, Becca hits the ski slopes on the Middlebury team content with the only thing she feels good at, which keeps her company when her friends are far. Love comes to each girl that year and with it decisions that could change their lives, and though apart, the four friends manage to find ways to hold each other close. Bass Ackwards and Belly Up, by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fein, is a heartfelt novel that defines the love that is intertwined in the friendship of four girls who experience their first steps into the real world.

Bass Ackwards and Belly Up is made up of the four stories of the four friends Becca, Harper, Sophie and Kate. The tales of each of their separate lives makes the book a more intriguing read, one that's difficult to put down. From each girl, the reader can sometimes relate and because there are separate stories, it is easier to compare with.

Thorough the hard times, together or apart, the authors do a great job of defining each character by their experiences. For instance, when Kate is robbed and Harper finishes the first fifty pages of her book, each girl is changed and reacts a different way to the events. The characters are very well developed and it makes the story much easier to imagine.

Bass Ackwards and Belly Up focuses on each friend's dream, whatever that dream may be. In this way, it gives teens the incentive to chase their dreams, but still to think out what this change may hold for their futures. Through this story, the authors send a great message for teens that shows you can accomplish whatever you wish if you just give it a try.

This story of four friends and their adventures as young adults is an incredible story of love, determination and the freedom to make your own choices with the burden of the consequences. I highly recommend Bass Ackwards and Belly Up to teenage girls and young adults for I highly enjoyed it myself.

E. Knipp

wonderful coming-of-age tale.......2007-02-09

Best friends Harper, Sophie, Becca, and Kate have done everything together since elementary school. Now they've graduated, and are about to go off to college. True, they're all going to different schools, in different cities, but they're still all having the same experiences, just in different locations. Then, the night before Becca is supposed to leave for Middlebury, Harper drops a bomb. Instead of heading off to Manhattan, she's going to be staying at home in her parents basement and writing the next Great American Novel. In other words, following her Dream. Sophie and Kate quickly hop on board the "Dream Train," as they call it, going to L.A. and Europe, respectively. For Becca, joining the Middlebury ski team is her dream, but her friends tell her she should work on expanding her horizons by falling in love. As the girls' powerful stories alternate throughout the novel, you will be rooting for all of them to accomplish their dreams. True, there are obstacles: a bitter ski coach, skeezy guys, and writer's block, to name a few. But this Dream Train is full speed ahead, and it doesn't stop for anything or anyone.

Four Square.......2007-01-18

Despite their vastly different personalities and families, Harper, Sophie, Becca, and Kate have been best friends for years. No matter what, they tell each other everything.

Well, almost everything. Harper was rejected from NYU, the only college to which she applied, and has been keeping this a secret from her friends and her parents for months. Right before her friends plan to take off for colleges all over the country, the truth comes out.

Well, kind of. Harper acts as though she has decided not to go to NYU, preferring to stay home and write the next Great American Novel. She thinks this quasi-admission will shock her friends, but their reactions shock her even more: two of them decide to follow her example and take a year off from college to chase their own capital-D Dreams.

From there on, the story follows each girl in turn. Each storyline is given equal time and attention, switching back and forth every few pages. This format will be familiar to fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Sophie wants to be a famous actress. As luck would have it, her mom's old friend lives with her husband in Beverly Hills and allows Sophie to stay at the guesthouse rent-free. Sophie's landlords are quite busy and have good connections, giving her total freedom and helping her snag some auditions. Sophie befriends Sam, an aspiring actor who takes care of the pool and does odd jobs around the place, and Trey, a famous actor who gets her a line in a movie and steals her heart. If you like Sophie's storyline, read The 310 series by Beth Killian.

Kate's post-high-school plans were supposed to be set in stone: Go to Harvard with her long-time boyfriend, study hard and get good grades in an effort to live up to her parents' high expectations. Harper's big plan makes Kate realize she has no plan of her own. Europe calls out to her, so she books a plane ticket and packs her bags. As her boyfriend drops her off at the airport, he breaks up with her. She heads off to her big trip feeling more alone than ever. While she travels, she attempts to work her way through a list of 100 tasks ("Touch the Berlin Wall," "Take the water," "Stomp grapes") created by her friends and her younger adopted sister Habiba. If you like Kate's story, read 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson.

Becca heads off to Middlebury as planned, wanting to wow the school's coach with her skiing ability. He coached an Olympic team and she wants to impress him more than anything. She ends up getting on his bad side during the first practice and staying there for quite some time. Not only that, but small pratfalls evolve into bigger disasters, snowballing into something she never could have seen coming. Somewhere along the way, she manages to do the one thing her friends challenged her to do: fall in love. If you like Becca's story, read the Love Bukowski series by Emily Franklin.

Meanwhile, Harper finds herself staring at a blank computer screen. Now living in her parents' basement and told that she must pay rent, she takes a job at a local coffeehouse. An old classmate, Judd, becomes an unlikely friend. The twenty-three-year-old English teacher she crushed on in high school becomes a regular customer - and maybe something more. Now if she could only manage to actually write something . . . If you like Harper's story, read That Summer by Sarah Dessen.

The book covers three months in the lives of four teenage girls. As any teenager can tell you, that is both a very short and a very long period of time. During those three months, the characters are each granted a new kind of independence, but manage to come back together. If only all friendships were truly this strong, and we were all afforded the freedom (and, for the most part, incredibly good luck and easy resolutions) these girls were given.

Read this book!.......2006-11-04

I loved this book so much. My mom bought it for me so that I would have something to do on the plane ride to Germany and I wouldn't stop reading until I was finish! The book really reminded me of my life and my friends and how life can throw turns for the better or the worse.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-10-27

Harper Waddle, Sophie Bush, Kate Foster, and Becca Winsberg, four best friends who bonded in middle school during a fateful trip to the bathroom, have reached a pivotal moment in their lives. The summer after their high school graduation leaves them ready to pursue their much anticipated futures; Becca, a spot on the much coveted Middlebury college ski team; Harper, an acceptance into her dream school, NYU; Kate, a future at Harvard with her beloved boyfriend; and poor Sophie, stuck at home attending community college. Unfortunately, none of their plans really coincide with each other.

Harper, however, is living with a big secret. One so big that it causes her to ditch her college plans in pursuit of her "dream." This act of liberation starts a whirlwind of commotion during the last few days of the girls' summer, and by the start of the new school year, only Becca has stayed true to her original plans. Fueled with ambition, daring Sophie leaves their small town of Boulder in hope of hitting it big in Los Angeles, impeccable Kate forsakes Harvard for Europe, and Harper is determined to write the next "Great American Novel."

Now separated by state lines and oceans, and linked only by letters, lists, and the occasional telephone call, Harper, Sophie, Kate, and Becca are left to discover what growing up is all about. Characteristic of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Second Summer of the Sisterhood / Girls in Pants (3 Book Set) trilogy,

BASS ACKWARDS AND BELLY UP is a humorous tale about the path to maturity, narrated from each girl's own particularl journey, and illustrates the sometimes haphazard route one follows in pursuit of a dream.

Reviewed by: Emylee

A Girl's Best Friend (Spa Girls Series #2))

Average customer rating:

Her story may be the most promising of all.
Thoroughly Fun Read
Kristin's stories just keep getting better!
The First Lady of Christian Chick-Lit does it again
Fabulous "chick lit"!

A Girl's Best Friend (Spa Girls Series #2))
Kristin Billerbeck
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1591453291

Book Description

Three friends. One spa. And an infinite amount of oversharing! The second novel in the Spa Girls Collection focuses on Morgan, who seems to have it all--diamonds at her disposal, a willowy figure, elegance, and a doting daddy. But her etiquette-controlled, well-sculpted life has left her without an identity to call her own.

Customer Reviews:

Her story may be the most promising of all. .......2007-06-06

In A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND, Kristin Billerbeck continues the spa escapades and relationship foibles of three friends whom readers met in SHE'S ALL THAT. It's a Chick Lit plot all the way, as they try to make sense of life, love and vocation. When the going gets tough, these gals head for a good manicure and facial.

In book one, Billerbeck followed Lilly Jacobs, Poppy Clayton and Morgan Malliard's friendship through the eyes of Lilly, a fashion designer whose romantic life had gone to pieces and who was at a dead end at her job. In book two, Billerbeck shifts the focus to Morgan, the poor little rich girl who has everything money can buy but longs for love and her father's attention.

Morgan is despondent after an escapade with a man who claimed he was a Christian rock star. He swept her away from a fashion show where she was modeling Lilly's couture wedding gown and her daddy's diamonds, and he seemed to be the Prince Charming of her dreams. But like most Prince Charmings, he seemed too good to be true --- and he was. The paparazzi are having a field day with the story of the "Jilted Jewelry Heiress" and Morgan is ready to lay low for a while.

"You know, if it was Johnny Depp I was accused of adultery with, well, so be it, gossip away," Morgan tells her two best friends angrily. "But a guy without a job, who was living off his wife in Daly City while I thought he was off in Nashville making his way as a Christian artist? Now that's just humiliating."

With her father's money, Morgan can lay low in style. She has the 600-thread Egyptian cotton sheets, unlimited Visa card, a BMW, and pair after pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. But her father's money may be in jeopardy --- and a new wicked stepmother waits in the wings. Then, Morgan is implicated in legal troubles. Should Morgan leave home and try to make it on her own? And what talents does she have besides wearing big expensive diamonds and looking beautiful?

When the three girls get in over their heads, they head for...you guessed it right. "Man, I need a spa treatment," Morgan intones. "Not just a measly pedicure or a pink-and-white nail fill. I need the full treatment; an enzyme peel, a moisturizing facial, a cucumber mask for my puffy eyes, a hot-stone massage, and maybe even a diamond treatment."

Meanwhile, Morgan and Poppy wonder why Lilly is putting off tying the knot with her own special guy, hotel dynasty heir Max Schwartz. Lilly has a few secrets of her own, and her beloved irascible Nana isn't going to be happy when she finds out what Lilly isn't telling. Poppy, a chiropractor, lends some engaging quirkiness to the storyline, with her oddball mixture of natural healing remedies, Zen-like statements and Christianese: "Self-esteem comes from the Lord, not other people. Why should we care what others think?" She mixes self-help and pop spirituality as easily as she wears her gauzy skirts.

Although Morgan isn't as interesting a character as Lilly, fans of the first book will enjoy catching up on the lives of the three women. It's a good bet that Poppy will be the focus of the next installment, and as the most colorful character of the trio, her story may be the most promising of all.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Thoroughly Fun Read.......2006-09-03

A great series by a fine author! This book was a gift, and I had serious reservations about reading it (I wasn't planning to read it!). It sounded like chick fluff, but I read it anyway. IT WAS FABULOUS!!! Ms. Billerbeck has a way of pulling you into the story...you just have to read what the characters say and do next! After I finished this book, I bought four others (two from the Spa Girls series and an Ashley Shockingdale novel). Keep 'em coming, Kristin!!!!

Kristin's stories just keep getting better!.......2006-07-03

A Girl's Best Friend was everything I thought it would be. In fact, I liked it even more than She's All That, probably because Morgan is a fellow blonde. The author did an amazing job making me feel a part of Morgan's life, and helping me empathize with her despite the fact that she's lived a life of privilege. There were some very touching scenes as well as some eye-openers for Morgan. Poor girl really was protected from the "real world" to the point that it was almost harmful for her to function in society without that protection of the almighty dollar. I love how she "found" herself and discovered that she didn't have to repeat history and become what her parents were. I loved how her dad stayed a jerk because in reality many people have parents whose love is conditional and that's a very sad thing. I loved it that Morgan became stronger, and in the end she knew what she wanted, and it wasn't riches. Her heart didn't have to be as hard as a diamond because she could chose to love and give of herself to show that love. Truly a remarkable and very believable transformation, thanks to the loving input and truth-speaking of her Spa Girl friends, who tell it like it is. I am anticipating a bang-up story of Poppy's self-discovery and something tells me that story will top them all. It's how Billerbeck does things. She builds your relationship and love for the characters, and makes each new story that much better. Just when you think you've discovered your favorite chick lit story, she hits you with an even better one. Amazing! Oh, and her attraction to the man with the six pack abs and the anticipation of his kisses made me smile. Morgan had private thoughts about the man's abs like I think about fine chocolate. Now that's a great story!

The First Lady of Christian Chick-Lit does it again.......2006-06-30

"...the beauty is in the flaws."

The First Lady of Christian Chick-Lit has done it again. The second book in this Collection, is about Spa Girl, Morgan Malliard. Morgan is the socialite of San Fransisco. Her life consists of expensive shoes and purses and showing off her Daddy's diamond collection to boost sales at his store.

Morgan opens the book finding herself in a scandal that she unknowingly started in She's All That . As a result she lands herself in the newspapers, yet again. All Morgan wants is to be rescued by her knight in shining armor, and yet seems to attract just the opposite. Like always a quick trip to the spa with the girls will solve all her problems. Little does she know that by the time she leaves the spa her world will be turned upside down.

Morgan, returns to San Fransisco and must pause to find out WHO she really is and WHAT she is really made of. Is her life really as perfect as she has always been led to believe? Is there more to life than expensive things? Has anything she done in her life mattered to this point? Who's will does she need to follow- her Daddy's or Gods? The answers to these questions are life changing for Morgan.

Billerbeck is first rate in reflecting the main character's view point. It was interesting to see how Morgan viewed the personalities and the relationships of the Spa Girls. It was quite the turn from Lillie's perspective in She's All That. There were also a couple of turns in this book I just didn't see coming. It is always fun to read a book that keeps you guessing. Billerbeck does a great job of showing that all the riches in the world don't buy you happiness. Life is not always going to be perfect as determined by the world, yet it will only be perfect as determined by God.

Courtesy of Lone Star Latte-n-Libre

Fabulous "chick lit"!.......2006-05-30

"A Girl's Best Friend" is a little bit darker than any of the Ashley Stockingdale books or "She's All That", but it completely worked with the story. One or two things I didn't agree with (these girls share everything and Lily hides something big from them), but otherwise it was fabulous. Kristin is a master at raising issues that every single Christian girl has faced without being overly preachy. Can't wait for the third installment!!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants)

Average customer rating:

A Great Book
One of those books I love to revisit and reread
A great feel good book!
Too Much Drama
A Review From Hannah Peterson

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants)
Ann Brashares
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385729332
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

They were just a soft, ordinary pair of thrift-shop jeans until the four girls took turns trying them on--four girls, that is, who are close friends, about to be parted for the summer, with very different sizes and builds, not to mention backgrounds and personalities. Yet the pants settle on each girl's hips perfectly, making her look sexy and long-legged and feel confident as a teenager can feel. "These are magical Pants!" they realize, and so they make a pact to share them equally, to mail them back and forth over the summer from wherever they are. Beautiful, distant Lena is going to Greece to be with her grandparents; strong, athletic Bridget is off to soccer camp in Baja, California; hot-tempered Carmen plans to have her divorced father all to herself in South Carolina; and Tibby the rebel will be left at home to slave for minimum wage at Wallman's.

Over the summer the Pants come to represent the support of the sisterhood, but they also lead each girl into bruising and ultimately healing confrontations with love and courage, dying and forgiveness. Lena finds her identity in Greece and the courage not to reject love; Bridget gets in over her head with an older camp coach; Carmen finds her father ensconced with a new fiancée and family; and Tibby unwillingly takes on a filmmaking apprentice who is dying of leukemia. Each girl's story is distinct and engrossing, told in a brightly contemporary style. Like the Pants, the reader bounces back and forth among the four unfolding adventures, and the melange is spiced with letters and witty quotes. Ann Brashares has here created four captivating characters and seamlessly interwoven their stories for a young adult novel that is fresh and absorbing. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

Book Description

Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn’t look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them. But Tibby says they’re great. She'd love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they’re fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants . . . the next morning, they say good-bye. And then the journey of the pants — and the most memorable summer of their lives — begins.

Download Description

Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn't look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them.

But Tibby says they're great. She'd love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they're fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants.

Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants... the next morning, they say good-bye. And then the journey of the pants -- and the most memorable summer of their lives -- begins.

"Tautly written, the novel is wise."
   USA TODAY

Customer Reviews:

A Great Book.......2007-10-07

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a great book! I thought that it was very easy to relate to, and it was very fun to read. The book was very emotional at some times, but it also had some humor.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is about four girls who have been best friends since they were babies. They had never been separated for more than a few weeks, but this summer they were all going somewhere different, except for Tibby. On one of their last days together they found a pair of magical pants. Even though they were all different the pants fit them all, and looked great! They decided that the pants were magical and to pass them around to each other during the summer. That night they made a list of rules, and had a ceremony. The most important rules were to keep them only for a week, unless necessary, to keep in touch, and follow all of the rules.
At first the pants didn't seem at all magical, except for the fact that they fit them all perfectly. On the second time around they began to work. They carried a piece of each girl's strength with them. By the end of the summer all of the girls had experienced tragedy, met new people, and had fun.
I think that this book was very fun to read because I could relate to the story, and a lot of interesting things happened. I also liked the authors writing style. I think that the ending was cut off short, but I think that it was a very good book.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a great book! I thought that it was very easy to relate to, and it was very fun to read. The book was very emotional at some times, but it also had some humor.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is about four girls who have been best friends since they were babies. They had never been separated for more than a few weeks, but this summer they were all going somewhere different, except for Tibby. On one of their last days together they found a pair of magical pants. Even though they were all different the pants fit them all, and looked great! They decided that the pants were magical and to pass them around to each other during the summer. That night they made a list of rules, and had a ceremony. The most important rules were to keep them only for a week, unless necessary, to keep in touch, and follow all of the rules.
At first the pants didn't seem at all magical, except for the fact that they fit them all perfectly. On the second time around they began to work. They carried a piece of each girl's strength with them. By the end of the summer all of the girls had experienced tragedy, met new people, and had fun.
I think that this book was very fun to read because I could relate to the story, and a lot of interesting things happened. I also liked the authors writing style. I think that the ending was cut off short, but I think that it was a very good book.

One of those books I love to revisit and reread.......2007-07-05

I originally read "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" by the brilliant writer, Ann Brashares, because I was trying to write a novel for young adults. Hearing such great things about the story and the writing, I was intrigued and wanted to be educated. I was, but I was also entertained. I found the book heartwarming, funny, sad, and one of the best stories I'd read in my life. I am 37 years old, i am not even the target audience, but I do recommend it to both young girls and friends my own age or older. It is a universal story of friendship and how a pair of worn jeans from a thrift shop enriches and excites the summer that the four friends have apart.
Carmen, Tibby, Lena, and Bridget all born within a few weeks, grow up together as friends and learn a lot about life and love all with the pants at their side. It's such a great story and I love Brashares writing. It is straight forward, and told in a true to life way. CAll it chick lit or light reading for summer, but it is just a darn good book and story!
I am rereading the first three books so I can read the new one.

A great feel good book!.......2007-06-26

Ann Brashares' first installment in the sisterhood of the traveling pants series pulls readers into its special charms. This novel tells the story of four girls who are linked together by a special friendship. Its tells of there first summer apart from each other and how a special pair of jeans help them overcome daily hardships. Lena goes to Greece to visit her grandparents. Finally she falls in love with an American born Greek guy named Kostos. Carmen goes to visit her father for the time of her life. Unfortunately, that was ruined when she learned the fact that her dad was engaged to a perfect blonde woman with a family of her own. Bridget goes to a soccer camp in Baja California where she falls in love with one of the coaches, Eric. Unfortunately Eric can't go out wth her because he is a soccer coach there, but he asks if she will give him a chance when she goes to college. She is also saddend by the fact that her mom is dead and she has no one to talk to about her problems, so Lena goes to the camp at the end of her vacation in Greece and helps her out. And last but not least, Tibby stayed at home in Bethesda Maryland. While living a boring life, working at Wallmans, a local supermarket store, Tibby is planning to make a movie. But one day at Wallmans a little girl falls over and soon after Tibby becomes pratically best friends with Bailey, even though she won't admit it. Saddly though, Bailey has leukemia and she dies, leaving Tibby heart broken. Finally in the end the four girls get on with their life, helping each other out,with the help of the pants, together and apart.

Too Much Drama.......2007-06-06

The four of them--Carmen, Tibby, Bee and Lena--have been best friends since before they were born, when their moms took a pregnant aerobics class together. Gradually their mothers grew apart, but the four girls grew closer and closer. They have always spent their summer vacations together, creating memories that were intertwined. This year will be different. Carmen is going to stay with her father for the summer. Bee is going to a soccer camp and Lena is going to stay with her grandparents in Greece. Tibby is the only one staying home and working all summer. They are all sad to be separating for the vacation.

Then they find an amazing pair of thrift-shop jeans. Despite the radically different body shapes of the four girls, the pants look perfect on every single one of them. These pants must have some sort of magic in them. The girls immediately decide that they will have to use the power of these pants. They draw up a contract stating that the pants shouldn't be washed and they agree to send the pants to each other over the course of the summer, so that each one of them can experience the magic and adventure that is sure to follow such a pair of pants.

I liked how this story was told in little episodes from each girl's life. It kept the story moving along really quickly and kept me from getting bogged down in any one story. I also liked how things didn't always work out perfectly in the end; the pants weren't really magical. They were just a tangible example of the friends' love for each other.

The book didn't grab me, though. I thought all of the girls were silly and overly dramatic about their lives and the things they had to deal with this summer. The plot lines were predictable, as was the growth and supposed maturity attained by each of the girls during this story.

A Review From Hannah Peterson.......2007-05-23

Hannah Peterson
Language Arts
Book Review

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a book about four girls named Lena, Carmen, Bridget and Tibby. They go into a thrift shop and find a pair of jeans that Lena tries on. Then, the other three girls try the pants on. Even though they are different shapes and sizes, the pants fit them all perfectly. Because of their hidden "magic" the girls decide to share the pants over the summer, by sending them to each other in the mail, since they would be traveling different places over the summer

Lena is traveling to Greece to see her grandparents. She is the first to get the pants, since Greece is the farthest away. She wears the pants when she falls into the ocean off a dock, and is saved by a boy named Kostos. Next to get the pants is Bridget. She goes to Baja, California for a soccer camp. Bridget wears the pants while sneaking out of the camp and gets into a huge mess. Carmen goes to South Carolina to see her dad, since her parents were divorced. When she gets there, she finds that her dad had moved and was getting remarried!! She becomes very angry and jealous of her new family. Last, was Tibby. She got them last, since she stayed in Washington D.C. because she had a summer job at Wallman's. While she is working, she witnesses a 12 year old girl fainting in one of the aisles. It turns out that the girl has leukemia. She had gone through a number of surgeries, but none of them had worked, so her parents were letting her die, but giving her one last summer. Would the pants give Bailey the "magic" that was thought to be within the pants?

I would recommend this book a lot to people who like realistic fiction and stories about something that could happen today. Also, I probably wouldn't recommend this book to guys, because it has a lot of girlish drama and a lot of emotion and sadness, but it is also happy. It isn't a very hard book to grasp. But it switches off from each girl time to time, and it is a little hard to remember what is happening to each girl.

Best Friends Forever!: 199 Projects to Make and Share

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Best Friends Forever!: 199 Projects to Make and Share
Laura Torres
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0761132740

Book Description

For girls of a certain age there's nothing as much fun as making things to share with friends, especially with their BFF (Best Friend Forever). And there's no author better qualified to inspire them with stylish crafts and projects than Laura Torres, whose previous tween craft books for Klutz--including Friendship Bracelets and Pipe Cleaners Gone Crazy--have sold over a million copies each.

Best Friends Forever! is Laura Torres at her most creative, most enthusiastic, most encouraging, most entertaining. Writing like the best big sister a girl could ever have, she presents over 90 two-of-a-kind crafts that one-of-a-kind friends can use, wear, and share. Here are Friendship Stack Rings, Hair Sticks, Scrapbookmarks, Fantastic Frames, Trading Laces, Pajama Pants Swap, Pocket Pillows, Fuzzy Dudes, Sweet and Fruity Lip Gloss--and on, and on. All the projects in the book are illustrated in full color, and are made using low-cost materials either from around the house or from stores like Target or Wal-Mart. Most require only minimal skill. A few projects will need to be sewn, but that's all part of the excitement of DIY that girls will discover--that, and the unabashed fun of using glitters, beads, paints, colored floss, and other decorative flourishes to make everything truly divalicious.

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