 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Sisterhood Everlasting
- By Ann Brashares
- Genre: Coming of Age
Common Sense Media says
New book in popular Traveling Pants series targets adults.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a new installment of the popular Traveling Pants series, but this volume takes place nearly 10 years later and is written for an adult audience. The four friends at the heart of this series are now nearly 30, and dealing with mature issues: When a key character dies, the three remaining friends assume it is a suicide, and when one discovers she is pregnant, she initially wants to have an abortion. There is some swearing and drinking, and also lots of tears and heartbreak. But in the end, there is a strong message about the power of friendship -- and the importance of telling people how you feel, even when it means taking a risk with your heart.
What's the story?
When a key character dies, the three remaining friends in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants find a letter suggesting it was suicide. This sudden tragedy makes the friends fall apart inside themselves, and from each other: One leaves her boyfriend and becomes homeless, another makes plans to marry her jerky boyfriend, and another's love seems doomed, since she can't tell her partner how she feels. But the deceased friend has left additional notes for the friends she has known since birth, and these letters help them fix what's broken in their lives, figure out what exactly happened in hers -- and ultimately lead them back to each other.
Is it any good?
This follow-up may be targeted to an older audience, but readers will still be inspired by its powerful messages about the importance of love and friendship. There is a lot of grieving here, which can be somewhat overwhelming, but the author knows these characters well, and the readers who have long loved them will be willing to follow them anywhere, including down their own personal paths of destruction. The ending may wrap a little neatly -- OK, a lot neatly -- but it is a satisfying conclusion after all these girls have lived and learned, in this volume and throughout the series.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the audience for this book. Is the book targeting teen or adult readers? Can you think of other books that are trying to reach both girls and women? What would publishers be interested in selling crossover books?
What made you want to read this installment of the series? And why do you think the author wanted to return to these characters? What do publishers have to gain by printing an additional volume of this popular series?
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AGE
Good book for mature readers.
I've read all of Brashares' books, including the Traveling Pants series, and was shocked when my favorite character turned up dead at the beginning of the book. The book was thought-provoking and a pretty good read, but don't make the mistake of thinking of it as another in the Traveling Pants series--this is absolutely an adult book. If your child is a mature 15 and up, it's okay for them; younger or less mature readers should wait.
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AGE
Love the whole series
I love the plot line and it shows that although many years apart can make you grow as a person it also shows that someday many years later you find the people you love again. It is sad though when one of the girls die. it is for mature readers because it is quite heavy on the soul when she dies
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| Author: | Ann Brashares |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Coming of Age |
| Publisher: | Random House |
| Publication date: | June 14, 2011 |
| Number of pages: | 368 |
| Hardcover price: | $25.00 |
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