Review: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Author: Ann Brashares
Publisher: Delacorte

Publication Date: September 11^th 2001

Pages: 294
Genre: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction

Series: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants  #1
Source: Paperback

  

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.

I was late bloomer when it came to reading this book. I watched the movie with my daughter when it first came out, and I enjoyed it and vowed to read the books one day. Well here it is yearssss later and I have read it and I loved it…. I ask myself, what took so long?

The story is simple it’s about 4 best friends. These 4 friends have been together every summer from… well basically before they were born. Their mother’s were in a birthing class together and all the girls were born within a month. They call themselves “The Septembers”. The books begin right before the girls will spend their first summer apart. They are nervous and a little scared of the summer they would have without each other, until the pants came along. With these magic pants the friends decide they will have the strength to make it through the summer with keeping in touch with letters and passing around the pants.

This book was filled with so much goodness. It made me laugh, it made me cry. I remembered what it was like to be a teenager and to get through life’s adventures with my friends along for the ride. It’s a book about life, friendship, sadness, joy, and growing up.  The author did a great job on the emotions in this book, I felt I was right there the entire time. There were times I wanted to hug, lecture, or just join the girls in their fun. It’s a must read. It’s a real feel good book!

The girls were so very different and even though they were their own person, they worked best together. Where one was shy another made up by being the life of the party. The way they complimented each other really made their friendship.  Lena was the head on straight, shy, good girl. Bee was the outgoing charismatic, trouble maker. Carmen was the loud, say it like it was, not gonna take anything from anyone girl. Tibby was the artistic, genuine, out there girl. Yup a one of kind group.  I loved them all because they all had something to bring to the story. 

Even though they worked well together, they didn't share their problems. The girls shared most things but when they were separeted for the summer, they didn't share as much as they should have, well except for the pants. They were able to make their own stories and deal with the problems alone. They all tended to forget that the others helped with their problems. Once they all got together again, things started to fall back into place. 

I loved the story of relationships in this book. Friendship took center but the stories also contained some really good stuff about family and romance too.  A great balance of issues and resolve that take place in a teenage girls life. 

A real treat. I am can't wait to read more.