What My Mother Doesn't Know

Bibliography
Sones, Sonya. 2001. What My Mother Doesn’t Know. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
ISBN 978-0-689-855535

Plot Summary
In What My Mother Doesn’t Know we meet Sophie, a teenager who is almost fifteen. The entire book is about Sophie’s teenage life. We are introduced to her best friends Rachel and Grace and all the fun teenage things they love doing together and to the many boy crushes Sophie has.

Critical Analysis
This verse novel is filled with themes young adults will be able to relate to such as teen age love, parent and teen relationships, school friendships, and cultural acceptance. What my mother doesn’t know is written in a colloquial conversational language from the main characters point of view. The book is organized as a group of free verse poems written in short lines that are easy to read that will appeal to reluctant teenage girl readers. The story moves and evolves quickly making it a quick and enjoyable dramatic read aloud novel.

Review Excerpt(s)
Booklist starred review-“Fast, funny, touching.”

Publishers Weekly-“Honest, destined to captivate.”

Kirkus starred review-“A verse experience that will leave readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction.”

Connections
*What My Mother Doesn’t Know is a great verse novel to inspire reluctant teenage girl readers.
*Must read What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know, the novel in verse, from Robin’s (Sophie’s teenage love) point of view.
*Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy, another acclaimed novel by Sonya Sones for reluctant readers.
*Compare and Contrast with another verse novel such as Heartbeat by Sharon Creech.