Friday, March 05, 2010

The Secret Language of Girls

by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Hennepin County Library audioCD 3:52
read by Michele Santopietro
genre: YA (very young!) chick lit

This book has the *coolest* image and title, but the story just doesn't deliver. I think the reader's voice didn't do justice to the characters, because I enjoyed it a bit more when I read the text in the print copy in my collection.

But the story just didn't work for me even though there were some neat girl moments . . . this would resonate for certain sixth grade girls. But the shifting between Marylin's, Kate's, and even Petey's perspective was disconcerting. The story seemed to shift abruptly from the start of school to Halloween to . . . It seemed more like a string of vignettes than a cohesive story.

I did like certain scenes (e.g. Marylin's first kiss and the disappointment that goes with it, Kate's friendship with Andrew) but it isn't one that I'll be able to enthusiastically booktalk with my students.

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