Book Review: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Synopsis

Four best girlfriends hatch a plan to stay connected with one another as their lives start off in different directions: they pass around a pair of secondhand jeans that fits each of their bodies perfectly.

Comments

Some pretty mature content for the lower end of the age-range.  In general, a very real coming of age story.  True friendship is exemplified and it is nice to see girls being supportive and real with each other through their separate difficulties.

Language

Level 1, 2 & 3 [?]

Sexual Content

The girls want to feel sexy, boy sees girl naked, statues with ‘huge penises’, girl throws herself at her adult coach. He initially dissuades her, but ultimately they have sex, which she regrets.

Drugs/Alcohol

Teens drink beer and wine. Several drug references; feels like she is ‘tripping’, getting ‘stoned’, though there is no actual drug use in the story.

Violence/Disturbing

None

Social/Family

The girls struggle with stereotyping (the beauty, the athlete, etc), a girl’s mom dies, a young friend dies of leukemia, multiple references to body image, girls deceive their parents about where they are, using sleepovers as a cover.

Religion/Spiritual

Use of ‘God’ and ‘Jesus’ as curse words. A girl struggles with what she considers hypocrisy in her father’s religious behavior, and her own.