The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares (Audiobook)

Bibliographic Information:
Brashares, A. (2001). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Read by Angela Goethals. Random House Audio Publishing Group. ISBN: 0807211613

Book Awards:
WINNER 2002 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
WINNER 2002 - Book Sense Book of the Year

Plot Summary:
Four girls have been best friends since birth. They achieved this remarkable feat because their mothers were in a prenatal aerobics class together, and became friends. Although they are very different and go to different schools, they have remained close up through their sophomore year in high school by spending summers exclusively in each others' company. This summer, though, Bridget is going to soccer camp, Lena is going to Greece, Carmen is visiting her dad in Georgia, and Tibby is staying home. They are beginning to despair about their separation until Carmen finds the magic pants at a thrift store. Magically, the jeans fit all four girls perfectly despite their wildly different body shapes and sizes. Seeing this as a sign, the girls make a pact to only each keep the jeans for a week at a time before sending them to the next girl. Of course, the pants may NEVER be washed, so as to bring the experiences of the friends together!

Critical Evaluation:
This is an amazing set of characters, and the audio format adds a special dimension. The reader of the audiobook, Angela Goethals, does a spectacular job of giving each character his or her own voice, pulling the listener into the story. The girls have very different experiences; Bridgett experiences her first real love, Carmen struggles with her feelings towards dad's new family, Lena is experiencing culture-shock in Greece, and Tibby makes a new friend who is dying of leukemia. Each girl relies on and struggles with the dark and light sides of the facets of their personality that define them. Bridget with her damn-the-torpedoes courage, Tibby with her cynicism and bitter humor, Carmen with her fierce loyalty, and Lena with her beauty and introspection.
Reader's Annotation:
Have Magic Pants, will travel! Four best friends use a pair of strangely alluring pants to keep in touch over a summer of separation.

About the Author:
Ann Brasheres was born in 1967, and is mostly known for her series of four best-sellers about the four friends and the traveling pants. She grew up in the D.C. area, attending private school. She majored in philosophy at Barnard College, and lives in New York City with her husband, well-known realist artist Jacob Collins.

Genre:
Fiction

Curriculum Ties:
None

Booktalking Ideas:
Perfect pants!
Fit everyone?

Interest Age:
12+

Challenge Issues:
None.
However, if a challenge should occur,
Read the book! Cite awards and reviews. Refer to collection development policy.
Reason Included:
One of the most popular books for older 'tween girls, I wanted to see if the audio format would be equally good--it was!