Dear Pen Pal
- ISBN13: 9781416974307
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
For the mother-daughter book club, everything changes in eighth grade.Could the book club break up? When Jess is offered an anonymous scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, she’s not sure that leaving home — and her friends — is what she wants to do. Meanwhile Megan’s grandmother comes for a long visit and turns everything in the Wong household upside down; Emma crusades against hermiddle school’s new uniforms; and Cassidy fi nds out there’s a big ch… More >>
How many books portray moms AND tweens in a realistic enlightening way? Not many. In much of the juvenile fiction I’ve read, the parents are either stereotypical no-fun nags, or super-human, or not well-developed.
The Mother-Daughter Bookclub series allows moms to see their daughters in a new light — and vice-versa, I hope. I love that the moms are going through their own issues and struggles as well. For example, in DEAR PEN PAL, one mom is trying to become “A whole new me,” and another mom is dealing with her disapproving mother looking over her shoulder since she’s moved in for a time.
The tweens are really growing up. They are in 8th grade now, and Jess goes off to boarding school (but is still near-by).
The book they read is Daddy Long Legs, by Jean Webster, which parallels Jess’s situation nicely. My daughter and I both read Daddy Long Legs and loved it. I thank Heather Vogel Frederick for introducing it to us. I think that this book focuses more on the girls than the book themes, and for that reason, you don’t miss much if you aren’t familiar with it. In fact, Frederick takes pains not to reveal the surprise ending of Daddy Long Legs so that if girls choose to read it after, it won’t be spoiled.
Another fantastic addition to this series.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is another enjoyable book in a series of books that I have enjoyed so much. The girls in the book club are growing up and learning more about themselves and the world around them. This time they are reading books by Jean Webster. I haven’t (yet) read the Webster books but my interest is now piqued.
Jess is given a scholarship to the local private school where her greatest challenge is not the academics but a roommate that makes Becca Chadwick look like Miss Congeniality. Emma’s relationship with Stewart grows and she finds a new friend in an unexpected place. Megan explores her relationship with her mother through a visit from her grandmother. Cassidy learns about life as the Sloane-Kincaid family grows and changes.
In addition to everything that’s happening in Concord, the girls are reading Daddy-Long-Legs which is told through a series of letters. To broaden the experience for the book club girls, Mrs. Hawthorne sets up a pen pal for each girl. Their pen pals are from Gopher Hole, Wyoming and each has uncanny similarities to the girls in Concord.
I try (but never succeed) to read these Mother-Daughter Book Club stories slowly so that I can `hang out’ with the group for just a little longer. I think that girls (and their mothers) reading these books can find a bit of themselves in each character. I look forward to the next in the series.
Rating: 5 / 5
It is a wonderfull feeling to be able to pick up a book and know that you will not be dissapointed. That is the knowing feeling I have with these books. They are just so cute, sweet, and warm. And not lacking in insight, and good moral lessons. I also love the relationship between the mothers and the daughters, sure some are a little more strained than others, but they are all very sincere and realistic.
Gosh I love these characters! The adventures they have are full of girl power, and never ending fun. In each of these books I promise you will be able to relate to one of the girls at a certain time. These books are not only great, but highly praise, without giving away, the stories that the girls and their mothers are reading in the club. It celebrates the joys of family, friends, and a good book.
Rating: 5 / 5
This is probably my favorite tween series that is out there. I absolutely adore the characters, the storylines, the setup of the entire series. It’s one of the few series where I wish I could literally dive in the story and become a character. ,It combines everything that I love in a great book: a cast of characters that’s totally multi-dimensional and loves to read, food, friends and fun. It’s a recipe guaranteed for success, at least in my opinion.
There’s lots of humor in this book and I laughed out loud quite a few times. Also featured in the book are the awkward feelings that thirteen year old girls face, which I remember sadly all too well. The author does a wonderful job at portraying this without getting too sappy or uncomfortable. At the same time though, the writing is easy to read and just keeps you wanting to turn pages. I really like seeing how both the girls and their moms have changed since the beginning of the series. The mother-daughter relationships are just as important as the girls’ friendship and it is interesting to see how different and unique each bond is. I was also pleased to see some Chinese culture come into play with Megan’s grandmother.
I will admit, I had never heard of Daddy Long Legs before reading this book but now I totally want to read it! It’s always great to hear about new books and from the talk in this book, this sounds like a great children’s classic that I missed out on. The FAQ sheets that are handed out at the book club meetings serve as a plus for the readers who want to learn more about the author and how they wrote the book.
I’m wondering if we’ll be getting a first person section from Becca in the following books. I am really impressed at how she’s matured since the first book and has now become part of the gang. I’m also glad to see that the other girls do not hold grudges against her. These girls are very mature for their age and it’s nice to see them act responsible. At the same time though, they still act like kids which is perfectly fine. It’s such a refreshing change from books like The Clique series, where the characters there are acting like miniature wannabe adults.
I cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out. Honestly this is one of those books that I cannot find a single fault in. Everything in this book is truly wonderful and readers of all ages will enjoy it and be inspired to read the books mentioned in it as well. VERY HIGHLY recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5
Emma, Jess, Megan and Cassidy are back for another year of reading in their mother-daughter book club in Heather Vogel Frederick’s new book, Dear Pen Pal. Cracking this third book in the mother-daughter book club series is like reconnecting with old friends. The girls are in eighth grade this year, and they’ve learned a lot about friendship and family relationships.
In their ever-evolving lives, as it is with most of us, just when they figure out how to handle one challenge, another pops up. This time the challenges include dealing with a mean-spirited boarding school roommate, changing family dynamics when new family members move in and others move out, and navigating relationships with boys.
The girls are reading Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster, and Frederick once again seamlessly weaves in storylines that somewhat match those of Webster’s classic. The girls and moms learn fun facts about Jean Webster as they gather for book club discussions. The book club members also connect with a pen pal club in Gopher Hole, Wyoming, and it’s fun to read little snippets about the lives of these new girls and their moms through their letters.
I can’t wait to see what the whole gang will be up to in the fourth book of the series when the girls start high school. I highly recommend this whole series for members of mother-daughter book clubs with girls who are 9 to 13.
Rating: 4 / 5