WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW By Sonya Sones

Bibliogrpahy
Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689855535

Plot Summary
WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW tells the story of almost fifteen year-old Sophie and her relationships (or lack there of in some cases) with her mother, father, friends, and boyfriends. Sophie tells of her struggles relating and communicating with her mother, and the loneliness she fells when her mother and father fight. Her bond with her two best seems to be her saving grace and are the reason, "why I don't mind being an only child." Her relationship with her second boyfriend Dylan is one of puppy love and strong attraction. When that relationship ends, Sophie forms a friendship with a boy at school who everyone makes fun of named Murphy. The relationship soon turns romantic and Sophie is faced with telling her friends who her new boyfriend is. In the cafeteria at school, her friends are waving at her from one side of the room and Murphy (whose first name is Robin) is on the other side. The book ends with Sophie sitting across from Robin holding his hands thinking, "every thing's going to be all right, sometimes I just know things."

Critical Analysis
WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW is a disarmingly honest story of a young girl who is not afraid to make herself happy. Sones uses roughly one sentence per stanza broken up into short lines. This verse novel does not use rhyme, which I enjoyed. The novel reads like any other novel, but is fast moving and a quick read. Sones includes emails from Sophie's friends written in an authentic manner. The emotion felt by Sophie, as well as, mother, friends, and boyfriends is palpable. This novel is a good read for teens and adults alike. The events and emotions are easily relate-able.

Review Excerpts
Review in teenreads.com: "an honest and heartbreaking book"
Starred Review in School Library Journal: "Sones poems are glimpses through a peephole that many teens may be peeping for the first time"
Starred Review in Publishers Weekly: "Sones poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy."

Connections
*Would be a great choice for a teen book club
*Jump start discussions on family relationships, online relationships, teasing at school, relationships with the opposite sex, going after what makes you happy, etc.