Bibliography
Sones, Sonya. 2001. What My Mother Doesn't Know. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-0689855535
Plot Summary
In this book of poetry, Sophie, a teenage girl, is very interested in boys. The boy of her dreams Dylan, finally asks Sophie to go out with him and Sophie just knows that this is her true love. Sophie later finds out that Dylan is her not so Mr. Right and she makes it her personal mission to find her soul mate. Sophie develops a series of odd relationships with other young boys that she encounters. Until she realizes the boy she would never be seen with is her true love.
Critical Analysis
This book is written in an unorthodox style, some pages consists of short poems summarizing one or more days of Sophie's day. This exquisite book is a fast, detailed, and intense read. The character Sophie is a confused teen who is dealing with all the normal things of a teenager. She's fighting with her mother, a father whose barely there, whether to be popular by choosing a guy she really doesn't like or being with a geek who no one likes. The theme of the book is transparent, 'don't judge a book by its cover'. The boys she thinks she's in love with are the boys she's judging based on outer appearance and not by inner character. There seems to be no topic off limits to discuss in this book. The character Sophie talks about having intimate kisses, and pretty panties, to sitting on top of boys laps. This is a good book to open up to young girls about having a relationship as a teenager. When I was a child I was not allowed to discuss dating in my household so I felt a tremendous connection to this book because the only people she could tell where her close friends as I did.
Even though this was a collection of poems it fit together as one story. The author did not use pictures to illustrate the story, her vivid words and her descriptions were suffice. This book has no rhyming words and it is free verse.
Reviews Excerpts/Awards
Entertainment Weekly-"Winning."
Booklist, Starred Review- "Fast, Funny, touching."
Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review- "A verse experience that will leave readers sighing with recognition and satisfaction."
Publisher's Weekly- "Honest...destined to captivate."
KLIATT- "Brilliant."
An ALA 2002 Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
An ALA 2002 Best Book for Young Adults
A Booklist Editors' Choice
Connections
-Have students write down a time in their life when someone as judged them wrongfully based on appearance.
-Have students predict about what will happen between Murphy and Sophie.
-Read the sequel, Why My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones.
-Discuss the proper things to do in a relationship
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