I am a die-hard sisterhood fan so this book kind of annoyed me. These characters didn't have any of the same charm as Tibby, Lena, Bridget, or Carmen. I'm the same age but I couldn't really relate to any of the events in the story. I also thought that making out with a random stranger on the bus was pretty irrational behavior for 14 year olds, most of the people I know would never do that. It wasn't anything special really, but it wasn't too bad.
3 Willows
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Brashares' novel charms even without magical pants.
Why We Rated This
for Ages 12–14
The good stuff
What to watch out for
-
Violence:
-
Sex:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of 3 Willows was written by Stephanie Dunnewind
Parents need to know that this book from the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ultimately delivers positive messages about doing what's right, making good choices, taking chances, and accepting oneself. Along the way, the three young teen protagonists deaI with a borderline eating disorder, an alcoholic parent, a fickle cute boy, and the tribulations of fitting in with the popular crowd. The book name-drops characters from the author's Traveling Pants books but is targeted at a younger audience than that young adult series.
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about Polly's choice to start dieting and her obsession with models. Imagining herself as a model pictured in magazines distributed all over the world, she believes "you could see so much more of the world when you were flat than when you were full ... I'd like to be two-dimensional, she thought. That was what models got to be." What do teens think about the idea of being reduced to a two-dimensional picture? How does Polly's attitude change over the course of the book?
More on 3 Willows
Book Summary
Is It Any Good?
Brashares' strength is creating believable characters imbued with true-to-life faults. The 3 WILLOWS teens are not all beautiful, rich, and confident. Her insights into relationships with friends and family will garner a nod of agreement from many teens. When Polly's mom tries to make her feel better for being "weird," Polly confesses that she doesn't want to "interesting." "Maybe it was okay when you were grown up and in control of it, but being interesting in high school was no fun at all." Jo feigns indifference to her father's announcement about her parents' divorce, only to get angry at her father's relief. "Maybe she was a jerk to act like she didn't care, but he was a jerk to buy it."
The book starts a little slow and some of the lessons are predictable. However, teens who enjoy books about friendship will find these new "sisters" worth knowing.
Publisher’s Details
Number of pages: 320, Price: $18.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: Teen, Read Alone: Teen
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
-
I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
-
I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
I am a die-hard sisterhood fan so this book kind of annoyed me. These characters didn't have any of the same charm as Tibby, Lena, Bridget, or Carmen. I'm the same age but I couldn't really relate to any of the events in the story. I also thought that making out with a random stranger on the bus was pretty irrational behavior for 14 year olds, most of the people I know would never do that. It wasn't anything special really, but it wasn't too bad.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
A Pretty Good Book
I did enjoy this book, but some parts were a little slow. The letters were all flashbacks and kind of confusing at times. Basically, if you can watch PG-13 movies, there won't be anything in this book you haven't seen or heard before.

Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.



