Parents' Guide to

Sisterhood Everlasting

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

New book in popular Traveling Pants series targets adults.

Book Ann Brashares Coming of Age 2011
Sisterhood Everlasting Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

sk8lady
sk8lady Adult
June 24, 2011
age 15+

Good book for mature readers.

I've read all of Brashares' books, including the Traveling Pants series, and was shocked when my favorite character turned up dead at the beginning of the book. The book was thought-provoking and a pretty good read, but don't make the mistake of thinking of it as another in the Traveling Pants series--this is absolutely an adult book. If your child is a mature 15 and up, it's okay for them; younger or less mature readers should wait.
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What's the Story?

When a key character dies, the three remaining friends in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants find a letter suggesting it was suicide. This sudden tragedy makes the friends fall apart inside themselves, and from each other: One leaves her boyfriend and becomes homeless, another makes plans to marry her jerky boyfriend, and another's love seems doomed, since she can't tell her partner how she feels. But the deceased friend has left additional notes for the friends she has known since birth, and these letters help them fix what's broken in their lives, figure out what exactly happened in hers -- and ultimately lead them back to each other.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This follow-up may be targeted to an older audience, but readers will still be inspired by its powerful messages about the importance of love and friendship. There is a lot of grieving here, which can be somewhat overwhelming, but the author knows these characters well, and the readers who have long loved them will be willing to follow them anywhere, including down their own personal paths of destruction. The ending may wrap a little neatly -- OK, a lot neatly -- but it is a satisfying conclusion after all these girls have lived and learned, in this volume and throughout the series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the audience for this book. Is the book targeting teen or adult readers? Can you think of other books that are trying to reach both girls and women? What would publishers be interested in selling crossover books?

  • What made you want to read this installment of the series? And why do you think the author wanted to return to these characters? What do publishers have to gain by printing an additional volume of this popular series?

Book Details

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