The Heartbreakers
By Debra Bogart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun Traveling Pants-style story with fewer mature themes.
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What you will—and won't—find in this book.
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What's the Story?
A circle of high school friends find themselves without boyfriends all at the same time. Alexia's parents are therapists, and she's the one who suggests writing a breakup code: a list of rules for the heartbroken to follow that will transform them into the heartbreakers instead. Focusing on themselves for a while instead of their boyfriends leads them to discover or rediscover things they love such as singing in a rock band, photography, and spending time with their girlfriends. But even so, the rules turn out to be too much, and in only a few short weeks there is much more dating going on than there was before, despite the pledge to not date anyone for three whole months.
Is It Any Good?
This is fun, predictable chick lit about four sophomore girls dealing with guys, parents' divorces, keggers, and the true meaning of friendship. Although the alternating narrator structure becomes a little dizzying with four points of view, the characters are equally drawn, with supportive parents and likable guy characters. Coming up with a code of rules to follow could be a useful tool for many situations. It's just too bad the focus goes right back to boys and dating in the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about in what other situations such a "code" or list of rules could help function as a coping mechanism. How well did this code actually work for the main characters?
Sydney discovers the power of writing about her feelings in a journal. Why is journaling so popular?
Was Raven right to hide her singing from her mother?
Book Details
- Author: Pamela Wells
- Genre: Romance
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Point
- Publication date: November 1, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 17
- Number of pages: 256
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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