Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Just the read to jump-start your own book club.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 33 kid reviews
Kids say this book is an engaging and wholesome read that emphasizes themes of friendship, growth, and loyalty among four diverse girls who form a bond through a mother-daughter book club. Readers appreciate its relatability for middle school experiences and its commitment to age-appropriate content, making it a valuable series for both young girls and their families.
- friendship
- role models
- age-appropriate
- character growth
- diverse personalities
- relatable themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Megan, Emma, Jess, and Cassidy can think of a million other things they'd rather do than be in a book club with their mothers, or with one another for that matter. But then a funny thing happens. As they explore the four girls of Little Women they learn more about themselves, their families, and one another. Will it be enough to counter all the other crazy things going on in their lives including crushes, secret dreams, real-life family drama, and all the drama of middle school?
Is It Any Good?
THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB is a stand-out novel because author Heather Frederick gives an authentic voice to her young characters. The four main girls -- Megan, Cassidy, Emma, and Jess -- with similarities to the March sisters in Little Women (the book they're reading), really develop as characters throughout the book. Megan especially. A classic mean girl, she torments several of the other girls and plays cruel pranks on them. When one prank goes too far she is forced to face the girls, their mothers, and the reasons behind her actions. The result is a very moving scene that gives great insight into why mean girls behave the way they do.
The active role that parents play in this novel is wonderful. They are engaged in and aware of what is going on in their kids' lives. This is a refreshing change to the more common narrative of absent or oblivious parents. Parents and kids should read this book together, not because of any questionable material, but because it has something for everyone. This is the type of book that can change the dialog in a mother-daughter relationship.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about ways to spend more time together. Besides starting a book club, what hobbies or activities can families do together to help build better relationships? How did the book club help with the girls' relationships with their parents? How did it help with their relationships with each other?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Aladdin
- Publication date : April 27, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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