The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick was an excellent book. In this book, four extremely different girls are forced by their mothers to join a mother-daughter book club. The club decides to read the classic Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott. While they read the book, the girls deal with the ups and downs of sixth grade: queen bees, friendship, crushes, and their own individual pursuits, like sports or the school play. Because the four girls are so different, it is impossible for the reader to not be able to relate to their experiences and the challenges they face. Emma, the poetic reader, encounters problems regarding her family's income as well as her weight. Her best friend, Jess, the farm girl/super genius, discovers her talent for singing and acting all while watching her estranged mom on the television screen. Cassidy, the jock, doesn't like to read or talk about feelings - she would much rather be playing hockey or pulling a prank on one of her friends. However, she still hasn't gotten over her dad's death. And Megan: fashion designer and former queen bee whose eco-friendly mother disapproves of her interests. These girls make for a hilarious, heartwarming adventure of friendship and self-discovery. However, this book was a little too innocent. I felt that the author couldn't portray a real teenager partly because of the dialogue and partly because moments were somewhat far fetched. For example, Cassidy tries out for the boy's hockey team, even though girls are not allowed, by simply never taking off her mask. Additionally, I enjoyed reading the story through the perspective of all four girls, but sometimes it did get confusing. All the same, if you are looking for a truly heartwarming and happy story, there could not be a better choice.
Other books in the series: Much Ado About Anne; Dear Pen Pal