The Mother-Daughter Book Club – Middle School Ready

Just finished reading this (by Heather Vogel Frederick) and it is the first in a lovely series about four middle school aged girls. My MIL sent it to us and it has been in the to-be-read pile (it is in good company) for a while. A dear friend of the family (she is 11 years old) just visited and she is on the last book of this series so I pre-read it for my child (so selfless, I know – I spent the afternoon with a lemonade and this book – hey, it was seriously hot today).

It follows four very different sixth grade girls through a school year in the town of Concord, Massachusetts. The girls are strongly encouraged (beware of ideas cooked up by moms after yoga class) to join a book club with their mothers and (naturally and despite themselves) become friends.  It is a sweet book, interspersed throughout with quotes from Louisa May Alcott (they are reading Little Women).   The chapters are written from the point of view of each girl: Emma, Cassidy, Megan and Jess –   they all have distinct personalities and issues with family and friends.  The relationships that they ultimately build are strong, believable and supportive. I flew through it and it is a good read for girls going into middle school.

The author has a super website and will visit – or skype – your book group – that could never have happened back in the day. Very cool.