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The Barnes & Noble Review
Those popular pants are back for another summer in Ann Brashares's second friendship-affirming book!
The four girls who starred in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants -- Tibby, Bee, Lena, and Carmen -- find themselves wrapped up in a summer of unexpected surprises. After Bee finds out that five years' worth of Grandma's letters to her have been kept secret, she leaves for Alabama on a mission to connect with her past, which also means dealing with her mom's death. Meanwhile, Tibby's decided to attend a filmmaking workshop in Virginia (she's getting a perspective on Bailey's death), and Carmen's at home, screwing up her mom's dating life and then putting it back together. And as for Lena, well, she's busy getting over Kostos -- that is, until he shows up for a surprise visit. But despite whatever happens to this foursome, the Pants find their way into the hands of one of them at just the right time.
As uplifting as a cool breeze on a hot day, Brashares's second summer is even better than the first. The four heroines are learning about themselves and strengthening their bond as never before, and this time around, we get welcome insight into their relationship with the older women in their lives. This second installment is sure to have Sisterhood fans cheering. Shana Taylor
Publishers Weekly
PW starred the launch title in the Traveling Pants series, which introduced four friends who share a magical pair of pants that fits all of their different sizes and shapes. PW called this second installment "equally authentic and engaging." Ages 12-up. (Dec.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-Carmen, Lena, Tibby, and Bee are back in this long, engaging sequel to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Delacorte, 2001). The four best friends are beginning their 16th summer with new expectations for personal growth, romance, and deepening friendship, all enhanced by the magic of a shared pair of thrift-store jeans. Brashares has deftly interwoven the story's strands to convey the relaxed intimacy of the girls' friendships as well as the many parallels in their individual experiences. The dialogue is natural and helps build nuances of character; the use of metaphor and insightful language renders a narrative that is highly readable and marked by emotional truth. Bee, whose mother died when she was 11, heads to Alabama under an assumed name to visit her estranged maternal grandmother. Carmen and Lena both become entangled in emotional spats with their mothers, and Tibby makes an edgy documentary film about her mother for a screenwriting course. This is a summer for coming-of-age, and for people materializing out of the blue, but making an impact-Tibby's old friend Brian appears unbidden at her dorm; Lena's Greek boyfriend, Kostos, arrives suddenly; and Carmen's stepsister comes seeking sanctuary. Meanwhile, the traveling pants are circulated among the friends. It may just be the power of wonder, but the jeans undoubtedly play a role in the happy resolution of this big-hearted, complex tale of living, learning, and caring. Brashares's novel can be enjoyed by readers who have not yet discovered the previous book. It is certain to delight those readers who have.-Susan W. Hunter, Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Four friends and a pair of jeans are back to continue the saga of the traveling pants. Bridget goes back to Alabama in search of her mother's past; Lena rekindles a romance with Kostos, the boy she met in Greece; Carmen fears for her place in the family when her mother starts dating; and Tibby goes away to a summer film program, where putting together a film becomes a way to put together her life. Though the young women deal with love, death, and change in various ways, the old, magical jeans are always there to remind them that sometimes friends are closer than family. The prologue fills in what's necessary for those uninitiated into the sisterhood, and Brashares adeptly balances the four story lines. The characters seem like old friends, and the author's sure ear for dialogue and her empathy for her protagonists' complicated emotions creates a story as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. A big, complex, satisfying sequel, sure to add to the author's legions of fans. (Fiction. YA)
From the Publisher
Light and romantic." —The New York Times
“Fits like a favorite pair of pants.” —USA Today
“A great summer read.” —The Sacramento Bee
"The characters seem like old friends, and the author's sure ear for dialogue and her empathy for her protagonists' complicated emotions creates a story as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. A big, complex, satisfying sequel." Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"Equally authentic and engaging." —Publishers Weekly
"The Second Summer, while breezy and fun to read, deals seriously with love lost and found, death, and finding the courage to live honestly." —Amazon.com
"[A] big-hearted, complex tale of living, learning, and caring." —School Library Journal
"Brashares has done an outstanding job of showing the four teens growing up and giving readers a happy, ultimately hopeful book, easy to read and gentle in its important lessons." —Booklist
"It takes a really good book to leave you laughing one moment and crying the next. This book did just that. It is even better than the first book." —VOYA
"Although these teens deal with issues common to YA novels—identity, romance, parental conflict—Brashares' tale, with its lively characters, honest emotion, and wry wit, rises above the norm." —Children's Literature