The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

Fiction by Ann Brashares
Reviewed by Tricia S.
2 available - check it out of the NVHS Library


It all started when four women were expected to give birth in early September to four precious girls, who become best friends for life. From the very beginning it is certain that there will be no separation of their love for one another no matter how many miles are between them. Lena, Bridget, Carmen and Tibby journey through the mysteries of being a teenager and dealing with whatever life throws at you. At the beginning of the past summer something very unusual but yet magical happened that changed their lives forever. A times, I wish that I could have been around when the girls found these pants. What would it ahve been like to just slip into a pair of pants and have everything go right?

Searching through her closet one day, Carmen, finds a pair of jeans that she almost threw out a while back, and tries them on. Lucky enough for her, they fit perfectly. Then, one by one, Tibby, Lena and Bee take a swing at the pair of jeans just to see what might happen. Due to some kind of magical taboo, the pants not only fit them but also flatter every one of their body types. They cycled the pants all throughout the summer so that everyone could enjoy their time to shine but now its time to break out the traveling pants once again.

In Ann Brashares second novel, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, the summer brings with it unexpected changes and the girls soon realize that they will not be able to be together for the majority of vacation. In a desperate search for the fun, outgoing and wild girl she once knew, Bee takes a trip to find her grandmother in Alabama. In my opinion Brashares did a very good job of creating a believable story about Bee and her grandmothers relationship. Dealing with the loss of a younger but much wiser friend, Tibby finds it hard to stay away from home while dealing with the new college life. But it seems that her parents are more than happy to shove her out the door on her own. Carmen tries to sort out her priorities while learning to deal with her mothers new relationships. In the meantime Lena is left home and put to work at a clothing store, but is long from forgetting about her adventure to Greece and her first love who she had to leave. Heartbreaks are dealt with and relationships are woven back together with the help of these pants. At least this is what the girls believe but the reality is that their own strength and love for each other is really what held everything together.

I enjoyed this book very much and I strongly recommend it to any young girl who feels like they are struggling with hardships and feel like they cannot push through. But that does not mean that anyone who just wants a fun read cannot enjoy it just as much. Brashares really captivates the accurate story of girls dealing with all sorts of different but not uncommon problems and how they react to them. I can't wait to read the about the third summer of these traveling pants and what it can possibly bring.