The Mother-Daughter Book Club [Hardcover]

Heather Vogel Frederick (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 24, 2007 | Age Range: 9 and up | Series: Mother Daughter Book Club

The book club

is about to get

a makeover....

Even if Megan would rather be at the mall, Cassidy is late for hockey practice, Emma's already read every book in existence, and Jess is missing her mother too much to care, the new book club is scheduled to meet every month.

But what begins as a mom-imposed ritual of reading Little Women soon helps four unlikely friends navigate the drama of middle school. From stolen journals, to secret crushes, to a fashion-fiasco first dance, the girls are up to their Wellie boots in drama. They can't help but wonder: What would Jo March do?

Acclaimed author Heather Vogel Frederick will delight daughters of all ages in a novel about the fabulousness of fiction, family, and friendship.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Four sixth-graders sign up for a book club, in which they'll read Little Women with their moms. In alternating chapters, each of the four girls describes a meeting. There is aspiring poet Emma, whose librarian mother started the group; Jess, Emma's best friend, who lives on an organic farm; hockey-playing Cassidy, daughter of a former supermodel; and popular Megan. Despite their initial resistance to the club, the girls experience joys and sorrows and develop a closer bond, just like the characters that they grow to love. Plenty of detail and musing about Little Women will entice readers to pick up the book if they have not yet read it, but familiarity with Alcott's classic isn't required to enjoy this story. The girls' relationships and feelings are complex; unfortunately, their typecast mothers are much less so, and a fairy-tale ending caps the story. Still, readers will be easily pulled along to find out how the four girls resolve their differences. A book discussion guide is included. Booth, Heather

About the Author

Heather Vogel Frederick is the author of the popular Mother-Daughter Book Club series, as well as the highly acclaimed The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed, The Education of Patience Goodspeed, and the Spy Mice series. She resides with her family in Portland, Oregon. Visit her at HeatherVogelFrederick.com.

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 4th edition (April 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689864124
• ISBN-13: 978-0689864124
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After a 20-year career as a journalist, I decided it was high time to fulfill my lifelong dream of writing fiction for young readers. The rest, as they say, is history.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books ever! December 30, 2010

By Summer

Format:Paperback

This book is really awesome! I am 14, and I really liked the fact that I got a break from all those young adult books of drugs, vampires, and dark stuff, because that is the only thing that authors write about this days! This book is really good, and for the first time ever, I could relate myself with all the characters -not just one. I also liked the fact that this series always include a classical book. When I got this book last year, I was surprised that I had never read Little Women, eventhough I had heard about it, and this girls (even if they are fictional characters) who were a year younger than me when I had started to read this book, had. So this also inspired me to read Little Woman, which is another book I totally loved.
So I recommend it to anyone, I mean, even my mom liked it!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars First Book in an Awesome Series October 25, 2009

By Julie Peterson

Format:Paperback

About a year and a half, ago my daughter and I decided to start a Mother-Daughter book club with some of our friends. It has been a wonderful experience for me because I have had the opportunity to read books with my daughter and hear her thoughts. I also think it's been a great experience for my daughter because she is learning to delve a little deeper into books, and she is also getting much better at expressing her ideas. Needless to say, we are very passionate about our Mother-Daughter book club!

Now given that I am pretty involved in our mother-daughter book club and I read a lot of middle grade books because I have a daughter in that age range, I have no idea why I hadn't read THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB by Heather Vogel Frederick. This book is absolutely perfect for my daughter and me (and our book group.) I am so glad that I finally did because I was sure missing out on a wonderful middle grade book. I absolutely loved this book and its characters!

THE MOTHER -DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB tells the story of four young girls whose mothers (and one father) decide to start a mother-daughter book club. Since girls will be girls, there are many misunderstandings and mishaps (some intentional) along the way. I don't think I will ever get used to how catty girls can be to each other! The story is told from each of the girl's perspectives in alternating chapters. I loved that the author wrote the book this way because it allowed me to understand and appreciate each of the four girls. And, I have no doubt that young girls will definitely relate to at least one of the characters.

Another thing I really liked about this story was that it followed a mother-daughter book club.... I loved getting some insight into another book group (even if it was fictional) and seeing how their meetings were held. Our group reads a different book each month, but the club in the story decided to read LITTLE WOMEN over the course of an entire school year. (I happen to love this idea, but I'm not sure it would fly in our group.) I really appreciated how the author incorporated the story and characters of LITTLE WOMEN into the book. The book takes place in the town where Louisa May Alcott lived; and the girls not only visit her home, but they also dress as their favorite character. After reading THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB, my daughter and I both are ready to read LITTLE WOMEN!

I enjoyed this book so much that I didn't want it to end -- I still think these girls have a lot more stories in them. I was very happy to learn that THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB is the first book in a series. Two more books are available -- MUCH ADO ABOUT ANNE (the girls read and discuss ANNE OF GREEN GABLES) and the recently released DEAR PEN PAL (the girls read DADDY-LONG-LEGS.) I can't wait to read these two books too!

THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB is ideal for young girls because it deals with many of the same issues that they face everyday -- peer pressure, mother/daughter relationships, jealousy, insecurity, etc. I was so excited to find that there is a reading guide available in the back of the paperback version. There is also a section on recommended future reading and a worksheet to help the girls come up with some of their personal goals. And since book club wouldn't be complete without yummy food, the author has included some recipes of snacks that they girls in the book served at their own meetings. I really do think this book is ideal for mother-daughter book clubs, and I can't recommend it enough! Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Very Sweet February 7, 2009

By Busy Mom VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Normally, when you read a book in series, it doesn't matter if you read it out of order as normally, the author will introduce a catch-up point for incoming readers. However, in this case, I would recommend that you read these books in order. I read the second book in the series first and liked it so much that I went back and ordered the first book. This book is very sweet, but I like the second one (Much Ado About Anne) much better.

This is the beginnings of a mother-daughter bookclub in Concord, MA. Emma's mom decided to have a book club and their first book for the year deals with Louisa May Alcott, Concord's famous writer. There's Emma, Jessie, Megan and Cassidy, all different from night and day. Their mothers are just as different as well and this is a cute series about sixth graders entering middle school and not quite children but not yet teenagers.

This book is perfect for the Tween set. This one is a little bit more simple in comparison to the sequel, but still, it is quaint. Emma is struggling with her weight issues and her crush on a popular kid at school. Megan wants to be a fashion designer but her mother refuses to hear anything about it. Jessie's mom is in NYC working as an actress on a soap opera show. Cassidy just moved there from California after her dad's death. How do these girls and their mothers become friends when only books seem to be the common denominator? Well as any serious book reader can tell you, books bring people together no matter what their backgrounds are.

It is a very sweet book and I would recommend it for the younger crowd starting at the age of 9. Mothers and daughters will enjoy it and perhaps enjoy their time together.

2/7/09

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A 10 year olds point of view September 2, 2010

A Kid's Review

Format:Paperback

This was a great book and i would recommend this for all girls my age and up. It's about Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and Megan. these four girls would not be caught dead together but thanks to thier moms and a pesky yoga class they get stuck in a mother-daughter bookclub. This book toggles between the different characters point of view and follow them through a year of hardships and laughs that will keep you on your toes.As they read the book Little Women thier lives and frendship are altered by their own understanding of the book.One of my favs!!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars an engaging book December 1, 2012

By Solange

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an amazing book and as I hope to be an author, it has a wonderful story line. I read it for a book club and we were all very into it. I know that this sounds cheesy/dorky but you can follow the girls through their lives as they make choices that will change their lives for ever...