Customer Reviews

The Secret Language of Girls

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Bond of 2 Friends
This book is about 2 girls, Kate and Marilyn, who have been best friends since pre-school and get split up in 6th grade by Flannery. Flannery, a 7th grader, is new to school and the girl's neighborhood. Marilyn and Flannery become friends and leave Kate out. This story is a journey of two friends that get separated and try to learn the true meaning of friendship. We think the true hero of this book was Petey, Marilyn's little brother. Most of us liked Kate or Paisley the best but we liked that Flannery knew what she wanted and was strong and we liked that Marilyn tried to be friends with everyone. We think a better title to this book might be "The Bond Between Two Friends" or "The 6th Grade War". We think this book is at a 6th grade reading level. We think that if you read at a 3rd - 5th grade level you will need your Mom or Dad to help you read it plus it is pretty long. The chapter, Kiss, was kinda gross. Some 8 to 9 year olds might think this chapter about kissing is gross and your Mom might think it is inappropriate for you. You could actually skip this chapter and not miss much of the book. The rest of the book was pretty good. If you are old enough then you might like this chapter but 3rd graders DID NOT. We read this in our Book Club and some girls really liked it, others were not allowed to read it at all - their Moms didn't think it was appropriate and others just covered their ears for some parts they thought were gross. Overall those of us that read the book thought it was good, interesting and emotional. (...)

This book is a heartwarming tale about family and friendship. In the story "The Secret Language of Girls" an eleven year old girl named Kate is ignored by her best friend Marylin and twelve year old neighbor Flannery. Kate and Marylin go their separate ways and go on small adventures without each other but in the end realize that friendship is what they need most, and there are other friends they don't want to keep. I recommend this book to girls of all ages. The names of the characters were confusing at times, but overall I give this book a thumbs up and a four star rating. I loved this book because it taught me a lot about friendship and how valuable it really is. I hope all girls will enjoy this book, and will recommend it to other girls. I thank Frances O'Roark Dowell for writing such a wonderful story.

Kate's a bit of "late bloomer." She's not really interested in kissing boys, piercing her ears, or trying out for cheerleading. Her best friend, Marilyn, is all of sudden into all of those things. The arrival of the ultra-hip Flannery makes matters worse for Kate. The book follows Kate and Marilyn through sixth grade as they cope with changes in their lives and in their friendship. As they both come into their own, Kate's musings on which of them is really the late bloomer are truly valuable.

Honestly, the book isn't perfect: it's poorly organized and doesn't have a very strong plot line. The family issues both girls experience are just touched upon and the book could have been roudned out by incorporating these issues more in the story. However, this is the best book I've read about girls and the social pressures and changes experienced in junior high. It gives the reader a good look at both independant Kate's and cheerleader Marilyn's sides of the experience and throws in just enough light romance to make you sigh. I'd happpily hand this to any 4th, 5th or 6th grade girl.

I loved this book so much! It was written so well and the characters were described beatifully and I felt like they were real it was so good! Kate seemed like the person I would become best friends with! We read "Dovey Coe" last year in my literarute class and I loved it! This one sounded good,too. I bought it at Half Price books last night and it was SO good that I read all 247 pages in one night! Frances O'Roark Dowell is a great author! I loved this book and it is SO recommended! READ IT NOW!!!

Marylin and Kate had been the best of friends forever. They were going into middle school now and weren't aware that anything would change their friendship. Kate still loved reading, bugs, basketball, and some other kid-like things. On the other hand, Marylin dreams of being a cheerleader, kissing boys, and being one of the more popular girls in school. Everything changes in sixth grade for these two friends.

Flannery is the new girl on their street and she's "the queen of eyeball rolling". She tries to become both of the girl's friends but she only wants to be Marylin's friend. Flannery was a sophisticated seventh grader that wooed Marylin to try to be more like her. By trying to be more like Flannery and more sophisticated, Marylin started to ignore Kate without really realizing it. Kate tried talking to Marylin but Flannery always had to butt in and cut Kate off. As the days had gone by, Kate and Marylin started losing their friendship in the midst of all the commotion that had just begun.

Kate wasn't too in to romance but, she had a slight interest in a fellow basketball teammate of hers. While Kate started to like that boy, Marylin had started hanging out with the more popular girls. Marylin had also tried out for the cheerleading squad and made it. She was turning into what Flannery wanted her to be. They both secretly wished they could talk to each other about everything but they knew they couldn't. Marylin also started ignoring Flannery a little so Flannery tried talking to Kate on the bus. Kate didn't want to get caught up in all of Flannery's sophisticated, seventh grade stuff so she's tried not to say much back to her.

After a few events occur, Kate all of a sudden becomes the star of the school and everyone starts liking her. Marylin and Kate long to talk to each other badly and never really get a chance to tell each other how they feel. Kate goes home on "the weirdest day of her life" and wishes someone could explain all of this to her. She wanted to talk to Marylin about it but, wasn't sure what she would say to her. The phone rings, Kate answers with a "hello?" and then a "hey, Marylin". As it turns out, Kate knew exactly what to say.

Jessica Roll

It raelly teaches teaches girls about friendship and peer pressure.It is one of my favorites.

Gifted voice performer Michele Santopietro (with credits on TV's The Sopranos) brings to her reading all the pathos, giggles, insouciance and, yes, downright meanness typical of preteen girls as they struggle to find their place among their peers.

Kate and Marylin have been best friends for all of their lives - all 11 years. They live on the same block, have spent countless hours together completely happy in one another's company. Suddenly, the air has changed with the arrival of Flannery and Marylin's interest in being a part of the "in" crowd at school.

It's tough to lose a best pal, even tougher when you can't figure out what in the world has changed her. Nonetheless, Kate soldiers on eventually finding where she belongs in the ever shifting tides of pubescence.

This is a story to which all young listeners can relate in one way or another. They'll see themselves and their friends in it - perhaps learning a thing or two.

- Gail Cooke

They've been friends forever, but now they are in sixth grade and something is going wrong.

This is the story of many friendships. Anyone who has felt their best friend drifting away will appreciate THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF GIRLS.

Kate and Marylin considered each other BFFs, but as sixth grade begins, their friendship is on a downhill slide. First there's Flannery, the worldly seventh grader who moves in down the street. Flannery mysteriously chooses Marylin over Kate, and the slide begins. Marylin and Flannery refuse to speak to Kate and hurl nasty insults her way practically every day.

Eventually, Flannery starts hanging out with eighth grade girls and leaves Marylin wondering what happened. It seems like the perfect time for Kate to renew their friendship, but Marylin tries out for and makes the cheerleading squad, and those new friends are just as mean as Flannery. They claim they don't have time for Kate, who isn't allowed to use makeup and prefers basketball to cheerleading.

Below the surface of the girls' new acquaintances, both spend time puzzling over how things have gotten so out of control. They both consider confronting the difficult topic, but neither wants to risk rejection.

THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF GIRLS offers middle grade readers a chance to experience a crumbling friendship that might very well be like experiences of their very own. This book examines the idea that we often know the right thing to do, but we don't have the courage to take a step in that direction.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

I think this is a beautiful book about friendship hopes dreams and everything in between! It shows how much you need your friends that you've been friends with forever in the end. Also, how 6th grade will either tear you apart or bring you closer together. I am about to endure my journey to 6th grade and I have no clue what I would do if I had to be in either Marylin's shoes or Kates. Finally it shows how some hard time and new people on the block will make you fight for your rights to stay with with your friends or show you even more that you clearly have to just step away. That is my review for The Secret Life of Girls! It was one of my favorite books!

Frances O'Roark Dowell made some interesting choices when she wrote this book.

For example, the story is about girls going into 6th or 7th grade, but recommended for girls 13 and up. Now, that's a mistake, because girls are-for the most part-only interested in books about kids their age or older.

The characters really are suited to their age, but the book is well written and I don't see why it's recommended for age 13 and up.

This book really made me think about girls at that age and I loved the wonderful descriptions. (If you enjoyed this book, read DOVEY COE. Or vice-versa.)