What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know [Paperback]

Sonya Sones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 16, 2008

My name is Robin.

This book is about me.

It tells the story of what happens

when after almost 15 pathetic years of loserdom,

the girl of my dreams finally falls for me.

That seems like it would be

a good thing, right?

Only it turns out to be

a lot more complicated than that

Because I'm not gonna lie to you --

there are naked women involved.

Four of them, to be exact.

Though not in the way you might think.

Don't get me wrong -- my girlfriend's amazing.

But the way things have been going lately,

I'm starting to believe that the only thing worse

than not getting what you want,

is getting it.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—This sequel to What My Mother Doesn't Know (S & S, 2001) stands completely on its own. Robin's life at Cambridge High School is miserable. The arty outsider's last name becomes the pejorative slang of the school—as in, "Don't be such a Murphy." His lot improves, however, when popular Sophie becomes his girlfriend despite the detriment to her reputation. Better still, the freshman is invited to audit an art class at Harvard. It is his homecoming; for once, he is the comedian rather than the butt of jokes. One of the college freshmen even shows some romantic interest in him. Written as a novel in verse, this title is a fast-paced, page-turning romp that gives authentic voice to male youth even when it is painfully truthful.—Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* In What My Mother Doesn't Know (2001), 14-year-old Sophie, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, teen, describes her surprise when she is drawn to Robin, the school-appointed loser who makes her laugh. In this sequel, Robin picks up the narrative in rapid-fire, first-person free verse as he describes their school's reaction to the relationship: "They're gawking at us / like Sophie's Beauty and I'm the Beast." Sophie compares the two to outlaws: "It's just you and me against the world." But after Sophie's friends dump her, Robin feels guilty for the "random acts of unkindness" she endures: "Sophie may feel like an outlaw, / but thanks to yours truly, / what she really is / is an outcast." A talented artist, Robin finds escape in a Harvard drawing class, where a new friendship threatens his closeness with Sophie. The story of a thrilling and faltering first love may be familiar, but Robin's believable voice is distinctive, and Sones uses her spare words (and a few drawings) to expert effect. From bad puns to breathless accounts of locking lips to anguished worries about losing Sophie, Robin reinforces the picture of an awkward, likable, intelligent, and realistically flawed young man. Many teens will see themselves, and they'll cheer when Sophie and Robin thwart the bullies and reclaim their social standing. Like Sones' other titles, this is a great choice for reluctant and avid readers alike. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (December 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689876033
• ISBN-13: 978-0689876035
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #342,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > Popularity

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lifted, June 22, 2007

By 

Allyson (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know (Hardcover)

This book was amazing.
I got it out of the library this morning and I already finished it.
It's a quick read. all in poems.
but it's so powerful.
I was just left with this uplifted happy feeling when I finished.
but it is not a fairy tale kind of book, it's a real story & you must go read it.


like now.


and get What My Mother Doesn't Know while you're at it.
they have the same characters.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great sequel, July 15, 2007

By 

D. Magana - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know (Hardcover)

I loved What My Mother Doesn't Know and have been anxiously awaiting the sequel. I was not disappointed at all. Sones again captured all the excitement and confusion of young adult love that I so appreicated in What My Mother Doesn't Know. I was thrilled that this title was written in the male voice. What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know is a great title for young adult readers who like a romance story with more to it than just the romance.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, June 19, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know (Hardcover)

This is just as good as What My Mother Doesn't Know, if not better. (Don't read this without reading WMMDK, it'll make sense, but it won't be nearly as good) This book is from Robin/Murphy's point of view, and its really sweet. You should get it!