What My Mother Doesn't Know

 "It's like/ my mind/

and my body/ and my heart/

just don't seem to be able to agree/o

on anything.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Sones, Sonya. What My Mother Doesn't Know. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2001.

ISBN0689841140

PLOT SUMMARY:

In this verse novel, Sonya Sones chronicles the life of a ninth grade student, Sophie. Sophie, an apparently boy-crazed teenager, shares the struggles of her daily life from her first love to fighting with her best friends and much more -- the normal life of every teenage girl. Sophie thinks she loves Dylan but she soon realizes they are not right for each much less a match made in heaven. After Dylan breaks her heart by asking her not to mention she is Jewish in front of his prejudice mother, Sophie meets Chaz, on the Internet in a chat room. This relationship also fizzles but leads to a more meaningful relationship with an unpopular boy named Robin. Sophie spends a majority of her time struggling to be understood and to understand people around her.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Sonya Sones has written this verse novel from the first person point of view, Sophie. In doing this the readers are taken through Sophie's daily, weekly, and monthly trials - tribulations and joy - jubilance.  Sophie informs readers quickly that "This book is about me. It tells/the heart-stoppingly riveting story/ of my first love. And also of my second. And, okay my third love, too." Despite these three intoxicating and all consuming loves, Sophie states, "It's not that I'm boy crazy," she believes she is just having a "...hard time/ trying to figure out the difference between love and lust." The chapters are the individual titles of each poem. Each poem deals with something specific in her life. Readers are able to identify with the issues the protagonist encounters; these are common everyday occurrences for adolescence -- family, friends, love, hate, race, and gender. Sones writes in narrative poetry, which is easy and enjoyable to read; especially for the individuals with an aversion to reading.

REVIEW EXCERPT:

Publishers Weekly: "The author keenly portray ninth-grader Sophie's trajectory of lusty crushes and disillusionment whether she is gazing at Dylan's 'smoldery dark eyes' or dancing with a mystery man to music that 'is slow/ and/ saxophony.' Best friends Rachel and Grace provide anchoring friendships for Sophie as she navigates her home life as an only child with a distant father and a soap opera-devotee mother..."

CONNECTIONS:

* Create their own poem from their favorite chapter

* Discuss and predict what might occur in the sequel

* Read the sequel to this book, What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know

* Discuss how and why people feel lonely when they are  surrounded by other

   people (family, friends, etc.)

* Read other verse novels my Sonya Sones