Young Adult Book Discussion Kits

Young Adult Book Discussion Kits are available to library patrons for use by home and community discussion groups, as well as teachers in the classroom setting. Each kit contains a set of thirty identical soft-cover books accompanied by a book discussion guide. The guides feature information about the author, reviews of the book, discussion questions, suggested further readings, and other pertinent information. Each kit is packaged in a canvas tote bag and may be borrowed for six weeks. A Reader’s Guide to Young Adult Book Discussion Kits may be reserved and sent Young Adult Book to the library branch of your choice for pick up. If you would like to Discussion Kit #233 reserve a kit, please stop by your local library branch or call 574- The Sisterhood of the 1611 . The kits may also be reserved through our website Traveling Pants www.lfpl.org . A list of all the kits may be found in the LFPL cata- By Ann Brashares log by typing Book Discussion Kit Young Adult at the title prompt.

Xtreme Reads Xtreme Reads Xtreme Reads Children’s & Young Adult Services 301 York Street Xtreme Reads Louisville, KY 40203 502-574-1620 Xtreme Reads

Young Adult Book Information for this flyer was partially gathered from the following re- Discussion Kits sources:

www.amazon.com (07/21/03) http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cfm?page=author&authorID=691 (07/21/03) “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” in Novelist . Ipswich, MA.: EBSCO Publishing, 2002 .http://novelst3.epnet.com/novel/ (07/21/03) When Carmen first buys a pair of What the Critics Say… Discussion Questions: Suggested Titles for worn jeans at a second-hand Further Reading shop on an impulse, she has no “The pants were magic--worn, thrift- 1. Of the four main characters, which idea that they will travel around shop jeans that made each of the four is the most like you? Carmen, Tibby, the world and back. Strangely The Second Summer of the best friends look absolutely fabulous. Lena or Bridget? Whom do you most enough, the pants fit four friends Sisterhood Obviously they were life-changing pants. admire? perfectly, despite their different by Ann Brashares (YP) Thus the plan: route them to each of the body types. Separated for the four at their various summer destinations, 2. Why do you think the author titled first summer of their lives, the Someone Like You with appropriate rules attached, of the book Sisterhood of the Traveling friends use the jeans as a way of by Sarah Dessen (YP) course, and watch wonderful things hap- Pants instead of Sisterhood of the keeping together even though pen”…. “Young teens will identify with Traveling Jeans? they are apart. Kissing Doorknobs one, or even all four, of these interesting, by Terry Spenser Hesser (YP) About the Author funny young women, and they'll be on 3. Besides the existence of the travel- the lookout for their own pair of travel- ing pants, what held the friendship A Time for Dancing Ann Brashares grew up ing pants.” together over the summer? by Davida Hurwin (YP) in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She - Frances Bradburn, Booklist studied Philosophy at Barnard 4. Each character had something ma- Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal College, part of Columbia Uni- “Brashares deftly moves from narrative jor happen to them during the sum- Snogging versity in New York City. Ex- to narrative, weaving together themes mer, how would you have handled by Louise Rennison. (YP) pecting to continue studying phi- from the mundane to the profoundly im- their issues without a friend nearby? Note: other books in the Georgia losophy in graduate school, Ann portant, from death to raging hormones, Nicholson “confession” series by took a year off after college to from stepfamilies to dead-end minimum- 5. Who do you think was the loneli- Rennison are good choices also. work as an editor, hoping to save wage jobs:…”All four girls are com- est character? What might you do money for school. Loving her pletely realistic, and even the secondary differently than she did to combat job, she never went to graduate and adult characters are fully drawn. The lonesomeness? school, and instead, remained in result is a complex book about a solid New York City and worked as an group of friends, with each one a strong 6. Do you think the romances that editor for many years. Last year, and courageous individual in her own Bridget and Lena experienced will Ann made the transition from right. They form a true sisterhood of ac- change the friendship of the four editor to full-time writer and ceptance and support, resulting in a be- girls in the future? Have issues about wrote her first novel, The Sister- lievable and inviting world.” romance affected any of your current hood of the Traveling Pants . - Linda Bindner, School Library Journal friendships? If so, how?

Ann lives in Brooklyn, New 7. Why do you think the author York, with her husband, Jacob Awards and Recognition chose a pair of jeans to be magical Collins, an artist, and their three element that held the friendships to- 2001 Off the Cuff Award (Promising children, Sam, Nathaniel, and gether? What other objects might New Author-tie) Susannah, their newborn, who is have done the same thing? 2001 Off the Cuff Award (Most Eye- an honorary member of the Sis- Catching Jacket) terhood. 2001 Off the Cuff Award (Best Book

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2002 Book Sense Book of the Year