Girls in Pants

by Ann Brashares

book data

12,957 ratings, 3.81 average rating, 667 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		24%
4		38%
3		30%
2		5%
1		0%

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published

January 25th 2005 by Listening Library (Audio)

details

Audio CD

literary awards

ALA Teens' Top Ten (2005)

isbn

1400099439 (isbn13: 9781400099436)

description

Ages 12 and up. Best buds Tibby, Carmen, Lena and Bridget are back with their magical pair of shared jeans in Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the …more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 16,249)

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Jul 27, 2008

Deana rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: children-s

Read in April, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I enjoyed this book as much as the first two, although I did have a few issues with it.

1. What kind of camp assigns a male and female councelor to do an overnight trip with 10-14 year old boys and has them share a tent without the campers in it? I don't care if they -are- both over 18, I just don't see a camp doing that. It became unbelievable to me. Now, if they'd had different tents and one or the other snuck over to the other... although that would go against what they were trying t...more I enjoyed this book as much as the first two, although I did have a few issues with it.

1. What kind of camp assigns a male and female councelor to do an overnight trip with 10-14 year old boys and has them share a tent without the campers in it? I don't care if they -are- both over 18, I just don't see a camp doing that. It became unbelievable to me. Now, if they'd had different tents and one or the other snuck over to the other... although that would go against what they were trying to accomplish (trust) so... yeah. Same problem with him helping her when she was sick. Although it was super sweet, I think someone would complain and they'd probably get fired for her sleeping in his bed. Even if she was sick. And especially cause he was there too, they were both in nothing but underwear, and he had his arms around her. At a camp full of 10-14 year old MALE campers... that seems like a no-no to me. I was very, very proud of Bee for not having sex with the guy, though.

2. Lena's scholarship. It was just too perfect. Her parents take away her chances of going to school, her teacher pushes her to apply for a scholarship - there are already 70 applications and only a few days to apply - she pulls off a bunch of drawings of her family in a very short time with very little preparation... and of course she gets the scholarship. It just works out too perfectly for me. I was almost hoping she -wouldn't- get it, to shock us, since everyone -knew- she would get it. Or maybe she didn't get it, but her parents saw how amazing her work was and changed their mind and saw she was really determined to go so they paid for it and it all worked out, but for a while we were scared she wouldn't get to go, you know?

3. I must be a bad person, but I was seriously hoping that David (Carmen's mom's husband) was having an affair. Out of town for work all the time, his cell phone is turned off... I was seriously thinking that Carmen and Win would get to Trenton or wherever he was, and find him with another woman. But no, of course, these books are too good for that. Once again, predictablilty wins.

4. And finally, something good. I loved Tibby in this book. In the first two, she annoyed me. But in this one, she really came into her own and I really liked her character. She was not predictable, and she changed a lot as a person throughout the book. Yay Tibby!(less)

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Jul 01, 2008

Nikel27 rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: bookcrossing-com, books-sent-on

Read in June, 2008

Very good read, I love the girls
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(sent out via bookmooch)

BackCover:
It's the summer before the sisterhood departs for college . . . their last to summer together before they head off to start their grown-up lives. It's the when they need their Pants the most.

Tibby: Learns that the Pants have always known what she hasn't about B and clings to them tightly—while others around her leap headfirst.

Carmen: Needs all the Pants mag...more

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Nov 23, 2008

Kirsten rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

Read in November, 2008

So frustrating!!!! I had some issues with Book #2, but really wanted to see what happened next, so I moved on to Book #3. I seriously want to slap everybody in this book. Brashares doesn't seem to realize that in order for characters to mature, they should (hopefully) learn from their mistakes and their experiences. No one has progressed one whit. Carmen is still terribly upset when anybody has something going on in her life that doesn't revolve around her, and proceeds to act like a very s...more

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2 comments

Nov 09, 2008

Jazmine rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

Read in November, 2008

recommended to Jazmine by: been reading the series
recommends it for: Sisterhood fans worldwide!

The third summer of the sisterhood takes place before their freshman year of college. This is an important time in their life and they are anxious for their futures. Everyone this summer is staying in Bethesda except for Bridget who attends soccer camp in Pennsylvania where she is reunited with Erik, her heartthrob from two summers ago who changed her forever. This time though after creating a friendship they pursue a relationship together. Brian and Tibby are in love, but Tibby is afraid they w...more The third summer of the sisterhood takes place before their freshman year of college. This is an important time in their life and they are anxious for their futures. Everyone this summer is staying in Bethesda except for Bridget who attends soccer camp in Pennsylvania where she is reunited with Erik, her heartthrob from two summers ago who changed her forever. This time though after creating a friendship they pursue a relationship together. Brian and Tibby are in love, but Tibby is afraid they will lose their friendship. In the end, she lets go of her fears when she learns that sometimes you just have to take the chance when her younger sister, Katherine, is injured. She falls out of Tibby’s window, which Tibby opened, when reaching for an apple belonging to the apple tree behind their house. Against her father’s desires Lena wishes to attend the Rhode Island School of Design, so, without his financial support she works hard to win a scholarship. Later, he apologizes and gives her his permission though she doesn’t need it, but wants it. Carmen discovers that her mother is pregnant, and chooses to attend the University of Maryland to stay close to home, but after the baby is born she realizes she should follow her dreams and “re-enrolls” to Williams (she doesn’t think her parents ever took her out). Her summer job is to watch Lena’s homesick, newly widowed grandmother, Valia. Despite their disputes Carmen ends up caring for Valia and persuades the Kaligaris to let Valia return to her beautiful, Greek island. Carmen and a boy, Win, develop a strange relationship which Carmen feels guilty about because she thinks she is giving this false impression of her being some saint who volunteers all the time when really she thinks of herself as a pretty awful person. In the end, she discovers that “Good Carmen” is a part of her, too. The foursome end their summer with a trip to the beach where they each present each other with gifts for remembering their everlasting bond.

Once again, I was engrossed in the “girls in pants’” compelling journeys. It was romantic, credible, bittersweet, and full of much change. The characters were developed to a degree where they felt like long, lost friends. The relationships were strong and the author kept my attention with her perfectly built suspense. Lovely imagery allowed me to visualize everything that occurred. I can’t wait to read the next and final book.
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Jul 22, 2009

Lizz rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

Read in July, 2009

Okay, Brashares, you should have quit while you were ahead. The plot is thin. The story is anti-climactic. I love the descriptive writing style, but it doesn't make up for what's lacking.

It seems as if Brashares was forced to write this book in a limited amount of time. There's very little development, and frankly, it's boring. Relationships are built-up and there's no follow through. The characters get what they want with very little effort, the events are predictable and to...more

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Nov 23, 2007

Seana rated it:

(review of isbn 0553495046)

Read in September, 2006

recommends it for: People who like chick lit.

In this book, it is now the third year the sisters have had the pants. Except this time, they are all in college in different places. In this book Carmen's mom is having a baby, and Tibby ends up having to do something very Special for her. Also in the book Carmen finally meets her special someone. Who she laughs and hangs with most of the summer, but is she pushing him away by constantly talking about her friends, and canceling dates to hang with them instead? Also in this book, Lena becomes de...more

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Jan 02, 2009

Antof9 rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729359)

bookshelves: 2005-read, fathers, faves, made-me-cry, women

Read in March, 2005

TISSUE ALERT!

Well, I was told to have more tissues on hand for this book than the other two. That was good advice. This definitely had more heavy moments, and earlier on, than the first two books.

The author's writing was a bit more poetic in this book, as if her writing, like The Septembers, is growing up. This book takes place during the summer after their senior year of high school, and I actually got choked up when I read the second sentence in this section: "...more TISSUE ALERT!

Well, I was told to have more tissues on hand for this book than the other two. That was good advice. This definitely had more heavy moments, and earlier on, than the first two books.

The author's writing was a bit more poetic in this book, as if her writing, like The Septembers, is growing up. This book takes place during the summer after their senior year of high school, and I actually got choked up when I read the second sentence in this section: "But if you're me, you realize that life as we've known it is over. Our shared childhood is ending. . . . To me that is awe-inspiring, but it is also the single scariest thought in the world."

I'm trying to figure out how to describe how I felt about these girls. I was pleased as they each became more fully aware of others around them, less selfish and caring. I suppose that's something we all hope will happen as we grow up. But of course it doesn't happen to everyone. Carmen's change was the most obvious, as she realized that "Good Carmen" was actually part of her, not just an act to impress a nice guy. But I loved what Bee did for one gangly soccer player. Tibby's story was heart-wrenching in multiple ways, and Lena's experience with her art was beautifully touching. The interaction with her dad at the end is wonderful. I'm sure I found it more touching because my dad isn't alive any more, but still -- it was great reading.

I don't think I can give much more of a review without giving spoilers, so I'll end with this: I loved this book! I really like this series, and would recommend it to anyone, but this last one especially is very good. The first two were sort of fun YA that older people might enjoy too, but this third one puts a lovely finish on the series and makes it a great book for all ages. If I had a teenage daughter, I'd want her to read these books and then discuss them with me. There's a lot of life application within them, and I think it would be an easy "in" to cover a lot of heavy subjects that parents might shy away from discussing in the first place.(less)

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Nov 30, 2008

Sri rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in December, 2008

Buku ketiga ini kurang menarik bagiku. Seiring dengan bertambahnya usia si empat sekawan celana berpiknik (kekeke, terjemahan yang aneh bukan?) kepribadian mereka ternyata tidak jauh berkembang. Kecuali Bridget. Dia sudah dapat mengendalikan emosinya, ambisinya. Tenang tapi tetap mematikan. Oh yeah! Aku suka Bee!
Carmen tetap kekanak-kanakan.
Tibby tetap kurang memperhatikan dan menerima perhatian orang-orang yang menyayanginya.
Lena tetap mengharapkan cinta yang lama. Oh kemana p...more

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Nov 04, 2009

Liana rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: grade-8--ir-book

This book is about four best friends named Bridget(Bee), Lena, Tibby, and Carmen. It is summer and they are all going off to college. In the first book they find a pair of jeans that fits them all. In the summer they mail the pants to each other because they think that it brings them luck. This book talks about each of the best friends summers and their adventures. An external conflict for Lena is that she loves to draw and she wants to go to an art school. Her parents doesn't want her to, but...more

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Sep 04, 2009

Khaya rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

recommends it for: Hard-core "Traveling Pants" fans

The “Traveling Pants” books are brain candy, although I felt that the first one was more like a good Swiss chocolate bar while the subsequent ones were more like eating marshmallow fluff with a spoon.

I agree with the reviewers who found Bee to be their favorite of the four girls. She’s definitely the most authentic; the other three girls felt flat and pretty much interchangeable, less so in the first book but increasingly as the series continued. I also thought Bee’s stor...more The “Traveling Pants” books are brain candy, although I felt that the first one was more like a good Swiss chocolate bar while the subsequent ones were more like eating marshmallow fluff with a spoon.

I agree with the reviewers who found Bee to be their favorite of the four girls. She’s definitely the most authentic; the other three girls felt flat and pretty much interchangeable, less so in the first book but increasingly as the series continued. I also thought Bee’s story in this book was the most interesting of the four – working as a camp soccer coach, she meets the older guy she impulsively seduced at fifteen when she was not ready for the experience. Naturally, reuniting with him as a more mature young woman evokes complicated feelings – embarrassment and shame about her earlier behavior and what it led to; confusion about how to relate to him, especially once he reveals that he now has a girlfriend; and pain at the feelings she continues to have for him knowing she can no longer pursue him since he’s taken and she’s too mature in any case to behave the way she did earlier.

The other three storylines, I felt, were not only hackneyed but a bit of a stretch: Tibby’s old friend Brian admits to having feelings for her which she returns but is scared to express (oh, come on already); Carmen meets a gorgeous (of course) guy who gets the mistaken impression that she’s some kind of good Samaritan and she’s afraid to set him straight (it really shouldn’t have been that big a deal); Lena’s father decides he doesn’t want her to go to art school so now she needs to pursue a scholarship, and she basically spends the entire book drawing. Bo-ring.

I was in the mood for something light to space out with, and for that, “Girls in Pants” was adequate, I guess. I’ve definitely read better space-out books, but I’ve also read ones that were too stupid and unbelievable and/or poorly written to finish despite my wish for something fluffy; this one didn’t fall into that category, for the most part. But I wouldn’t tell anyone to rush out and read it, unless they really enjoyed “The Second Summer of the Sisterhood” (which already showed signs of strain, in my opinion) and are dying to read further adventures of the girls.
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May 30, 2009

Heather Palmer marked it as to-read (review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: to-read

The Pants first came to us at the perfect moment. That is, when we were splitting up for the first time. It was two summers ago when they first worked their magic, and last summer when they shook up our lives once again. You see, we don’t wear the Pants year-round. We let them rest so they are extra powerful when summer comes. (There was the time this spring when Carmen wore them to her mom’s wedding, but that was a special case.)

Now we’re facing our last summer together. In Se...more

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Jan 26, 2010

Ms. Patterson rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729359)

Read in January, 2010

After reading the first two "Sisterhood" books, I had to read the third one. I wanted to find out what happens to Bridget, Tibby, Carmen & Lena as they get older.

GIRLS IN PANTS starts with the four girls graduating from high school. Each has a different plan for college next year and this is their last summer together. The pants, once again, serve as a way for the girls to connect while all experiencing pivotal moments in their lives.

At first, I wasn't very i...more

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Nov 01, 2009

Jamie rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: 8th-grade-ir-books-sadelle

This book is a Sequel to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 and 2. It was about four girls who have to go their separate ways for the first time. They find a pair of jeans who fit each one of them and take turns wearing it and miling it to eachother. In this sequel Bridget is reunited with her boyfriend Erick, Tibby is in love with Brian, Carmen discovers that her mother is pregnant, and Lena finally gets approval from her father to attend the Long Island School of Design.
I can mak...more

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Aug 02, 2009

Patricia rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: summer-readings-books-2009

Read in August, 2009

The main characters of this are, Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget. The setting was during the summer in multiple places where the girls went during the summer. This book is about 4 girls who found a magical pair of pants and it is the 3rd summer with them. The pants travel between the four girls and help them with their problems. It is the summer before, Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget go off to college. They are all going to four different colleges. Tibby is going to NYU for filming, C...more

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Jul 22, 2009

Erica rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: audiobook, summer2009, ya

Read in August, 2009

You could say I'm a bit obsessed with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants this summer. I've listened to three of the four books as audiobooks and just checked out the fourth one today from the library. It's definitely the Summer of the Sisterhood for me.

While I still loved this book, it was my least favorite of the three I've listened to so far this summer. The girls are more independent this summer even though Tibby, Lena and Carmen are all still in town. Bridget is a coach at a s...more

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Nov 23, 2008

Ashleigh K rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

recommended to Ashleigh K by: my friend
recommends it for: girls

Girls in Pants, the third summer of the sisterhood was written by Ann Brashares. In this book Tibby, Lena, Carmen and Bridget are graduating from highschool. They are figuring out where they want to go in life and this is the last real summer that they will all be together. Lena wants to go to art school, Tibby wants to go to film school, bridget is going to Brown and Carmen is going to acting school. This summer, they will overcome many unexpected events that only the magic pants can help them ...more

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Dec 20, 2008

Winna rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in December, 2008

I enjoyed it thoroughly. The adventures are more conflict ridden, they're also not identical to the previous ones. The second book is slightly boring - a consequence of the first, but this one's fresh.

They have grown up. I begin to see glimpses of Lena finding out about herself and everyone around her through drawing, Tibby accepting Brian and her capability to love through Katherine and Tina, Carmen's acceptance of the newborn baby and her whole self, and Bee.. changing but being th...more

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Apr 06, 2009

Michelle rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

In Girls in Pants, Ann Brashares doesn't fail to take my breath away. In this "last" novel, it is the last summer for Bridget, Leah, Tibby and Carmen, before each individual goes on their separate ways, off to college. The novel was written beautifully and captures all their memories and friendship. It was definitely depressing to read about the characters being separated, but that is just reality. I was really sad to see the series ending, but later Brashares surprised me with F...more

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Sep 13, 2009

Madeleine rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

This book is really good. It's a bit inappropriate, but it's good. I'd say at least age 10 and up. At least. I really like her books. Like I said in another review, I like how she writes from everybody's point of view. All of the characters point of views. In this book Lena is trying to convince her very strict dad to let her take art classes. Carmen finds out that her mother is pregnant. Bridget is reunited with her big time crush Eric and Tibby is still trying to figure out what's up with he...more

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Nov 02, 2008

Karen rated it:

(review of isbn 0553375938)

Read in October, 2008

This is the third installment of these books. The books are for young adults but I like them. The story line is fun and interesting.
Eighteen years ago, four expecting mothers meet in an exercise class for expecting moms. They became best friends and all four delivered daughters in September. The women stayed friends for years, but slowly drifted apart. However, the four September babies, "The Septembers", stayed best friends always.
The books take place duri...more

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