Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, #1)

by Ann Brashares

Sisterhood of the Traveli...

by
Ann Brashares

book data

28,400 ratings, 3.75 average rating, 2,418 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		24%
4		37%
3		29%
2		7%
1		1%

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published

March 2003 by Perfection Learning (first published September 11th 2001)

details

Hardcover

isbn

0756942381 (isbn13: 9780756942380)

description

They were just a soft, ordinary pair of thrift-shop jeans until the four girls took turns trying them on--four girls, that is, who are close friends,…more

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Jun 06, 2007

Namz rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

bookshelves: ya-lit

Read in June, 2007

A sparkling breath of fresh air, this book captures the spirit of friendship in the most charming and sauciest manner possible!

The book is a far cry from the regular breed of YA novels which seem to dwell on the fixed notions that young girls basically fall into two main groups: One, the hatefully pretty, perpetually scheming Prom Queens with their nastier than “week-ol’ milk” cliques! And at the other end of the rainbow, the brave under-dog…..not much to look at, ...more A sparkling breath of fresh air, this book captures the spirit of friendship in the most charming and sauciest manner possible!

The book is a far cry from the regular breed of YA novels which seem to dwell on the fixed notions that young girls basically fall into two main groups: One, the hatefully pretty, perpetually scheming Prom Queens with their nastier than “week-ol’ milk” cliques! And at the other end of the rainbow, the brave under-dog…..not much to look at, the general do-gooder, the faithful confidante and to nicely round it off, more often than not, armed with an IQ formidable enough to gain entry into MENSA!!!

Breaking the age-old mould with insouciance, Ann Brashares creates a world where it is possible for four friends, as different as chalk and cheese to form a deeply satisfying friendship. They care for each other, love each other, put aside fights and misunderstandings with a careless shrug and offer unstinted, non-judgmental support any time, everytime.

Lena, the reluctant beauty; feisty, big-tushied Carmen; the anti-everything, mad-at-the-world Tibby and the over-achieving, statuesque athlete Bridget are friends; literally since birth (their mums shared a preggers-aerobics class). Having grown up in each other’s pockets, along comes a summer when the four are parted for the first time. Lena is off to Greece to meet her grandparents; Carmen to spend some quality time with her divorced dad in South Carolina; Bridget to Baja, California for summer camp and Tibby, the impotent rebel is stuck at home, cutting a minimum wage at Wallman’s.

A well-worn pair of soft jeans bought at a thrift-shop by Carmen but never-tried becomes an unexpected bond to hold the four pals together. Despite their vastly different body proportions, the seemingly-magical pair of jeans fits each of them like a dream……hugging the right curves, resting gracefully on the varying waistlines, making each teen feel sexy and infusing them with much-needed confidence!!!

They make a pact (complete with a set of serious-cum-nonsensical rules) to circulate the pants amongst themselves throughout their vacation, passing it on when the time is right. Thus begins the saga of the Sisterhood…….

As the long, glorious summer unravels, the pants become a source and symbol of the generous support which the sisterhood provides to each of the four buddies as they face unwieldy situations.

Sucker-punched by new emotions, the friends absorb confidence from their ever-reliable ‘magical pants’. For each, the pants seem to be infused with the strength and support of their fellow friends.

Brimming with energy and vitality, the book effortlessly hops between the four friends as they deal with life, love and all-things ‘teen-achy’. One of the best coming-of-age books in a long time, it’s a must read for everyone who is-a-teen, was-a-teen and will soon be-a-quakin’ in your boots-teen!.....It’s a tough world out there, but when you got your SIST –AHS, life’s just a wee bit more bearable!!
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Like this review? yes (12 people liked it)

2 comments

Sep 10, 2007

Briynne rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

Read in September, 2007

This is beginning to feel a little too familiar, but here's yet another disapointment from my YA Lit class. First, I should state that I have never liked the whole "girl power" thing. I guess I always felt intelligent/empowered enough as a teenager to not have to rely on books like this to show me how fantastic it is to be female. Also, generally speaking, I find large groups of girls terrifying, especially at the high school age. So lots of pre-existing strikes against this book. ...more This is beginning to feel a little too familiar, but here's yet another disapointment from my YA Lit class. First, I should state that I have never liked the whole "girl power" thing. I guess I always felt intelligent/empowered enough as a teenager to not have to rely on books like this to show me how fantastic it is to be female. Also, generally speaking, I find large groups of girls terrifying, especially at the high school age. So lots of pre-existing strikes against this book.

As for the story itself: blah.

Complaint the first: I dislike the fomulatic "four girls with four neat, distinctive personalities" thing. I mean come on - all my friends in high school were pretty much the exact same as me, but with different colors of hair and varying degrees of niceness.

Complaint the second: I was unconvinced by every single one of the characters. Lena I liked the best, but I still didn't buy the whole "I don't want people to like me 'cause I'm pretty" thing. Realistically, most pretty teenagers seem fairly psyched by their good fortune and run with it. Maybe if she was in her twenties (still a maybe), but at fifteen?

Similarly, the one who played soccer and her agressive hitting on the coach senario. Maybe it was realistic, but if it is, I didn't grow up with girls like that. It all seemed a little contrived to me. Even at fifteen we all had a pretty good handle on the word "skank", and the lack of it being thrown around by anyone made this seem less real-world. Girls aren't nice - if one person has the nerve to flirt with the camp idol (especially if she is sucessful), she isn't cheered on and adored for it. She is hated, whispered about, and called lots of fun names for it. Or, at least where I came from.

Complaint the third: the kid with cancer. Not to be cold (or, perhaps "colder" would be more accurate), but dying does not make you self-aware, wise, and interesting all by itself so far as I know. Yet somehow books/movies just can't resist the wise-beyond-her-years dying kid. It would make a lot more sense and be a lot more authentic if she were just mad, not a slightly rebellious Yoda.

Complaint the fourth: The stupid pants. I hated the completely idiotic premise of the book. Seriously. Magic pants that fit everyone? That's the best that could be thought up? Not good. Not good at all.
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Like this review? yes (10 people liked it)

6 comments

Jan 07, 2008

Julie rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

Read in January, 2008

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

I saw the movie first and kind of liked it. So, of course I thought "Well the book is always better than the movie" so I decided to read it, even though its written for teens and I wasn't too sure I could relate. I guess I couldn't because this is one time I liked the movie a lot better than the book. I mean really, how many 15/16 year old girls do you know who's parents let them go trapezing all over the world (in Lena's case literally) and don't think twice about it. Come to think of...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

2 comments

Jul 03, 2007

Erin rated it:

(review of isbn 0385730586)

bookshelves: yafiction

Read in October, 2006

We, the Sisterhood, hereby instate the following rules to govern the use of the Traveling Pants.
1.) You must never wash the Pants.
2.) You must never double-cuff the Pants. It's tacky. There will never be a time when this will not be tacky.
3.) You must never say the word "phat" while wearing the Pants. You must also never think "I am fat" while wearing the Pants...

So begins the first summer apart for four friends: Lena, who is going to visit he...more

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Jan 16, 2008

Dini rated it:

(review of isbn 0440229707)

bookshelves: fiction

Read in May, 2008

A warm tale of teen female friendship, with a pair of magical jeans thrown in the background. I watched the movie first, and I found some differences from the original (such as Lena's love story, which is too cliche in the movie, IMHO) but I like them both. Now I'm in the mood for a new pair of jeans and the rest of the books in this series.

"You know what the secret is? It's so simple. We love one another. We're nice to one another. Do you know how rare that is?"

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

13 comments

Oct 22, 2008

Colleen rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

Read in June, 2005

recommends it for: no one

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

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Aug 18, 2008

Liesl rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

Owns a copy — Read in August, 2008

I put off reading these for so long. I even had the full set sitting on my shelves for over a year. Unheard of for a book to be owned in my home and not read at least once.

I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a mildly enjoyable teen lit, but I found this book to be so much more. There was nothing particularly astounding or new about the story. Of course, there really are no new stories, just the same few recycled over and over again. What made this so fresh was the characters...more

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Jun 21, 2008

JaNece Mendoza rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

Read in June, 2008

I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. I will admit after reading the "Twilight" Series by Stephanie Meyer, it's hard to jump so completely into another book, as you do with that series. However, this was a fun, easy read that I liked. I know there is a movie about this book, but wanted to read the book first so I could get my own sense of things. I was kind of confused as the book jumps from girl to girl, and I had a hard time picturing what Tibby looked like. They are writi...more

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Feb 14, 2008

ClareBear rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

recommended to ClareBear by: My sister
recommends it for: 10-14 year old girls

READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU WATCH THE MOVIE. That is, if you watch the movie at all, which I don't reccomend. But the book is romantic and touching. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time. There are four girls who have been friends their whole lives; Bridget (Bee), Carmen, Lena, and Tibby.
Bridget is a great soccer player with beautiful blond hair. Carmen is a smart, hot-tempered Puerto Rican who treausures their friendship and works to keep them together. Lena is shy and ...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

Nov 26, 2007

Kathy rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

bookshelves: childrens, young-adult

Bridget, Lena, Carmen, and Tibby are inseparable friends. But for the first time they won’t be spending the summer together. Bridget is off to soccer camp in Mexico, Lena is visiting her relatives in Greece, Carmen is seeing her father in Georgia, and Tibby is stuck at home. But right before they go their separate ways, they discover a pair of jeans that seems to fit each of them perfectly, even though they have different body types. They make a pact to share the magical jeans among themsel...more

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Feb 15, 2009

Giggles rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

bookshelves: movie-books, sisterhood-pants

I loved this book. It was amazing. I love the way the author described each of the character's summers. Where they were going, who they met, and what they did. I think my favorite character would be Carmen. She went to her Dad's house over the summer. Her parents are divorced. When she showed up, she found out that her dad was getting married! She was so shocked and angry. I would have been upset too if I was her!

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

3 comments

Jul 22, 2008

Sierra rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

I was almost ashamed to love this book, because I'm REALLY not one for "chick lit"...give me Gothic or intrigue any day! However, I think this series is really exceptional. The experiences cannot be typified -although there is romance, I appreciate how it does not fall into the "crush/agony/happily-ever-after" triptych that is common to most "chick lit" novels.

I think Ann Brashares is remarkably gifted at describing emotions and experiences -she chooses...more

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Oct 16, 2007

furies rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

bookshelves: would-rec, young-adult

Read in March, 2002

my youngest sister got this for me for christmas. i admit it took me a while to pick it up, mostly because the premise seemed so ridiculous.

but then i read it. and i fell in love: with carmen's temper, and lena's hidden feelings, and EFFIE, and BEE's misdirected passion, and tibby's cynical nature crossed with bailey's infinite wisdom and brian at the dragon master video machine.

i love the septembers. i adore their friendship, and their letters, and the way they are there f...more

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Jan 20, 2009

Robin rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

It wasn't as good as I'd hoped, but it was okay. Let me just say that if I ever find a pair of magic jeans that make me look fabulous I'M NOT SHARING!

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Dec 23, 2008

Marisol rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

Kind of creative, a little irritating at times...

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1 comment

Jan 26, 2009

Alyssa added it (review of isbn 0385729332)

I have been reading 'The sisterhood of the Traveling pants.' The author is Ann Brashares. The setting is in different places. The main conflict of the book is how these pants can fit all of the four friends. The pants changed each of these girls lives. Some found love others found out about family. Each character had a problem. Carmen had to deal with her fathers new family. Not having everything be the same. Timmy had to deal with a little girl who drove her crazy but at the end grew closer t...more

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Jan 06, 2009

Antof9 rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

bookshelves: 2004-read, charming, couldn-t-put-it-down, faves, made-me-cry

Read in August, 2004

Must quote from the back of the book, as I love it :)

We, the Sisterhood, hereby instate the following rules to govern the use of the Traveling Pants:
2. You must never double-cuff the Pants. It's tacky. There will never be a time when this will not be tacky.
4. You must never let a boy take off the Pants (although you may take them off yourself in his presence).
5. You must not pick your nose while wearing the Pants. You may, however, scratch casually at your nos...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

3 comments

Jan 02, 2009

Priscilla rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

bookshelves: 2nd--quarter

Read in December, 2008

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

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Dec 08, 2008

Chelsy added it (review of isbn 0385729332)

In the book, “Sisterhood of the traveling pants,” what kept me reading was the fact that its way different from the movie. I picked it because I wanted to see the difference and there is a lot of them. The portion of the book that captivated my attention was the friendship ceremonie in the beging .It interested me with details, and the introduction of the rules, they created about the pants. This book caused me to feel it all! Sadness, confussion,disappointment,excitement, excetra. I belie...more

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Nov 22, 2008

Makenzee rated it:

(review of isbn 0385729332)

this book was a very acciting book i had alot of fun reding it there were alot of things that were different than the movie

the story is about four girls and there adventures during summer they end up on there last days together fins a pair of pants that fit all four of there body types witch are all very different from each other they agree on passing it around to all of them throut there journeys of summer like bee goes to soccer camp and and sees one of the coches and right then a...more

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