LS 5623 Module 6: WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW by Sonya Sones

Sones, Sonya. 2003. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689855532

Presented as a novel in verse, WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW is the story of Sophie, a teenage artist who battles the typical teenage dilemmas: falling in love, dealing with parents who don’t understand you, and the bonds of friendship. At the beginning of the book, Sophie has fallen madly in love with Dylan only to find out the flames of her new romance don’t burn for very long. Yearning for romance she attempts to find her soul mate in cyberspace but quickly realizes that online dating isn’t for her. With all her friends out of town and her parents constantly fighting (her mom never gets off the couch and her dad if always at work), Sophie takes herself on vacation around town and crosses paths with the butt of the school joke, Murphy. Reluctant at first, Sophie spends the day with Murphy and slowly finds herself enjoying his company and wanting to date him but is worried about what kids will say at school.

“Told in Sophie's own free verse poems, the story moves and evolves quickly in a satisfying and tantalizing manner” (Miller, 2008). The pages fly by as the reader is absorbed into the world of a teenage girl. Author Sonya Sones’s trademark verse novel makes it possible for even the most reluctant of readers to have no trouble comprehending and connecting with the teenage experiences presented within WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. “Sones’s poems are glimpses through a peephole many teens may be peering through for the first time, unaware that others are seeing virtually the same new, scary, unfamiliar things” (Korbeck, 2001).

While story is edgy and spiked with humor, the underlying tone of WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW is maturation. “Sonya Sones's novel draws listeners into the private thoughts and longings of a ninth grade girl on the verge of finding love and learning what it means to mature” (Miller, 2008). Throughout Sophie’s spunky tale, the reader watches as she matures from the awe of first relationship to the realization that true love can be found where you least expect it; from the fear of her friends’ rejection to the knowledge of that everything will be alright in the end; and from a mother-daughter relationship laced with secrets and lies to a place of honesty and acceptance.“Female readers of any age will love and identify with Sophie as she weathers the storms of growing up and the scary, unfamiliar emotions that accompany first love” (Childs, 2002).

Those who enjoy this well written book will be quick to locate Sones companion novel, WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN’T KNOW, and read all about Murphy’s point of view through his budding romance with Sophie!

References:
Korbeck, Sharon. 2001. "What My Mother Doesn't Know (Book Review)." School Library Journal 47, no. 10: 171. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed December 5, 2011).
Childs, Kathryn A. 2002. "What My Mother Doesn't Know (Book)." Book Report 20, no. 5: 51. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed December 5, 2011).
Miller, Jessica. 2008. "What My Mother Doesn't Know." School Library Journal 54, no. 10: 76. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed December 5, 2011).