This book is probably more of a girl book. The main characters in the book are teens in high school. This is recommended for teens for language and happanings in the story. ( )

Let me preface this to say that my review in this matter is not to be trusted. I met Lauren Myracle at the 2009 NYLA conference and she was just awesome. Sweet and down to earth and did a great talk on censorship and awesome. And she really says "y'all" in real life!! Eeee! So, anyway, I might be a skosh biased, just a warning.

After doing a summer stint of volunteer work in the Tennessee woods, Carly returns home to find that not only has she changed but so has her year younger sister Anna. While Carly was getting "hippie-fied," Anna was growing boobs and getting H-O-T. At least, that's what all the guys are saying when the two sister start high school, Carly an experienced older sister sophomore and Anna to start her freshman year. What Carly first thinks will be great, FINALLY going to school with her beloved younger sister, turns out to be more emotionally taxing than she thought. She is torn between defending and protecting her younger sister as she always has and letting her grow up on her own so she, Carly, can be her own person. And it doesn't help that everyone keeps reminding her how HOT Anna is. Each sister anchored by a jealousy they can't explain (shouldn't they be happy for each other?) must figure out how to mire through high school dramas and still maintain the sisterly bond they've always shared.

Blech! Masked by a perfectly dull review (my fault, I'm still learning), is a novel that is not as trite and overdone as it may seem. While the much used novel ploy of "ugly smart sister vs. dumb beautiful one" could be tired here, it just isn't. This is one of the most accurate depictions of females and highschool in a novel, for me, I have ever read. I say for me because I know not everyone lived in upper-middle class white suburbia and had different experiences growing up. But this hit the nail on the head for me. There were times reading this that I got annoyed or aggravated and was like, "No way! Who ACTS like that?!" And then I reminded myself, 15 year-olds act like that. I acted like that and probably more often than I am comfortable with. Lauren (yes, I feel that since we met and hugged and shared a picture that I can use her first name) has a really great knack for not forgetting how annoying being 15 can really be. And how annoying we, as 15 year olds, were.

I especially identified with Carly. It was this way in my family too. The smart one vs. the pretty one with me always trying to separate myself and be the "free spirit" and my sister seemingly fitting in just fine. When really we were both smart AND pretty and we managed to stick these uncomfortable labels on ourselves when if we had just TALKED to the other, we would have found out that we were both jealous of the other for the same things! Oye! Sorry, I digress. Back from my trip down high school hell lane. I've said this before and I maintain that if I had had or been offered novels like this when I was a teen, I would have done things differently. Coped better with things, come to terms with myself better, worried less. Lauren has done a wonderful job of making relatable, real characters, even if they annoy us sometimes. Because that's what real people do. And we love them anyway. Especially if they are our sisters. ( )

There are this two sisters who are going to high school together.They find there strenght and weakness together.By the end you find out who your friends and family are. Loved it. ( )

Reviewed by Andrea for TeensReadToo.com

Carly and Anna are two sisters who are very close in age, but very far apart in personality.

Carly is a sophomore in high school who is very skinny after spending six weeks of the summer working outdoors in Tennessee. She wants to be different than the "Barbies" (as she calls them) at her preppy Catholic School. Anna is a freshman in high school who suddenly grew a large chest over the summer, has all the right curves, and is beautiful. All of the boys want her, but she is seen as a sex object.

PEACE, LOVE, & BABY DUCKS deals with their relationship and the trials of high school life.

I read this book in one sitting. I really could identify with parts of both Carly and Anna. I could totally understand how Carly wanted to be different and wanted to be accepted for that. But I could also see how Anna didn't want to be different and wanted Carly to accept HER for that.

This was a great sisterly story (it made me wish I had a sister). I found myself laughing out loud at a bunch of what the sisters said. There was also a great love story with Carly. Who should she choose - the cool, guitar-playing Cole, or the always there for her, Dutch Roger? And I loved all the ducky references.

Overall, a really cute teeny-bopper story! ( )