What My Mother Doesn't Know

Sophie is suffering from a freshman-year boy crisis--falling out of love with one boy and in love with another, a masked boy at the Halloween dance who's probably handsome and mysterious and dashing, and almost certainly not the awkward boy who's become the butt of most of the class jokes...right?

There's a very brief "fling" with an online boy who (predictably) turns out to be a creeper, but there was never any actual danger for Sophie. I did appreciate the way that she falls for Murphy--she gets to know him and THEN falls for him, rather than her previous boyfriend, with whom things happened in the opposite order and didn't work out so well.

The verse novel moves quickly and is an engaging light read, but it isn't as memorable as some show more of Sones' other books, especially "Stop Pretending." show less

This was just lovely, I ached along with Sophie at each stage of her relationships, agonised with her over her choices, and rejoiced in her success. This story captured the intoxicating mix of drama, crushes, and questions that make up a term of life in high school. Sophie is surrounded by good friends, distant parents, and a series of love-interests that capture her hormones and her heart.
There are plenty of amusing situations, but it is the moments of crystal clarity, Sophie's total openness with her feelings about the new adult body she is starting to inhabit, and the adult world she is entering, that make this much more than a teen romance story.
I'd give this to teenaged girls interested in relationships, realistic fiction, and show more possibly art. show less

What really struck a chord with me in this book is that it’s a free-verse novel. I feel that Sones’ decision to write this novel in verse instead of prose makes it stand out from other young adult novels that might deal with similar characters and situations.

Because of the nature of poetry, there was a certain lack of depth to the story. With that in mind, there was also a much deeper depth to the story than what could be found just through reading this as if it were prose. The poems that make up What My Mother Doesn’t Know range in what they convey. Some are a full scene in Sophie’s day. Others create a full scene with a series of poems, where each might be a bit shorter and focus on one thought. Weaved together in a mixture of show more lengths and subjects, they create a beautiful patchwork view into who Sophie’s character is.

I really enjoyed the voice in this books as well. Sophie is a 15-year-old girl who is trying to sort out her heart, deal with an abnormal home-life and even touches on the prejudices of her being Jewish. While I’m not, nor have I ever been, a 15-year-old girl, I found her believable and was able to sympathize with her. At times I wanted to reach into the book and give her a good slap, but she’s learning how to go through life and to sort things out for herself.

I’m happy that I went along on this little journey with Sophie figuring out what love is, who she really is, and ultimately a journey about growing up for a teen who could represent many teens in one way or another. show less

My VOYA ratings: 5Q,4P
This is a lovely tale of love. It is the fractured love of child and parent, the unrequited love of youth, the love of self, and the love of life. Sophie navigates her entrance into high school, and the world of boys, as she learns to claim her identity and be true to herself. The style is easy to read and pulls you in.
Quote:
"How can I study when my blood is pumping so loud that I can't hear my own thoughts? How can I read when all the words keep swirling around on the page?" (18)

The title made me nervous. As a mom, I know there are things that my teen doesn't tell me - but it's not like a need a book to reinforce "don't tell your mom anything!"

But, this book is just beautiful. It's written in verse - like each page is a poem. Instead of being distracting, this writing style really compliments the story - because so much is said in just a few words.

It's a story about an average girl exploring love. And it's just a fun read.

What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones is the story of Sophie, a high school freshman who is boy-crazy, funny, silly, rebellious, and brave, depending on the day. To call Sophie fickle would be a disservice to her. It is more that she is a teen character who is still trying to figure herself out, a process that requires her to be flexible in her beliefs about herself and those around her. The book focuses on Sophie’s relationships with her mother, best friends, and the various boys who leave and enter her life. The novel is written in verse, told from Sophie’s first person perspective. This method of storytelling works well in helping give Sophie a strong voice and develop her characterization. For teens who enjoy narrative show more poems, or reluctant readers who may be impatient with prose texts, What My Mother Doesn’t Know might be a good selection.

5P, 3Q show less

3Q, 4P

This was a very quick read because it is in verse form. The book follows Sophie Stein, a 14 year old girl who is discovering her sexuality. She falls in and out of love with several boys, but finds herself inexplicably attracted to one boy she never would have thought she'd fall for. I like that Ms. Sones includes the author as part of her verse for many of the poems, so it flows well when read aloud. I also appreciated her creativity with the shape and language of some of the verse, particularly "I Wish" (p. 66).
I gave it a 3Q because it is an ok story; it is not particularly compelling or deep, but it is a story I believe many teenage girls could relate to. It is not a book I have seen a lot of publicity for, but I think show more introducing the book to teens would be enough to get them to read it. For this reason, I gave it the 4P rating. show less