Verse Poem: what my mother doesn't know by Sonya Sones

Sones, Sonya. What My Mother doesn't Know. New York, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2001.

What My Mother doesn't Know is Sonya Sones' second novel-in-verse. It is the story of Sophie and the situations and experiences she has with boys, her friends and her parents.  This story is very realistic and feels as if it was written from the heart and mind of a teenager. 

The novel-in-verse format made for a quick and easy reading experience. I personally enjoyed being able to read a book, comprehend and enjoy it while also moving through it at a fairly fast pace. I am new to the novel-in-verse book format, but can certainly see the pros of this type of book for both reluctant, as well as advanced readers. I also feel this type of book would make for a great read aloud in a classroom setting.

What My Mother Doesn't Know is told in first person by Sophie.  The story begins with Sophie talking about her first boyfriend, and first love and progresses to her second and third boyfriend.  Sones does a magnificent job of touching on a variety of emotions through out the novel.  There were parts of the story where I laughed out loud, and parts where I felt tears brimming my eyes because the heartache Sophie was writing about I could feel as well.  Sones writes about middle school exactly as I remember it, having the "loser" or outcast, the popular kids, and your group of friends whom you would go to the ends of the Earth for.  This novel brought back memories and feelings of middle and high school I had long forgotten, and some I wish to forget again.  Each character in the book had distinct personality traits that set them apart from the other characters, I feel the characters had great depth to them and each one contributed to the story. This novel left me thinking back to the story and characters and wanting to know more days after I completed reading it. I think that is what defines a "good book", when you find yourself thinking about a book long after you have finished reading it.

I immediately reserved a copy of What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know, the sequel to What My Mother Doesn't Know and am anxiously awaiting the phone call letting me know it's ready for me to pick up.  

Excerpt from What My Mother Doesn't Know

Tears

Usually

I can feel them coming,

feel them swirling in my chest

like a swarm of angry bees,

buzzing up through my neck

and filling my head,

till it feels like a balloon

getting ready to burst.

Usually

there's time to at least try to stop them

before they stink out through my eyes

and slip down my cheeks like hot wax.

But not this time.