Verse Novel

I. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

II. PLOT SUMMARY

In WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW, Sones tells the story of fifteen-year-old Sophie and her search for true love. She experiences three loves throughout this free verse novel. The story also includes her close relationships with her two girlfriends, Rachel and Grace, who are having their own first love experiences. Sophie learns about the ups and downs of relationships, both with boys and her parents.

III. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Sonya Sones’ free verse novel about a girl’s first experiences with love is told expertly from the voice of a fifteen-year-old girl. In each poem, as the story progresses, the reader can hear the voice of Sophie. She has accomplished an authenticity of voice that draws the reader in to Sophie’s intimate thoughts and experiences. Sophie has an ironic sense of humor, as in the poem “Culture Clash:”

Dylan Says
when I meet his mother today
I shouldn’t mention
that I’m Jewish

I say
okay, but can I
tell her about
the HIV positive thing?

He gives me a look.
I give him one back. (Sones 2001, 74).

The issues Sophie faces are relevant to young people today. She experiences an online relationship with a boy named Chaz, and it goes well until he reveals an unpleasant fact about himself. Sophie replies with her quick wit: “Consider yourself permanently deleted” (Sones 2001, 111). Most young people today utilize the internet and chat rooms regularly, so this scenario is both relevant and important.

Sonya Sones has created a strong character with a strong voice. The use of free verse to tell Sophie’s story makes it powerful and is appealing to young readers. They can relate to the universal experiences Sophie faces in her life. The poems are varied in length and flow well from page to page. The story is cohesive, but each poem is unique. Each poem is titled and is one to two pages in length. The storyline flows quickly and keeps the reader engaged. Overall, this is a verse novel that many girls will relate to, however, it may not have quite as much appeal to boys, because of the subject matter. Sones has done an excellent job of capturing the experiences of young love and the turmoil young girls face in their lives.

IV. REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Drawing on the recognizable cadences of teenage speech, Sones (Stop Pretending) poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy.” --Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review

“Sophie's voice is colloquial and intimate, and the discoveries she makes are beyond formula, even while they are as sweetly romantic as popular song. A natural for reluctant readers, this will also attract young people who love to read.” --Booklist, ALA Starred Review

V. CONNECTIONS

**This verse novel could be adapted for reader’s theatre.
**Have students write their own free verse story about a subject of their choosing.