What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN’T KNOW. 2008. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780689876035.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Fourteen-year-old Robin Murphy’s days just recently started looking up. Usually considered a “loser” by his high school peers, Robin’s love life has become a surprise to his classmates when he starts dating Sophie, one of the most popular girls in the school. In this novel written in verse, author Sonya Sones shares the story of Sophie and Robin who have so much in common, yet differ on the high school social ladder. Robin is amazed by how much Sophie and he have in common and just how right their relationship feels. Robin wonders “if only everyone else/ could see/ what Sophie sees/ when she looks at me.” However, their bliss is thwarted when Sophie’s friends begin to snub her unless she ends her relationship with Robin…”date a loser, turn into a loser.” To make matters more complicated, another potential love interest emerges for Robin when he audits an art class at Harvard. The pressures continue to build until the end of the novel and test whether Robin and Sophie’s love is truly meant to be.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Sones realistically captures the inner thoughts of a teenage boy, Robin, who discovers love during his tumultuous freshman year of high school. Throughout the book, Sones cleverly presents Robin’s fears, desires, worries, and determination. Oftentimes, the titles of the poems sequentially connect one poem to the next. However, each poem may also stands on its own and often relays an emotional, humorous, and gripping story within itself.

The entire novel is written in verse, with some poems written in a rhythmic and/or rhyming fashion, while others are written in free verse form. The verses in the novel are a combination of voices—narrative (“Because when I was with her, I was Robin, Robin Murphy”), a stream of consciousness (“Is it possible/ that they could be/ flirting with me?”) and conversational (“Everything will be all right, she says./ They’ll get used to the idea of us being together./ This will all blow over./ It will.”). This variety of voice further adds to the feelings and perspectives evoked by the main character.

In some instances, Sones visually arranges the lines of her poems to form images that further add to the humor of the book. She also uses language that feels authentic for the teenage characters, such as “outlaws rule” and “What a Murphy.” In addition, Sones’ funny and vivid descriptions of Robin’s anxieties (e.g., his fear of losing Sophie), as well as his overactive imagination resonate throughout the novel. Robin’s emotions are very realistically presented and make the reader continue to root for this underdog.

4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• School Library Journal: “Written as a novel in verse, this title is a fast-paced, page-turning romp that gives authentic voice to male youth even when it is painfully truthful.”

• Kirkus Reviews: “Six years after What My Mother Doesn't Know sizzled onto the scene, Sones returns to continue the story of teen sweethearts Sophie Stein and Robin Murphy…If this offering lacks some of the intensity of its predecessor, it nevertheless provides both an opportunity to revisit two likable characters and the advantage of a fresh viewpoint.”
  

• VOYA: “Teens will devour this book and again will be left wishing for more at the end. Both Sophie and Robin are unforgettable characters, and their trials and triumphs are completely recognizable and easy to relate to by teens their age. It is not necessary to have read the first book to understand the second, so buy multiple copies-it will fly off the shelves.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Recommended for grades 8 and up.

• To learn more about author Sonya Sones, visit her Web site at: http://www.sonyasones.com/wmgdk.htm

• Other books written by Sonya Sones include:
  -Sones, Sonya. STOP PRETENDING: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY BIG SISTER WENT CRAZY. 2001. New York: HarperTeen. ISBN: 9780064462181.
  -Sones, Sonya. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. 2003. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN: 9780689855535.
  -Sones, Sonya. ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES. 2005. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN: 9781416907886.

• Other examples of authors who write YA novels in verse include:
  -Sharon Creech
  -Helen Frost
  -Nikki Grimes
  -Lorie Ann Grover
  -Steven Herrick
  -Karen Hesse
  -Maria Testa
  -Ann Warren Turner