What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know

Bibliography:
Sones, Sonya. 2007. What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0689876025

Plot Summary:
After a surprise mutual attraction to a popular girl, perennial loser Robin Murphy finds himself navigating the challenging world of high school politics in this verse novel. Robin finds that having a girlfriend can be rewarding, but difficult at the same time. His girlfriend, once well-liked, is now without friends and is getting teased due to the fact she is in a relationship with him. Along the way, Robin is given the opportunity to audit a Harvard art class, where he finds that he fits in well, excels in the assignments and gains some friends. With the weight of his girlfriend’s sudden unpopularity on his mind, Robin feel as if he has to choose between having her in his life or letting her be happy. In the end, their love wins back some of her friends and the admiration of their classmates.

Critical Analysis:
Sones creates the perfect storm in the verse novel Girlfriend; using poetry in a linear format, she tells the story of two teenagers trying their hand at first love. The poems differ in length, format, rhythm and even shape, helping to ensure that the reader does not have a chance to get bored. What is most striking is the emotion that is conveyed throughout the work; the reader truly gets the feelings expressed by the main character. The poems read excitable when Robin is happy and tragic when he is depressed. You get the voice of the character through the poems, not just words and phrases. It does seem, however, some of the poems would be difficult to understand if taken out of the context of the novel.

In a verse novel, the idea of organization is very important, as each poem leads to another conclusion or enlightenment. The way the poems are put together here is in such a way that the reader can immediately engage and follow the story. The topic of the novel is made clear through the tone of the poems and the language used within the work. It feels as if this young man is relating his issues to the reader, not as if an older woman is writing about what she thinks teenagers would think or feel. Appeal for this work would be great among the target audience, mainly because young romance always has an audience.

Awards and Reviews:
Booklist Top Ten Romance Novel – 2007
Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers – American Library Association
NY Public Library Book of the Teen Age – 2008
Bank Street Best Book of the Year – 2007
Books-A-Million Book Club Selection – 2008

“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.” – Leah Kripper, School Library Journal

“The story of a thrilling and faltering first love may be familiar, but Robin's believable voice is distinctive, and Sones uses her spare words (and a few drawings) to expert effect. From bad puns to breathless accounts of locking lips to anguished worries about losing Sophie, Robin reinforces the picture of an awkward, likable, intelligent, and realistically flawed young man. Many teens will see themselves, and they'll cheer when Sophie and Robin thwart the bullies and reclaim their social standing. Like Sones' other titles, this is a great choice for reluctant and avid readers alike.” Gillian Engberg, Booklist

Connections:
*Read the prequel to this novel from Sophie’s (the girlfriend) perspective, What My Mother Doesn’t Know, also by Sones.
*Have the student choose one of their favorite books and write a companion verse novella from the point of view of a non-main character.
*Compare this work with regular novel on some of the same topics addressed, like first love, popularity or bullying. Try How Not to Be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler or The Clique series by Lisi Harrison.

Book Jacket found on the Sonya Sones website.