Pants Books

Should be read along with Whack on the side of your head by the same author.

I was a huge fan of von Oech's "A Whack in the Side of the Head." That is why I was bitterly disappointed by "A Kick in the Seat of the Pants." It is ironic that a book about creativity is almost a carbon copy of its predecessor. "A Kick.." has at least 50 percent of the text and cartoons from "A Whack." I feel robbed, as this book is little more than a revised edition of "A Whack."

If you already read "A Whack" and feel like you are experiencing deja vu while reading "A Kick", you are not alone. This book is a rip-off. How would you like to pay to see "The Empire Strikes Back," only to find that half of the movie is footage from "Star Wars?'" Shame on von Oech and the publisher for tricking me, and shame on me for being duped. Anyone who enjoyed this book either failed to read "A Whack on the Side of the Head" or has extremely short term memory.

I first came across Roger Von Oech when I was a trainer - training other leaders - in a worldwide youth organisation. The ability to think outside the square is important in any lifepath and Von Oech is easy to dip in and out of to get prompted in another direction when life the way ahead looks too narrow.

This book is great - until recently we had a copy in our local library and I borrowed it avidly. Unfortunately it disappeared and I now own my own copy of both this and A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD : How You Can Be More Creative. I highly recommend them both.

I came to this precious book in the 3M Library in Caracas while I was working there, the funny thing is that there was the most un-creative work enviroment I ever seen in my life!!

This book was the kick-off that got me to exercice my creative gears.. the clasification of subject themes by hardware/ software proved to be invaluable in my later marketing career.

I would recommended to all, specially those who think they are as creative as the need to be.

I am a raving fan of Roger von Oech's creative work as embodied in his books & card decks, namely:

Books:

- A Whack on the Side of the Head;
- A Kick in the Seat of the Pants;
- Expect the Unexpected;

Card Decks:

- Creative Whack Pack;
- Innovative Whack Pack;
- Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus;

I have used all his creativity stuff ever since I started my own strategy consulting (& book store) business in late 1991.

From my personal & professional experience, I would like to say that the entire collection of Roger von Oech's creative work has been designed to serve three strategic purposes:

- understanding - & removing - your mental blocks;
- breaking your habitual patterns;
- shifting your focus & changing your paradigms;

As a matter of fact, once you appreciate & commit to these three strategic purposes in your life, you will soon realise that there is nothing in this world to stop you from getting rid of old ideas & getting new & fresh ideas.

Allow me to quote Edward de Bono: "...the mind is habitually uncreative - it is usually preoccupied with organising masses of incoming data into convenient patterns. Once this pattern is established, then the mind tends to rely upon that pattern in future situations, in order to facilitate decision making & action in an otherwise complex world..." (The Use of Lateral Thinking).

Breaking old habitual patterns is definitely the first & foremost priority in your journey to creativity!

Once your shift your focus, you begin to change your paradigms or the way you look at the world around you. Always remember this: Your brain follows the direction of your dominant thought. Once you focus on something, that thing becomes the foreground. Everything else around it will fall into the background. Most opportunties are unfortunately hidden in the background. The moment you begin to shift your focus, you are pushing the 'foreground' into the 'background', & pulling the 'background' into the 'foreground'. Get it?

'A Whack on the Side of the Head' will help you to break through your mental blocks. They will open up your mind for innovation. This book is filled with provocative puzzles, exercises, stories & helpful tips.

'A Kick in the Seat of the Pants' takes you on a guided tour through the four stereotype roles of the creative process - Explorer, Artist, Judge & Warrior. Understanding - & applying - these roles will fire up your personal & professional creativity. Tactically, they will change your mental focus as you change to play each of the four roles. I would like to add one more role from what I have learned from the Japanese creativity experts: Antique Dealer. This singular role will allow you to combine all the four roles into one.

'Expect the Unexpected' uses thirty of Heraclitus' (the world's first creativity master) epigrams as creative springboards. It has intriguing questions designed to topple old habits of thought & fire up your imagination.

All the three card decks are basically extensions of the three books, to allow convenient usage during brainstorming sessions.

From my strategy consulting experience, these three card desks have proven to be inexhaustible sources of inspirations.

In fact, the 'Innovative Whack Pack' combines the creative power of both the 'Creative Whacks' & 'Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus'.

I strongly urge readers to seriously consider having the entire collection of Roger von Oech's creative work added to your Creativity & Innovation Library, & all the three card decks placed permanently on your desk top at all times.

It's important to note that this book is "written and designed for kids and grownups together." It isn't a book to simply thrust into the hands of a child and leave her to her own devices, no matter how much of a "smarty pants" she is. On the contrary, it is to be read and enjoyed together. Older children may successfully make their way through it alone, but with all of the opportunities for interaction and discussion that ... Smarty Pants presents (i.e., Math for two, What is a Paradox?), why would you want to miss the chance? Advance concepts are explained in concrete terms, and practical challenges abound; and the well-drawn pen-and-ink illustrations enhance and clarify the text.

The book is great but it should be rated for 12+ instead of 9-12. The book goes into abstract concepts very hard to understand for a 10 year old. I bought it for my daughter which is the best of her class in math and she was very frustrated with the book. To really appreciate the book you need a very good grasping and confidence with the basic operations, fractions, powers and geometry, that means well beyond the years where your kid is learning those topics.

My 10-year-old son is definately a math "smarty pants" and when this book arrived I just left it sitting around to see if he would "discover" it and and boy did he! It's full of fun math games and activities and he dove into it for hours; not bad for a lazy summer day activity. I highly recommend it for your "smarty pants" or even your not-so-smarty-pants if he or she is willing to play in the realm of numbers.

This book contains a number of engaging math and logic problems, something that we do a lot of. Unfortunately, the print is small, the pages are quite crowded and answers are often extremely hard to find, all of which really limits the book's usefulness both in our math program and as a "just for fun" book.

I don't care what anyone else says. This book is great. I'm 10 and I didn't think it was too hard or anything. I think younger kids might be confused, but I LOVE it!

I first came across Jim Benton with his sensational The Invisible Fran (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) and other books in that series so eagerly went in search of more of his work. Of the titles in the Dear Dumb Diary series this looked the most interesting and am glad to say the quality of the Franny K series was still there, in fact an additional nice suprise is this book is about three times the length of any of those. However to be honest Dear Dumb Diary is not quite at the masterpiece level of the Franny K. It's still a worthwhile purchase though.

In My Pants are Haunted we the reader get to snoop inside the diary (if we ignore the warnings, death threats and commands to stop reading now!) of school girl Jamie Kelly's diary. Now this is second in the series so I'm not sure if it is better than the first but it is funny. In My Pants Are Haunted Jamie tells of her war against her beagle who in retaliation for not giving him food scraps under the table seems to be having his vengeance by chewing holes in her pants in order of their coolness. Of course it is not acceptable at all to wear the same jeans two days in a row but as more and more jeans appear with holes in them Jamie is having little choice. So she is amazed when one day her mother buys for her the coolest looking pants ever. However as soon as she wears them to school accidents start to happen, her popularity on the cool scale goes from middle to lower. She loses lab partner and love interest Hudson Rivers, happen immediately it is not long before she starts to theorise the pants are responsible. She's also got the mystery of how the hottest girl in school's brothers and sisters seem to be changing in appearance on a daily basis.

Great illustrations inside as well!

This book is good, but my little pug ate it. So it must have been really good.

funny,I like the page that she picks up the grandma's underpants.

Kids have you heard of the book DEAR DUMB DIARY? Well if you haven't, this book is funny. Also it is interesting because the girls in a middle school fall in love with Hudson, the cute guy in the school. Even though I think he looks ugly in the picture of him on page 7 of the book.
Three girls decide to give another girl a much needed makeover. This is a part of the book I mostly enjoyed. Make overs are when someone changes their way of dressing. The girl who gets the make over, Margaret, wears the same thing almost everyday. Two girls, Jamie the main character and the author of the diaries & her best friend Isabella take Margaret shopping and buy her new popular clothing. After Margaret becomes popular she decides to go back to being herself and to wear her usual clothes and Hudson notices her.That's when the problem begins.
Well,I think you guys should read this book because,when you are feeling down you can change your mood to a happy one.
I recommend this book to girls 7 or older because it is written as a diary.

Do you like funny books? I have a book that will crack you up! My book is called My Pants are Haunted. It is about a girl named Jamie Kelly who writes in her diary. She writes in her diary about school, her parents, her dog Stinker, her friend Isabella, a mean girl Angelina, and a boy she has a crush on named Hudson. She gets new pants for school. She gets holes in her pants. She gets really upset because they were her best pair of jeans. This book is a series. I think this is a funny book. So get down to your nearest book store and get this book.

Instructions were easy to follow. I got a pretty decent pair of pants by following step by step and fitting myself. I have struggled all my life to make pants that fit me. Even with a helper I was not as successful in previous attempts. Now I will try to make a pattern for my daughter. She is much smaller than I am, but still difficult to fit, (and very picky). I am frequently called upon to alter her "ready to wear" purchases. I think we would both like to make a basic pattern for her. In the end it would save a lot of time and money. I'm glad I found this book.

This is an excellent book. Detail wonderful, both in written descriptions and visual diagrams. Outstanding.

This is one of the most helpful books I have in my sewing library. At first I didn't want to spend the money to buy it, so I checked it out in my local public library to review it in depth. I read the entire book twice because it was so interesting. And then I decided to give it a go...to try making a pair of pants for me. The end result was that the pants I made using the techniques taught in this book are now the most comfortable, flattering pants in my closet. After the review, I decided to buy the book because I found myself referring back to passages I had read for guidance. And after I returned the borrowed one to my public library, I missed it terribly because I didn't have it for a reference.

At first I was intimidated by the instructions. I just knew I would tear the paper pattern when I tried it on for a fitting. And I only had myself...no helper to measure and "fit" me. But I am very, very happy with the end result. I have made the first pair of pants in my life that truly fit me. They are without a doubt the most comfortable in my closet. And my husband says they are extremely flattering. My figure is a challenge to any pant's maker. One hip is 1 inch higher than the other; with the aging process I have added weight to my high hips and have a dropped derriere. But with the slacks I made using this book, you don't see these flaws. They actually make me look slimmer.

This book was extremely helpful to me because it explained the rationale behind the fitting problems. I was suddenly able to understand how my various figure problems caused the pants to hang on my body, and ultimately translate into a poorly fitting garment. The solutions became obvious. After awhile, I found myself using the knowledge and solving my own problems even though the book provided a guide to solve any problem in fit. It was educational and empowered me. I feel I am better prepared to fit others for whom I sew...such as a teenage granddaughter who can be very picky.

I am glad I bought the book because I frequently refer to it for the many tips it includes. When I returned the borrowed book from my local library, I found myself checking my mailbox daily for the one I had purchased. I truly missed it and couldn't wait to get my own. I highly recommend this book. And if this is any example of Pati Palmer's other books, I will be buying more!

If you have the patience to work at it this book will help you get a great fit in your slacks. It helps if you also purchase a palmer pletch pattern for pants as well. They already have all the markings for adjustments.

The book does review several body types, however, most of those are heavier women with many adjustments. About the one and only adjustment I needed to make was not addressed. I probably won't use this book too much

I purchaced my grandson baby china from wedgwood with Jemina Puddle-Duck pattern on it. I thought a book would be a perfect companion and ordered it. it is a very nice book came very fast to my home and will be a keepsake with the china. (if the china last a little boys childhood).

The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck is a wonderful story (for adults perhaps more than for children), and the small hardback edition is wonderful. Recommended.

These are the best little books for children. I bought some of these books when my daughter was little and she is now 32 years old and still has them.the ones I just bought are for her new baby boy, my grandson.I want him to own all of the Beatrix Potter books. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (The World of Beatrix Potter)

Loved it. The recent movie "Miss Potter" made me want to read these books and give them to my 6-year old. Although I am way passed childhood, it was delightful to read the story and admire the beautiful drawings. Definitely a MUST for children in today's world, where childhood seems to have gone out of fashion.

THE TALE OF JEMIMA PUDDLE-DUCK is one of Beatrix Potter's lesser known tales, but it is still a favorite in our house. Jemima is a duck who wishes to hatch her own eggs. Apparently it is common on farms for hens to sit on duck eggs. Ducks in general, and Miss Jemima in particular, do not have the patience to sit on a nest for 28 days, so farmers transfer the eggs to hens. Jemima, however, is quite determined to hatch her own brood, and searches for a calm, quiet place to do so. In a secluded clearing, she meets an elegantly dressed gentleman with a long bushy tail, who is reading a newspaper. Jemima thinks he is mighty civil and handsome, and he is very solicitous of her plight. Jemima takes the sandy colored gentleman up on his offer of a safe, dry place to hatch her eggs. But there is more to this gentleman than meets the eye. Is he really as selfless as he seems?

THE TALE OF JEMIMA PUDDLE-DUCK quietly and deftly teaches children to be wary of strangers. This simple tale completely captures the imagination of young ones as they follow Jemima on her misadventures. As always, it is Ms. Potter's charming illustrations that are the true star of this book. Jemima looks like a real duck, albeit one who is wearing a bonnet and cape. The soft colors and rich detail of the original drawings continue to delight children of all ages.

My three year old has a special affinity to THE TALE OF JEMIMA PUDDLE-DUCK. Whenever the story refers to Jemima's sister-in-law, Mrs. Rebecca Puddle-duck, my wee one says, "That's me, Momma!" Any book that captures the imagination of my little puddle-duck is a winner with me.

My 7 year old daughter loves reading the books in this series. They are wonderful. My daughter laughs out loud at points while reading these books. They are written exactly the way a child would speak. They are very similar in tone to the Junie B. Jones books.

Hi, Im 14 and have been reading Dear Dumb Diary Books for quite some time now, since I was around 9 or 10 years old.. (though, I am not sure).

For the past 3 years, coming to 4th, I have asked and received the newest Dear Dumb Diary for Christmas.
Though I am older then the Amazon Reading Level , I frankly, do not care. I'm going to keep reading these books as much as they keep coming out.

I think the Books are amazing and funny. I love the illustrations.
Right now, I dont have a favorite of all because I just love them so much. I cant wait till the next book arrives. I read it so quickly, but that's Fine as long as i get to read it.

I really recommend it.


Im so excited for the next book. Everyone should be, they are awesome!
WOOHOO!

Christmas is taking forever to come. I'm sure the wait will be worth it.

I think I'm still reading these books because they are something funny and I was able to relate to it and that I started reading them at the recommended age so I was able to grow liking them alot. I think it's just my taste of books. I'm actually pretty sure that if i had never read them before, and ran into them at the age of 14, I would still buy them.
I hope this is helpful.


-CJ

I thought this book was hilarious. I love all of the Dear Dumb Diary books. Jim Benton does a very good job of writing these. He writes them just like a diary. I would never expect a guy to write stories about a girl and her problems. The drawings that are in the book make me laugh. I love how Jamie Kelly "hates" Angeline because she's so beautiful and popular. Jamie wants Angeline to be a brat but she's not so Jamie has to pretend that she is anyway. The entries about the wedding are realistic. I have been in a wedding before and could relate to the humor of not liking the bridesmaid's dresses or flowers. I loved this book and I hope he keeps on writing them.

If your kid or you like pure fun you should read this book. I'ts not exactly deep reading, but it sounds truly like a spunky sarcastic 6th grader! Jim benton has done it again!

I saw this book at the library and checked it out for my first grader. I didn't realize it was a bit too old for her until I started reading it. The sad thing is I couldn't stop reading it. Jim Benton's Jamie Kelly makes observations that will have anyone who has ever participated in a wedding laugh out loud.

Recommended for preteens.

Hello. You can call me StoryMaker. I read Arthur's Mystery Envelope (Arthur chapter book #1) because I just had to know what was in the envelope. It really shocked me. This was a fun book to read. I think the reading level is just right for me - the text is easy to understand and I am old enough for longish chapter books. This book is long but not too long - a very nice reading level. In this book, Arthur is sent to the principal's office and is given an envelope that he is supposed to bring to his mom. What could the message inside be? He thinks it might be about having school in the summer. His friends give him different kinds of advice. What's inside? Read to find out the surprising answer. Something I don't like is that Arthur's day dream when he's doing homework and Arthur's dream at night are creepy. Not exactly scary, but weird and creepy. Also, when Arthur was doing his homework and he got "Think of a word that rhymes with 'hope' and 'rope'" I thought that he was mad because it was too easy but then after a while I realized "envelope" was why Arthur was mad. That homework still is far too easy for a kid his age. Still, the overall rating remains 4 stars because of the great story. Overall: At least see what it's like at the library and see if you like the reading level. (I'd call it grades 2-4 or something near that.) Signed, StoryMaker. "Gotta trust the kid's review!"

I love reading children's books, even though I am not a child anymore. Arthur has always been one of my favorite TV shows. Therefore I decided to read one of the books based on it. I was very much impressed as to how good the story was, and in par with the TV show.

The story starts off with Arthur and his friends, enjoying their time in school, when an announcement is made for Arthur to come to the Principal's office. Arthur is very nervous, because nobody gets called to the principal's office unless they are in trouble, and Arthur doesn't even remember what he did. When he goes to see Mr. Haney (The Principal), he gives Arthur a sealed envelope with the words `private' and `confidential' stamped on it, and tells Arthur to give it to his mother. Arthur is now scared, and starts wondering as to whether he should give the envelope to his mother or not. The book continues with Arthur's friends giving him advice on what he should do with the envelope, and in the end, revealing what the envelope actually contains and whether Arthur gives it to his mother or not.

This is a great book for young children, as it provides a very good moral that you should face your troubles, not hide or run from it. Even adults will find the book humorous at times, when reading this story to their children. I would recommend this book to anyone having children, as it will be a good way to spend time with your kids by reading this story with them. Even if you don't have children, you will enjoy reading this book if you like the TV show.

Arthur gets called down the principal's office one day and the principal gives him a large envelope to give to his mother when he gets home. However, because Arthur does not want to get in trouble he does not give his mom the letter until much later that night. All day long Arthur and his friends try to come up with creative ways for Arthur to loss the envelope. I like this book because it teaches the child a lesson, by using ordinary everyday occurrences. I also enjoyed the creative ways the characters made up of how Arthur could loss the envelope. In the end Arthur learns that even if he might be in trouble, his parents can't help him if they do not know what is wrong.

This book has a teriffic, funny storyline. If kids read the books in numerical order, this one is sure to get them inspired into reading Arthur. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I really liked this book because I didn't know what was going to happen until the end. I really thought that Arthur was in trouble. It's a good mystery and you have to read it to find out what it's about. I'm not going to tell you.

You'll be quoting it to all your friends this summer - cool to find such a silly topic covered by such a great writer! Write one about your days in Hollywood, Mr. Williams!

A great book that captures the true spirit of rock n' roll. Consider me a loyal foot soldier in the Onyxxx army! Rock on!

"Mom Have You Seen My Leather Pants" is true life rock & roll tale in the spirit of Frank Portman's fictional "King Dork". It's well written, funny, and insightful. More than just a good read though, Mr. Williams may have created a very important historical artifact in the annals of rock and roll history. VH1's "Behind The Music" and the movie "Decline Of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years" have attempted to place a kind of artificial importance on "hair metal" that never really existed. "Pants" cuts through all of that and portrays the "pay to play", "hair extensions" era of the Hollywood Blvd. club scene as it truly deserves to be portrayed: as the purely ridiculous. What's more, Williams knows it. The author at once paints a picture of the hair metal era that is far from innocent (sex & drugs abound) but is still sincerely naive about the workings of the real world. By doing that, he elevates his text, far surpassing the mere tale he is trying to tell. "Hair Metal" and world Williams and his underage pals inhabit become an analogy for the end of the greedy, junk bond, trickle-down 80's. Everyone is feeling too good, and having too good of a time, to see the disasters (wars, recession) and upheaval (L.A. riots, mainstream punk via NirvanaJam) just around the corner. This is an inspiring work from a great new author, covering an era that has been left criminally uncovered in the past.

"Mom, Have You Seen My Leather Pants?" is a hysterical read. I never realized living the life in an early 90's high-school glam band could be so parallel to living the life in an early 90's high-school thrash metal band. We lived in entirely different worlds, but apparently dealt with the very same issues. A loyal fan base? Check. A ridiculous expectation we would land a record deal? Check. Obliviousness to our own musical mediocrity? Check. An obsession with living a rock star life while the harsh realities of daily life at high-school awaited us the next morning? Check. Band in-fighting and spiraling drug use? Check. A head-in-the-sand attitude toward the impending Seattle sound that would help seal our ultimate destruction? Check.

Sure, according to the book, Craig A Williams' band had groupie chicks and a penchant for signing breasts while we had a legion of hardcore dude fans that were emboldened by their Slayer and Megadeth shirts and their proclivity to mosh. But were we really all that different? His band packed a crowd during a headlining show at The Whiskey. I have pictures to prove we achieved the same. The book tells of their Loni Anderson look-alike manager. Ours could have doubled as an impersonator for Peter Grant of Led Zeppelin fame, especially with that pistol he carried in his brief case. Then there was the issue when 60% of the band slept with his then wife, but that's another story.

I know I still feel like a rock star and I tell my stories with great authority that we, on some small level, touched greatness very few will ever truly understand. This book, with its wry humor and horrifying stories of teenage debauchery, will entertain and delight anybody that was even remotely connected to the Southern California music scene in the late eighties and early nineties. I blazed through "Mom, Have You Seen My Leather Pants?" in just a couple of hours and it was worth every penny for admission . . . I only wish I had a neon green ticket stub with "Onyxx" stamped on it as a souvenir to prove I was at the show.

Craig Williams' reflection on his high school days in a glam metal rock band is at turns funny, touching and nostalgic. Anyone who remembers the days when Poison, Warrant, Motley Crue and GunsNRoses were at the top of the charts and dominating MTV will enjoy this story of an Orange County teenager (almost) destined for rock-n-roll fame. I also think the teenagers of today will relate to the desires for freedom, sex and an identity which are universals of the adolescent years, as well be fascinated by the days when hair metal dinosaurs roamed the earth.

(Full disclosure: Craig is a friend of mine)

WHEN ARTHUR WAS GOING TO THE LIBRARY HE SAW MUFFY AND BUSTER. HE SIAD DO YOU WANT TO WITH GO TO THE LIBRARY WITH ME.TO GO GET THE NEW SCARE YOUR PANTS OFF CLUB BOOK.BUT IT WAS TOOK OFF THE SHELF.THEY WERE MAD BECAUSE SOMEONE TOOK IT OFF THE SHELF. ARTHUR MADE SING UP LIST.

This second Arthur TV Chapter Book is an insightful look at attempts to censor literature read by children. Adapted by Stephen Krensky, based on a TV Story by Terence Taylor, "Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club" finds the kids of Elwood City shocked.

They've been waiting eagerly outside the library on a Saturday for the newest release in their favorite book series, "The Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club." Just when they think they're about to get the new book, the librarian Ms. Paige Turner appears with a startling announcement --- due to concerns by a parents group called P.A.W.S., all books in the series have been pulled from the library shelves.

After a discussion of past times that they wanted something and didn't give up, Arthur and his friends formulate a plan of action. They get to work, but will their efforts be enough to return the books to the shelves? And just what does this P.A.W.S. group have against these books anyway?

This book was released in 1998 and the "Scare-Your-Pants-Off" books largely resemble the "Goosebumps" series by R.L. Stine. But readers will most likely be reminded of the fervor of fans of the "Harry Potter" series and the attempts that have been made to censor it. Regardless of where the reader might stand, this book has strong lessons about standing up for what you believe in and taking the time to know all the facts before making any decisions.

I liked this book because it was sort of like a mystery and I like mysteries.

I am a girl

I give this book four stars , because it was funny. I think it was funny because of the characters expresions.Sometimes it got boring.I would recomend it to someone because I liked it very much and it was funny .

Arthur and the gang are not-so-patiently waiting for the next installment in the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Book club. They’ve read all the others in the series, like “Curse of the Mummy’s Breath” and “Zombie Substitute Teacher” and can’t wait for the next one to come out.

The day it’s due to arrive at the library, the gang is poised, having all but camped out overnight to be the first in line to check it out and read it. You can imagine their surprise when they find out that it has been banned from the public library! A group of concerned parents have decided that it’s not appropriate for children and to have had it removed! What’s the gang to do? Is there any way Arthur and his friends can get the book back so everyone can enjoy it? A surprise ending is in store for the reader, making this a fun page-turner.

Marc Brown’s Arthur is one of the best-known characters in children’s literature today. He’s seen on television, has large format picture books and also the Arthur Adventure series, of which this title is #2. Intended for intermediate, independent readers who have graduated to short chapter books, the Arthur books are easy to read, a lot of fun, and encourage readers to think about their world and the different issues of friendship, family or in the case of “Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club”, censorship....

I have used “Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club” in my own classroom many times and found that it’s a great way to stimulate conversation and thinking among my students (one cryptically hinted that maybe we should ban THIS book as well!!). My point in using it as a social studies tool isn’t to agree or disagree with students so much as it is to get them to THINK—- “tell me your feelings about censorship, but back it up with reasoning and research” is how I address the issue. This in turn allows the student not only to voice their own opinion, but to examine their feelings and opinions as well; too many times in our culture we allow other folks to do our thinking for us.

Mr. Brown has done an excellent job of taking a very complicated issue in our society and presenting it to young readers in an understandable and intelligent way. I appreciate and applaud authors who not only aim to entertain their readers, but encourage them to think about themselves and their world. Hats off, Mr. Brown!! You’ve done it again!!

this is a great sequel to the sisterhood of the traveling pants. i like "Bee" better in this one. its really good and if you read the first one then you have to read this one.

This was a really awesome book. I didn't like it as much as the first one though. I didn't find Tibby to be very interesting in this book or the last one. Briget was my favorite both times because I never know what is coming next with her. I really did enjoy the book though.

I finished The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares yesterday. It is the sequel to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (yes, the movie based on this novel will be out June 1). It is considered Young Adult fiction and maybe I'm really intune with my inner teenager but I really identified with a lot of the themes in this novel. (Actually I think I would call it ChickLit for teens.) Like the first in this series, the four friends, Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby (short for Tabitha) are going to be separated for the summer. Bridget rediscovers her grandmother from Alabama and sets off to get to know her. Carmen is staying home with her single mother. Lena is also staying home, to work at the local Greek clothing store. And Tibby is going away to a college class in film making. Each friend has a rich summer, full of changes, and growing. There is heartbreak and redemption for each friend.

Brashares is a really great writer. She turns simple prose in to poetry in places, pulling unexpectantly at heartstrings and bringing tears of remembrance to your eyes. The spark of new adolenscent love (and first heartbreak)...the pain of learning that your mother is a person too...the unexpected love of a grandparent...the pain of loosing a friend to death...Brashares writes it all with such amazing understanding of the crazy emotions teenagers go through. I can't recommend this series highly enough and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

"The Second summer, while breezy and fun to read, deals seriously with love lost and found, death, and finding the courage to live honestly", says Emily of Newark. This absolutely sums up Ann Brashare's second novel, "The Second Summer of the Sisterhood." This book is outstanding by anyone's standards.
The main characters Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget learn valuable lessons that are neither age nor gender specific. So much so, in fact, that most people who read the book would probably swear that it's geared towards their age group or gender. "There's been a genuine response from people of different ages. I like to think it will have some broader appeal", says the author herself. "Not only does it relate to many girls the ages of Tibby, Carmen, Bridget, and Lena, but it also teaches lessons to girls of all ages", says Wendy Glynn, of Children's Literature. "Everyone should read this book, even mothers and even grandmothers", says Bryanna Scurry. Mothers can appreciate the trials and tribulations of Alice, Christina, Greta, and Mrs. K. They can enjoy Christina's dating adventures, Mrs. K's secrecy from her daughter, and Greta and Alice's attempts to reconnect with their (grand) daughters. Older women will laugh and reminisce about when they were the girls' age. Males can feel for David and Porter, and laugh at Tibby's pathetic attempts to get Alex to notice her. "I truly do recommend this book for anyone, boy or girl, child or adult...It's a must read", says M. Purcell of New York.
Teenage girls themselves can cry with Tibby and Bridget, feel for Carmen, and laugh at Lena's melodramatic reactions to Kostos's antics. Emily of Newark agrees. "The book showed how a group of teenage girls dealt with the problems many other girls face", she says. "She is able to express the emotions and difficulties that almost every teenager goes through", says Heidi Henneman of Ann Brashares.
"The teens' lessons are often painful, but the Sisterhood prevails", says Emily. The girls are thrown curveballs throughout the story and emotions run high. Each girl struggles to solve her problems and find a way through.
Bee dives right in, heading to Alabama on an impromptu road trip. Carmen is like a kid with a piñata. She can't see where she's going or what the problem truly is, but she keeps swinging as hard as she can anyways, hoping for a greater reward. Lena hides away in her bedroom. She picks apart every thought, letter, conversation, and encounter between her and Kostos, trying to find where it all went wrong. Tibby turns to her creative side, and rebels silently with a film.
Don't be fooled if it seems each girl handles her ordeal independently. "As these characters work through their issues, they may feel lost and confused, but they know they are never alone", says Wendy. The girls and their problems are forever intertwined. When Kostos and Lena get back together, the whole group can't stop smiling. When Tibby's film is shown at the finale of her camp, everyone cries freely. The girls never doubt for a second that "The Sisterhood" is bigger than each of them.
"The Second Summer of the Sisterhood" is a book that everyone can enjoy, about four girls with an undeniable bond. This book allows its readers to truly connect with Tibby, Carmen, Lena, and Bee. "The Second Summer of the Sisterhood" is a great book!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a great sequel to the original, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. What makes this book so unique is the fact that there are four main characters unlike most books with only one main character, so the reader can really connect with at least one of the characters. The four main characters are Tibby, Carmen, Bee, and Lena, who are four teenagers that are true best friends. Each girl is going through something different than the others. Tibby is working on a movie for classes that she is taking during the summer, Carmen is at home and babysitting, trying to make some money, Bee went to see her grandmother that has wanted to see her, but her parents did not want her to go, and works for her grandmother without telling her who she is and why wshe is there, and Lena is working and misses Greece, where she went the previous summer, and misses her ex-boyfriend back in Greece. In the first book, they find a pair of pants that fits all of their different body shapes, which is amazing, so they start a sisterhood, or secret club, and during the summer, they send the pants to each girl for about two weeks. In the sequel, they are all changing and growing older and they are sending the pants to each other during the summer. The significance of the pants, are that they are a part of each girl, and hold certain memories that are special to each girl. One of the rules of the pants is that they cannot be washed, because all of the girls wrote on the pants, to help remember each occasion in them. This is truly a wonderful book, but you would deffinitely have to have read the first book to understand this book. I would particulary recommend this book to teenage girls, because they, like myself, would be able to relate to the characters the best.