Mother-daughter book club had a special year end pot luck supper meeting on June 20, 2002 at Nancy and Jenna’s house. We discussed P.S. Longer Letter Later by Paula Danziger and Ann Martin.

There was lots of positive energy as everyone really loved the book and the girls were all very excited about FINALLY finishing fourth grade. We welcomed new members Katie and her mom Jenn.

Jenna dressed up as Tara*Starr and Emma was dressed as Elizabeth. Jenna shared a lovely letter written to Ann Martin. No one else had letters or journal entries.

The girls picked names and wrote postcards to each other. These will be mailed to wherever the girls will be at camp or vacation this summer. Everyone was encouraged to use our web site to share addresses and book reviews and stay in touch.

Everyone was given an activity handout with guidelines for writing a letter to themselves about what their lives are like at the moment. We will save these to open when the girls are in high school.

The girls were asked to identify with one of the main characters and in groups completed a Venn diagram of character traits. In one circle they put qualities of Tara*Starr and in the other, qualities of Elizabeth. In the middle, where the circles intersected, were the qualities that the two girls shared. Tara was described: bright colored hair streak, party girl, funky, loved to joke, not shy (gregarious), popular, likes acting and dance, likes glitter, wears bright stuff, boy crazy, likes to be unique, double pierces, more developed. Elizabeth’’s qualities included: preppy, sister, hates being center of attention (shy), dad walked out, alcoholic dad, divorced parents, not too adventurous, wrote poetry, likes smaller quieter parties, proper, more serious, pearl necklaces, no pierced ears. In the intersection were the traits: imaginative, likes writing, best friends, smart, immature parents, brave, responsible, likes parties. The girls defended their choices.

We studied a map of the United States. No one could designate where Elizabeth lived but the consensus was New Jersey or somewhere in New England. Tara*Starr had moved to Ohio.

Everyone seemed to like the style of this book. Vicki reminded us that this is called an epistolary novel (a great new word for the month). The girls felt it was as if the letters were written to them personally. They liked looking in on the intimate details of someone else’’s life.

We talked about the differences between empathy and sympathy. We questioned Tara*Starr’’s insensitivity to Elizabeth. We wondered if in trying to be sympathetic, she might have made Elizabeth feel worse. We talked about the importance of being honest and once again seemed to agree that sometimes it’’s ok to tell less than the whole truth. Especially if it is to protect someone else’’s feelings. The theme of "white lies" has appeared in several of our books.

We talked about how it might feel to hear a new sibling is coming. Three of our members have had this experience in the past few years. Some girls understood why Tara might be less then thrilled or even afraid but most girls thought it was great news.

We talked about what makes a great book and read a quote from the author interview. When asked "what do you think is the ultimate lesson that is learnt from the book?" the author answered, "The lesson for each reader is what the reader finds. As authors, our 'job' is to tell the best story that we know how to tell." We talked about how books might be life changing. We shared a letter to the authors from a girl who moved to Alaska who felt the book saved her life because she could relate.

We talked a lot about the theme of things not always being what they seem. Who really had the immature/responsible parents? Who had the better life?

We had another passionate discussion of what to read next and it was very hard to find a new date. Finally we agreed to read Fever by Laurie Halse Anderson and meet on Sunday September 9.

Report prepared by Book Club parent Nancy Z.