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The Mother-Daughter Book Club #2
Much Ado About Anne
The mother-daughter book club is back!
This year the mothers have a big surprise in store for Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and They've invited snooty Becca Chadwick and her mother to join the book club!
But there are bigger problems when Jess finds out that her family may have to give up Half Moon Farm. In a year filled with skating parties, a disastrous mother-daughter camping trip, and a high-stakes fashion show, the girls realize that it's only through working together -- Becca included -- that they can save Half Moon Farm.
Acclaimed author Heather Vogel Frederick captures the magic of friendship and the scrapes along the way in this sequel to The Mother-Daughter Book Club, which will enchant daughters and mothers alike.
This year the mothers have a big surprise in store for Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and They've invited snooty Becca Chadwick and her mother to join the book club!
But there are bigger problems when Jess finds out that her family may have to give up Half Moon Farm. In a year filled with skating parties, a disastrous mother-daughter camping trip, and a high-stakes fashion show, the girls realize that it's only through working together -- Becca included -- that they can save Half Moon Farm.
Acclaimed author Heather Vogel Frederick captures the magic of friendship and the scrapes along the way in this sequel to The Mother-Daughter Book Club, which will enchant daughters and mothers alike.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 560 reviews
April 17, 2019
everyone, please be advised that the only thing i care about in the whole world is a series of middle grade books about a bunch of 13 year olds in a book club with their moms.
that is all.
that is all.
January 26, 2020
Now I am actually quite enjoying Heather Vogel Frederick's Much Ado About Anne, and really, if truth be told, rather more so than the first instalment of the series, than The Mother-Daughter Book Club (and of course, that L. M. Montgmery's Anne of Green Gables series is being read and discussed in the sequel is and remains for me the sweet and delicious icing on the proverbial cake for me). And indeed, the issues faced and encountered by Emma, Jess, Megan and Cassidy in Much Ado About Anne are generally realistically enough conceptualised, and the characters (or at least most of them) appear for the most part a bit more fleshed out and developed in Much Ado About Anne, with both their laudable traits and their sets of faults and peccadilloes clearly presented (and even with regard to Mrs Chadwick and Becca, although they both can still be grating with a problematic tendency to grandioseness, bullying and the resulting nastinesses that bullying creates and engenders).
However and rather sadly unfortunately, Mrs Wong does still and once again seem to be somewhat the sad exception here, as she appears more and more annoyingly one dimensionally outrageous, more and more typecast as a rather overly zealous (and really not ever all that funny) caricature of a vegan activist. And while yes, I do realise that there are individuals such as Lily Wong, why since Heather Vogel Frederick seems to be striving to make the other characters more nuanced and developed, does she seemingly refuse to consider this with and for the former? But this quite notwithstanding, I definitely do nevertheless massively and appreciatively adore that one scene right before Megan's benefit fashion show, where her mother, where Mrs Wong tells her daughter (who is having a bit of a crisis of confidence) how proud she is of her, and that she has more talent and fashion sense in her little finger than most people twice her age (and that sweet and poignant praise and show of confidence could have come straight from the pen of L. M. Montgomery herself, and might even have been a bit of a deliberate homaging imitation on the part of the author).
And finally, I do continue to be not all that enamored of the four different points of view that Heather Vogel Frederick makes use of in her The Mother-Daugher Book Club series (which keep switching from chapter to chapter), as especially Jess and Emma still do not seem to possess entirely distinct and personal voices. For while they might indeed be becoming a bit more individualistic and one of a kind, I for one continue to have trouble distinguishing them, and keep having to flip back to the beginning of chapters to remind myself who is "talking" (whose narrative voice is being featured). Not a huge issue, but it does become a bit of an annoying obstacle if trying to read Much Ado About Anne on the Kindle or an Ipad, as flipping back and forth is rather a tedious endeavour with e-books. Three stars as a general ranking for Much Ado About Anne (but upon rereading, I have indeed decided to lower this novel to but two stars, as the type-casting of Lilly Wong and that it is still much too often quite difficult to figure out which "daughter" is narrating really does take quite a bit away from my potential reading pleasure, even if the Anne of Green Gables series is being read, analysed and discussed by the club).
However and rather sadly unfortunately, Mrs Wong does still and once again seem to be somewhat the sad exception here, as she appears more and more annoyingly one dimensionally outrageous, more and more typecast as a rather overly zealous (and really not ever all that funny) caricature of a vegan activist. And while yes, I do realise that there are individuals such as Lily Wong, why since Heather Vogel Frederick seems to be striving to make the other characters more nuanced and developed, does she seemingly refuse to consider this with and for the former? But this quite notwithstanding, I definitely do nevertheless massively and appreciatively adore that one scene right before Megan's benefit fashion show, where her mother, where Mrs Wong tells her daughter (who is having a bit of a crisis of confidence) how proud she is of her, and that she has more talent and fashion sense in her little finger than most people twice her age (and that sweet and poignant praise and show of confidence could have come straight from the pen of L. M. Montgomery herself, and might even have been a bit of a deliberate homaging imitation on the part of the author).
And finally, I do continue to be not all that enamored of the four different points of view that Heather Vogel Frederick makes use of in her The Mother-Daugher Book Club series (which keep switching from chapter to chapter), as especially Jess and Emma still do not seem to possess entirely distinct and personal voices. For while they might indeed be becoming a bit more individualistic and one of a kind, I for one continue to have trouble distinguishing them, and keep having to flip back to the beginning of chapters to remind myself who is "talking" (whose narrative voice is being featured). Not a huge issue, but it does become a bit of an annoying obstacle if trying to read Much Ado About Anne on the Kindle or an Ipad, as flipping back and forth is rather a tedious endeavour with e-books. Three stars as a general ranking for Much Ado About Anne (but upon rereading, I have indeed decided to lower this novel to but two stars, as the type-casting of Lilly Wong and that it is still much too often quite difficult to figure out which "daughter" is narrating really does take quite a bit away from my potential reading pleasure, even if the Anne of Green Gables series is being read, analysed and discussed by the club).
August 21, 2015
It is year 2 of the Mother-Daughter Book Club. Megan, Cassidy, Jess, and Emma are now entering the seventh grade not knowing that their worlds are beginning to change. It also gets flipped upside-down when Becca Chadwick joins the book club making Emma's life miserable and Jess's family may have to sell half moon farm. Can the girls save half moon farm and solve the problems that has been bothering them this year all while surviving book club with reading Anne of Green Gables? Read this for yourself and find out.
This is book 2 of the mother-daughter book club series and it was a pretty good read. If you enjoy books about book clubs, definitely give this series a check out. This book along with book 1 of the series can be found at your local library and wherever books are sold.
This is book 2 of the mother-daughter book club series and it was a pretty good read. If you enjoy books about book clubs, definitely give this series a check out. This book along with book 1 of the series can be found at your local library and wherever books are sold.
September 27, 2008
This is the second book in the "Mother-Daughter Book Club" series and continues the story of Cassidy, Jess, Emma, and Megan who are all friends despite their differences. Each girl faces new challenges in their lives with humor and heartache that is typically a part of growing up. One of the girls is facing the possibility of her mother remarrying; one is facing the possibility of her family losing their historical farm because of taxes; one is facing the fact that she is growing up and becoming interested in boys, and lastly, one girl is facing the possibility of having future in fashion. The girls also must deal with the "Queen Bee", Becca Chadwick, and her faithful followers as she stirs up trouble for them. Mixed within the book's storyline, is the adventures of Anne Shirley from "Anne of Green Gables".
The ideas within this book aren't new, but it does offer an opportunity to talk to tweens about the trials of growing up and the stumbling blocks that they face along the way with a touch of humor. At the end of the book, the author provides discussion questions that would be fun to use in real book clubs.
The ideas within this book aren't new, but it does offer an opportunity to talk to tweens about the trials of growing up and the stumbling blocks that they face along the way with a touch of humor. At the end of the book, the author provides discussion questions that would be fun to use in real book clubs.
November 13, 2021
These books are cute. But not necessarily binge-worthy like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants or some of those series. The ending of the book is a good ending. It doesn't necessarily set me up for wanting to grab the next book in the series quickly or anything. I don't know that I enjoyed it as much as the first one. Cassidy's reactions to her mom were less than understanding--but also her mom didn't really sit and have a conversation with her either. And Emma's mom made an irrational choice that I can't see any mother making at the beginning of the book regarding the members of the book club. I just don't see a mom doing that...and especially without talking to her daughter. So for me, this book was even less realistic than the first. The first one was tied up with a bow all nice and neat...in what I found to be an-unrealistic-for-the-real-world-but-semi-realistic-for-the-middle-grade-book-world way. This one, though, doesn't even fall into that category! Just irrational unrealistic decisions and reactions being made from beginning to end.
But the idea of the book club is still really fun and the situations the girls found themselves were fun too (a fashion show and a television interview...fun but did I mention incredibly unrealistic under the circumstances). Anyway, I like the overall idea of these books, and I'll probably continue picking them up again, but definitely not binge them!
But the idea of the book club is still really fun and the situations the girls found themselves were fun too (a fashion show and a television interview...fun but did I mention incredibly unrealistic under the circumstances). Anyway, I like the overall idea of these books, and I'll probably continue picking them up again, but definitely not binge them!
March 9, 2011
REVIEW
It’s no secret that I loved the first book in The Mother Daughter Book Club series. You can read my review (with a perfect score to match) here. Now I will gush about how much I loved the next two books.
I enjoyed reading about Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and Megan during their seventh and eighth grade years at school. With the addition of stuck-up Becca, there is plenty of drama to go around.
Much Ado About Anne is based on the classic Anne of Green Gables. In this book, the girls are trying to save Jess’s family’s farm, Half Moon Farm. Emma grows in confidence, Jess worries about the farm, Cassidy struggles to accept her mom’s new boyfriend, and Megan designs new fashions while being pulled away by Becca. There is even a glamorous fashion show with beautiful outfits – hello Girlie Meter!
Dear Pen Pal is based on Daddy-Long-Legs. In this book, everything is a mess and everyone’s life seems to be in turmoil. I like how Frederick takes on real-life issues. The biggest change has to do with Jess, who is sent to off to a boarding school, and the girls realize just how strong their friendship is.
An additional cast of characters are introduced when the girls become pen pals with a book club in Wyoming. They have more in common than they ever expected.
What is in store for the book club next? I am reading Book 4, Pies and Prejudice, to find out!
RATING
5 Plot
5 Characters
5 Attention Grabbing
5 Girlie Meter
5 Ending
25 TOTAL
It’s no secret that I loved the first book in The Mother Daughter Book Club series. You can read my review (with a perfect score to match) here. Now I will gush about how much I loved the next two books.
I enjoyed reading about Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and Megan during their seventh and eighth grade years at school. With the addition of stuck-up Becca, there is plenty of drama to go around.
Much Ado About Anne is based on the classic Anne of Green Gables. In this book, the girls are trying to save Jess’s family’s farm, Half Moon Farm. Emma grows in confidence, Jess worries about the farm, Cassidy struggles to accept her mom’s new boyfriend, and Megan designs new fashions while being pulled away by Becca. There is even a glamorous fashion show with beautiful outfits – hello Girlie Meter!
Dear Pen Pal is based on Daddy-Long-Legs. In this book, everything is a mess and everyone’s life seems to be in turmoil. I like how Frederick takes on real-life issues. The biggest change has to do with Jess, who is sent to off to a boarding school, and the girls realize just how strong their friendship is.
An additional cast of characters are introduced when the girls become pen pals with a book club in Wyoming. They have more in common than they ever expected.
What is in store for the book club next? I am reading Book 4, Pies and Prejudice, to find out!
RATING
5 Plot
5 Characters
5 Attention Grabbing
5 Girlie Meter
5 Ending
25 TOTAL
November 21, 2018
3 1/2 stars.
A few things bugged me, but overall, I like the storyline.
A few things bugged me, but overall, I like the storyline.
October 15, 2023
I really liked this book probably more then the first one. The mother daughter book club has invited rude Becca Chadwick and her mother to join the book club. sadly the Jess and her family have to sell half moon farm in they can not pay the tax which is due in July. Well Cassidy’s mom starts to date me Stanley kinkaid the girls must work together to save the old historical farm
October 28, 2008
Easy chick-lit type read. I find myself really (somewhat reluctantly) enjoying the concept of a book about a group of girls who have formed a small book group -- in this case, they are reading Anne of Green Gables -- and their trials and tribulations. Problems arise, disasters strike, and solutions must be found. The characters are believable and represent a wide range of personalities.
May 23, 2018
This is the second book in the Mother-Daughter Book Club Series. I absolutely loved the first one so I was excited to read this one. I also loved this book! It takes place in a middle school environment, but also shows the relationship between friends and mothers. I recommend you read this book!
July 17, 2017
These books are really sweet, and full of bookish references. Its hard to not find enjoyment in them!
August 23, 2020
I want to say that I read this with Gwen, but she just keeps reading them too fast. She read it, and I listened to it, and she beat me by like... two weeks. So, we didn't exactly read it together, and we didn't discuss it while we were reading it, but we're discussing it now.
(She's "drinking" a milkshake that we got on a bike ride earlier today. She had put the leftover shake in the freezer. It's frozen. She put it on the table.)
Gwen: I'll just put there for now.
...
...
*looks at it, side-eyed*
You know what? I'm gonna go get a spoon.
Dad: *Just here typing this out...* Gwen's back.
Gwen: Okay! (While eating the "milkshake. Not with her spoon that she now has, but with the straw that she's using as a spoon.)
Dad: So, give us a quick summary of this book. (There may be spoilers, so if you're reading this review, consider yourselves warned. Who knows *what* this kid will say.)
Gwen: Me?
Dad: Yeah.
Gwen: Okay. So... the second book, right?
Dad:....
Gwen: Or the third one?
Dad: (Unsure if she's teasing me for reading the books so much slower than her, giving *her* the side-eye.
Gwen: Okay. The second one. Okay, so... There is a... Well, THEY... Well, Jess and... Well, first of all, Becca Chadwick (the not-so-nice-one) - she gets invited into the book club with all of them. And nobody is very happy about it.
Dad: -Interrupting: I KNOW!!! I got pretty upset about that part. Like for real. I think it was really wrong of their moms to invite Becca without their input.
Gwen: (continuing) But Megan - she starts liking Becca a lot more. And Jess's parents are acting kindof suspicious, because they're going to have to sell their farm.
Dad: That would make the next couple of books kindof sadder if Jess wasn't in them.
Gwen: Yeah.
Dad: Should we say what happens, or should we force people to read the book?
Gwen: Um... I don't know. Maybe we could put a spoiler alert?
Dad: I already put a spoiler alert in it - but I didn't put spoiler tags. So go ahead and keep talking.
Gwen: So then, Megan becomes really mad at all them - for something Becca did. And they get into a HUGE fight. They get really upset with each other. But then, they make a truce and they have to be nice to each other, and they start getting along.
Dad: What did you think about the truce?
Gwen: I liked that part.
Dad: Did you think it would work?
G: I thought that they would get into arguments like now-and-then, but that they would stop being really mean to each other. But most of all, I thought it would work.
D: I was skeptical of whether or not Becca would be able to keep up her end of the bargain. That newspaper article prank was really, really mean.
G: I also got pretty upset with Megan for not believing them the whole time.
D: Yeah. It's like: Becca's shown her true colors this whole time, and you can't see it?
G: Yeah. And Megan was really mean to them.
D: Yeah. She should have known.
G: When - after they made the truce - they wanted to find a way to save Half-Moon Farm (that's the farm that Jess lives on) and so, Becca... well, they thought of Dog-Walking Businesses and Babysitting Businesses and stuff like that. And Becca had this idea of a fashion show, because Megan is really good at making clothes and stuff. And so, they set up this whole fashion show for anyone to come to, and it was like... pretty expensive. A hundred dollars per seat, and they could bid on all the clothes.
D: What'd you think about that part?
G: I thought it was pretty cool. Really cool.
D: Do you feel annoyed that you have to give Becca some props? I mean, ultimately, she was the one who saved Half-Moon Farm.
G: Uhhhhhmmmmm.... I don't really feel too sad. Because Becca said sorry. But she's still kindof my least favorite - no offense. I'd rather have it been one of the other people that saved the farm, but I'm just happy that the farm was saved.
D: What did you think about Stan-the-Man?
G: I thought he was pretty nice.
D: Did you agree with Cassidy - that when he took her too the hockey match, he wasn't doing it for her, he was doing it for himself? To trick her into liking him?
G: No, I think she should have liked him better than she did. Because she was being really mean to him.
D: But don't you think she had a point? Like... he didn't care about her... he cared about her liking him, because he liked her mom.
G: Yeah. A little bit. But I think he was also doing it to make her happy.
D: It was a pretty nice birthday present.
G: Yeah.
D: Do you have anything else you want to add about the book?
G: Well, not really.
D: You still like the series?
G: Yes.
D: Should I read the third book?
G: Yes.
D: How many stars for book two?
G: Five.
D: All right! Thanks for talking about it with me.
(She's "drinking" a milkshake that we got on a bike ride earlier today. She had put the leftover shake in the freezer. It's frozen. She put it on the table.)
Gwen: I'll just put there for now.
...
...
*looks at it, side-eyed*
You know what? I'm gonna go get a spoon.
Dad: *Just here typing this out...* Gwen's back.
Gwen: Okay! (While eating the "milkshake. Not with her spoon that she now has, but with the straw that she's using as a spoon.)
Dad: So, give us a quick summary of this book. (There may be spoilers, so if you're reading this review, consider yourselves warned. Who knows *what* this kid will say.)
Gwen: Me?
Dad: Yeah.
Gwen: Okay. So... the second book, right?
Dad:....
Gwen: Or the third one?
Dad: (Unsure if she's teasing me for reading the books so much slower than her, giving *her* the side-eye.
Gwen: Okay. The second one. Okay, so... There is a... Well, THEY... Well, Jess and... Well, first of all, Becca Chadwick (the not-so-nice-one) - she gets invited into the book club with all of them. And nobody is very happy about it.
Dad: -Interrupting: I KNOW!!! I got pretty upset about that part. Like for real. I think it was really wrong of their moms to invite Becca without their input.
Gwen: (continuing) But Megan - she starts liking Becca a lot more. And Jess's parents are acting kindof suspicious, because they're going to have to sell their farm.
Dad: That would make the next couple of books kindof sadder if Jess wasn't in them.
Gwen: Yeah.
Dad: Should we say what happens, or should we force people to read the book?
Gwen: Um... I don't know. Maybe we could put a spoiler alert?
Dad: I already put a spoiler alert in it - but I didn't put spoiler tags. So go ahead and keep talking.
Gwen: So then, Megan becomes really mad at all them - for something Becca did. And they get into a HUGE fight. They get really upset with each other. But then, they make a truce and they have to be nice to each other, and they start getting along.
Dad: What did you think about the truce?
Gwen: I liked that part.
Dad: Did you think it would work?
G: I thought that they would get into arguments like now-and-then, but that they would stop being really mean to each other. But most of all, I thought it would work.
D: I was skeptical of whether or not Becca would be able to keep up her end of the bargain. That newspaper article prank was really, really mean.
G: I also got pretty upset with Megan for not believing them the whole time.
D: Yeah. It's like: Becca's shown her true colors this whole time, and you can't see it?
G: Yeah. And Megan was really mean to them.
D: Yeah. She should have known.
G: When - after they made the truce - they wanted to find a way to save Half-Moon Farm (that's the farm that Jess lives on) and so, Becca... well, they thought of Dog-Walking Businesses and Babysitting Businesses and stuff like that. And Becca had this idea of a fashion show, because Megan is really good at making clothes and stuff. And so, they set up this whole fashion show for anyone to come to, and it was like... pretty expensive. A hundred dollars per seat, and they could bid on all the clothes.
D: What'd you think about that part?
G: I thought it was pretty cool. Really cool.
D: Do you feel annoyed that you have to give Becca some props? I mean, ultimately, she was the one who saved Half-Moon Farm.
G: Uhhhhhmmmmm.... I don't really feel too sad. Because Becca said sorry. But she's still kindof my least favorite - no offense. I'd rather have it been one of the other people that saved the farm, but I'm just happy that the farm was saved.
D: What did you think about Stan-the-Man?
G: I thought he was pretty nice.
D: Did you agree with Cassidy - that when he took her too the hockey match, he wasn't doing it for her, he was doing it for himself? To trick her into liking him?
G: No, I think she should have liked him better than she did. Because she was being really mean to him.
D: But don't you think she had a point? Like... he didn't care about her... he cared about her liking him, because he liked her mom.
G: Yeah. A little bit. But I think he was also doing it to make her happy.
D: It was a pretty nice birthday present.
G: Yeah.
D: Do you have anything else you want to add about the book?
G: Well, not really.
D: You still like the series?
G: Yes.
D: Should I read the third book?
G: Yes.
D: How many stars for book two?
G: Five.
D: All right! Thanks for talking about it with me.
May 16, 2018
I read this for a YA/adolescent lit class. I found the book while looking for books relating to L. M. Montgomery for a book group I run (we are studying L. M. Montgomery for this year), and Much Ado About Anne came up as a suggestion at one of my local libraries. When it came on hold I realized it was perfect to use for my YA lit class as well.
It was a fast read. I probably read it over two days, although I had to set it aside for almost two weeks in the middle of reading it.
This is the second in The Mother-Daughter Book Club series. I haven't read the first, but I found it wasn't absolutely necessary to have read the first book. Will I read more in the series? Absolutely! In fact, I wish I had a daughter who would enjoy sharing these books with me.
Although this volume was themed around Anne of Green Gables, I enjoyed all the other literary name dropping: a family named Hawthorne with children Emma and Darcy, a cat named Melville, a middle school newspaper called the Walden Woodsman, etc. Other literary references include Little Women (the theme for the first book), The Hobbit and Tolkien, Treasure Island, The Count of Monte Cristo, and more.
As for Anne of Green Gables, one of the main characters is reading a little known autobiography of L. M. Montgomery (author of Anne of Green Gables), several events in this novel mirror those in Anne of Green Gables, and the main characters often reference characters, actions, and events in Anne of Green Gables such as Josie Pye and Gilbert, and the naming of ponds and other places, and certain mishaps that happened to Anne (no spoilers).
Much Ado About Anne mainly follows the friendship of four middle school girls, Jess, Megan, Cassidy, and Emma. Other characters include their families, especially their mothers, their friends from school, their crushes, their enemies (typical mean girls). The girls are involved in one main conflict with the "mean" girls. Additionally, each girl faces her own set of challenges. Cassidy's widowed mother is dating again and Cassidy struggles to come to terms with what she considers is a man replacing her father. Jess's family is in danger of losing their farm (a nod to Anne of Green Gables when Marilla and Anne almost lose their farm), Emma struggles with her weight and self-confidence, and Megan is torn between groups of friends and experiences major embarrassment because of things her mother does. These and other struggles are a lot to juggle in one little book and the author does it well. Not only is this a book about collective and individual struggles, but also it is a book about community uniting together to solve problems, groups overcoming differences, and the importance of friendships and family in one's life.
Some quotes I would like to remember:
Much Ado About Anne
P. 18
It's funny how your own problems fade when you have a friend who's in trouble. (Cassidy about Emma's problem of working with Becca on newspaper)
P. 42-43
This world is a bit like a garden... Each flower is unique, just like each person is unique. There are daisies, and lilacs, and roses, and peonies--all sorts of lovely flowers. Now, wouldn't it be silly for a tulip to mope around wishing it were an iris? (Mrs Hawthorne to Emma)
Emma's mom:
Emma, this world is a bit like a garden... Each flower is unique just like each person is unique. There are daisies, and lilacs, and roses, and peonies--all sorts of lovely flowers. Now, wouldn't it be silly for a tulip to mope around wishing it were an iris?
Emma:
I guess it would depend on how fat the tulip was.
Emma's mom:
You need to try and appreciate your own uniqueness instead of worrying so much about comparing yourself to others.
Emma:
That would be a lot easier if my own uniqueness wasn't quite so round.
P. 139
It just shows you how important it is to be persistent. You can't give up. (Mrs. Wong to Jess)
P. 176
". . . Exercise always helps. No matter how horrible things get, no matter how cranky or tired I am, just getting out and moving makes a difference." (Emma)
P. 315
Deep down in my heart, though, I already know what my father would say. Always bring your best, Cassidy. Bring it to every game.
Have I really brought my best to this game? (Cassidy, reflecting on her actions regarding her mom's relationship with Stanley Kincaid)
It was a fast read. I probably read it over two days, although I had to set it aside for almost two weeks in the middle of reading it.
This is the second in The Mother-Daughter Book Club series. I haven't read the first, but I found it wasn't absolutely necessary to have read the first book. Will I read more in the series? Absolutely! In fact, I wish I had a daughter who would enjoy sharing these books with me.
Although this volume was themed around Anne of Green Gables, I enjoyed all the other literary name dropping: a family named Hawthorne with children Emma and Darcy, a cat named Melville, a middle school newspaper called the Walden Woodsman, etc. Other literary references include Little Women (the theme for the first book), The Hobbit and Tolkien, Treasure Island, The Count of Monte Cristo, and more.
As for Anne of Green Gables, one of the main characters is reading a little known autobiography of L. M. Montgomery (author of Anne of Green Gables), several events in this novel mirror those in Anne of Green Gables, and the main characters often reference characters, actions, and events in Anne of Green Gables such as Josie Pye and Gilbert, and the naming of ponds and other places, and certain mishaps that happened to Anne (no spoilers).
Much Ado About Anne mainly follows the friendship of four middle school girls, Jess, Megan, Cassidy, and Emma. Other characters include their families, especially their mothers, their friends from school, their crushes, their enemies (typical mean girls). The girls are involved in one main conflict with the "mean" girls. Additionally, each girl faces her own set of challenges. Cassidy's widowed mother is dating again and Cassidy struggles to come to terms with what she considers is a man replacing her father. Jess's family is in danger of losing their farm (a nod to Anne of Green Gables when Marilla and Anne almost lose their farm), Emma struggles with her weight and self-confidence, and Megan is torn between groups of friends and experiences major embarrassment because of things her mother does. These and other struggles are a lot to juggle in one little book and the author does it well. Not only is this a book about collective and individual struggles, but also it is a book about community uniting together to solve problems, groups overcoming differences, and the importance of friendships and family in one's life.
Some quotes I would like to remember:
Much Ado About Anne
P. 18
It's funny how your own problems fade when you have a friend who's in trouble. (Cassidy about Emma's problem of working with Becca on newspaper)
P. 42-43
This world is a bit like a garden... Each flower is unique, just like each person is unique. There are daisies, and lilacs, and roses, and peonies--all sorts of lovely flowers. Now, wouldn't it be silly for a tulip to mope around wishing it were an iris? (Mrs Hawthorne to Emma)
Emma's mom:
Emma, this world is a bit like a garden... Each flower is unique just like each person is unique. There are daisies, and lilacs, and roses, and peonies--all sorts of lovely flowers. Now, wouldn't it be silly for a tulip to mope around wishing it were an iris?
Emma:
I guess it would depend on how fat the tulip was.
Emma's mom:
You need to try and appreciate your own uniqueness instead of worrying so much about comparing yourself to others.
Emma:
That would be a lot easier if my own uniqueness wasn't quite so round.
P. 139
It just shows you how important it is to be persistent. You can't give up. (Mrs. Wong to Jess)
P. 176
". . . Exercise always helps. No matter how horrible things get, no matter how cranky or tired I am, just getting out and moving makes a difference." (Emma)
P. 315
Deep down in my heart, though, I already know what my father would say. Always bring your best, Cassidy. Bring it to every game.
Have I really brought my best to this game? (Cassidy, reflecting on her actions regarding her mom's relationship with Stanley Kincaid)
July 16, 2020
This book is my second favorite out of the books. Home for the holidays is first! But I love this one too.
August 28, 2009
This book is about a group a friends who are in 7th Grade and are part of a Mother-Daughter Book Club, where they read Classic books with their mothers and do activities together. Overall the book is an easy read, has many interesting characters and plot developments, and is educational.
This is the second book in this series by Heather Vogel Frederick, the first book is entitled "The Mother-Daughter Book Club"The Mother-Daughter Book Club. In the first book they read Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." In this book they read "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea." Through out the book you learn quotes from the novels they read and you learn a lot about the author L.M. Montgomery, which is a wonderful way to introduce classic literature. I learned a lot too, I have never read "Anne of Green Gables" but it sounds like something I would enjoy a lot, so I will probably give it a try.
They style of the book is similar to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series in that each girl is unique, has different interest, and has a personality that many young girls can connect and identify with. Also the chapters are labeled with the girls' name who is "the main character" of this chapter, so the point-of-view changes with each chapter, also like Ann Brashares Traveling pants books.
The four girls (main characters) are:
Emma: slightly overweight, shy, loves to read, parents are big readers and Jane Austen fans.
Jess: very smart, loves animals, parents own a farm where she has a lot of chores.
Cassidy: athletic, loves hockey, stubborn, lost her father two years ago and doesn't want her mom (a former model) to date.
Megan: girly, into fashion, friends with the popular crowd, has a mom who is very into saving the earth.
Besides the four girls and their mom's, the book has many other supporting characters. (Maybe a little to many, as I had a hard time keeping them straight! Especially when their names were similar like Stuart Chadwick and Stanley Kincaid). However, these supporting character help make the story interesting especially when antagonist like Becca Chadwick and her mom join the book club and cause a lot of disruptions!
Overall I would recommend this book to young readers because it is a fun, interesting tale of four girls who many can identify with and will be a stepping stone for them to read classical literature. I am sure many girls after reading this book will be inspired to read "Anne of Green Gables."Anne of Green Gables
This is the second book in this series by Heather Vogel Frederick, the first book is entitled "The Mother-Daughter Book Club"The Mother-Daughter Book Club. In the first book they read Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." In this book they read "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea." Through out the book you learn quotes from the novels they read and you learn a lot about the author L.M. Montgomery, which is a wonderful way to introduce classic literature. I learned a lot too, I have never read "Anne of Green Gables" but it sounds like something I would enjoy a lot, so I will probably give it a try.
They style of the book is similar to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series in that each girl is unique, has different interest, and has a personality that many young girls can connect and identify with. Also the chapters are labeled with the girls' name who is "the main character" of this chapter, so the point-of-view changes with each chapter, also like Ann Brashares Traveling pants books.
The four girls (main characters) are:
Emma: slightly overweight, shy, loves to read, parents are big readers and Jane Austen fans.
Jess: very smart, loves animals, parents own a farm where she has a lot of chores.
Cassidy: athletic, loves hockey, stubborn, lost her father two years ago and doesn't want her mom (a former model) to date.
Megan: girly, into fashion, friends with the popular crowd, has a mom who is very into saving the earth.
Besides the four girls and their mom's, the book has many other supporting characters. (Maybe a little to many, as I had a hard time keeping them straight! Especially when their names were similar like Stuart Chadwick and Stanley Kincaid). However, these supporting character help make the story interesting especially when antagonist like Becca Chadwick and her mom join the book club and cause a lot of disruptions!
Overall I would recommend this book to young readers because it is a fun, interesting tale of four girls who many can identify with and will be a stepping stone for them to read classical literature. I am sure many girls after reading this book will be inspired to read "Anne of Green Gables."Anne of Green Gables
January 8, 2010
Heather Vogel Frederick continues her delightful mother-daughter book club series with Much Ado About Anne. This time the book club is reading the Anne of Green Gables series, and the girls are totally committed to their book club and to each other when the new reading year starts for their group. There are new challenges—can the moms really have invited Phoebe and Becca Chadwick into their book club without asking the girls?—and new events arise that test their friendship in ways they don't expect. But Frederick does a great job of continuing the saga and bringing us even more into the lives of these book club members that readers grew to know and love in her first book in the series, The Mother-Daughter Book Club.
The historic town of Concord, Mass., where Frederick herself group up, is once again a prominent feature in the story. So is Lucy Maud Montgomery, who wrote the Anne of Green Gables books. Frederick weaves facts about the classical author into the story seamlessly and helps readers learn about another classic series in the process.
You'll worry with Jess about losing her family's historic farm, cheer for Emma as she grows more confident, worry for Cassie as she struggles to accept her mom's new boyfriend, and stress right along with Megan as she crunches to design clothes for her fashion show. And they all experience a few blips in their friendship in ways that will ring true for girls in upper elementary and middle school.
Much Ado About Anne will most certainly satisfy readers of the series while leaving them happily anticipating the next book up.
The historic town of Concord, Mass., where Frederick herself group up, is once again a prominent feature in the story. So is Lucy Maud Montgomery, who wrote the Anne of Green Gables books. Frederick weaves facts about the classical author into the story seamlessly and helps readers learn about another classic series in the process.
You'll worry with Jess about losing her family's historic farm, cheer for Emma as she grows more confident, worry for Cassie as she struggles to accept her mom's new boyfriend, and stress right along with Megan as she crunches to design clothes for her fashion show. And they all experience a few blips in their friendship in ways that will ring true for girls in upper elementary and middle school.
Much Ado About Anne will most certainly satisfy readers of the series while leaving them happily anticipating the next book up.
January 18, 2018
I loved loved LOvED it!The series is incredible!!!!!I feel as though I am likely either Megan,Emma.Jess and Cassidy are just as fun.Their adventures and stories are lively and exciting. I liked reading about Emma and Stewart, The hike, the fashion show and learning more about Becca and how she changed.. I would recommend to anyone, it is such a bright enjoyable book and gurarentee you will love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 11, 2018
I read this on Adeline's recommendation, which I love.
I do wish the author would take more care to give each narrator a distinct voice. Even after two books, the four girls' inner dialogue and speech patterns are all exactly the same.
I also have trouble with the snarky tone toward some of the characters, particularly Mrs Wong. It's not silly or embarrassing or shameful to care about the environment and healthy eating. Enough already, okay?
I do wish the author would take more care to give each narrator a distinct voice. Even after two books, the four girls' inner dialogue and speech patterns are all exactly the same.
I also have trouble with the snarky tone toward some of the characters, particularly Mrs Wong. It's not silly or embarrassing or shameful to care about the environment and healthy eating. Enough already, okay?
July 24, 2023
Again super cute and I liked this one better than the first one, could be because I like Anne of green gables better than little women. I find my 13 year old self saying I can totally relate Emma, Becca is such a snob and my 31 year old self saying just wait and see everything will turn out ok, it's good to broaden your friendships!
March 9, 2020
I love this book!!!!! So much!!!!!!!
February 7, 2017
This book was awesome, just like I knew it would be. On to the third:)
January 31, 2017
Love it.
March 30, 2020
There is a lot of change from the last book to this one. Change is not my friend, so I spent most of it accessing my preteen brain and being alternately upset about Becca wrecking the coziness of the group, and Stanley Kinkaid wrecking Cassidy's barely-resettled life. (Why did he have to be bald. That made it so much harder than it needed to be to conceptualize him as anything other than a dorky loser desperate to date a supermodel. Cassidy might have come around but I am still FULL DRAGON about him. And "Clemmie"? Gag me with a spoon.)
I also could not stand the financial crisis about Half Moon Farms because the parents were so dumb about it. They spend half the book moping with sad eyes about losing their farm, but when reasonable solutions are presented to them, like Megan's rich dad offering to float them the money or Mrs. Delaney making the sacrifice to go back to New York and work on her well-paying soap opera for a year, both are shot down as apparently worse options than selling the 18th century farm that's been in the Delaney family for generations to developers. OK, bro, whatever you say. (Surely there were better ways to facilitate the girls coming up with a plan to save the day.)
However, I'm glad to have gotten another (and longer) book about these darling girls, and I plan to continue the series. Though Megan was already in 4th place and took another step back from my good graces with this installment, I loved her lavish descriptions of everyone's outfits. I enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea references (I have not read the series since I was a young teen but I have very fond if dim memories). I'm also growing very fond of Becca and Emma's respective brothers. BRB, laying some kindling for the shipper fires I intend to stoke when Jess & Emma age up a bit.
I also could not stand the financial crisis about Half Moon Farms because the parents were so dumb about it. They spend half the book moping with sad eyes about losing their farm, but when reasonable solutions are presented to them, like Megan's rich dad offering to float them the money or Mrs. Delaney making the sacrifice to go back to New York and work on her well-paying soap opera for a year, both are shot down as apparently worse options than selling the 18th century farm that's been in the Delaney family for generations to developers. OK, bro, whatever you say. (Surely there were better ways to facilitate the girls coming up with a plan to save the day.)
However, I'm glad to have gotten another (and longer) book about these darling girls, and I plan to continue the series. Though Megan was already in 4th place and took another step back from my good graces with this installment, I loved her lavish descriptions of everyone's outfits. I enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea references (I have not read the series since I was a young teen but I have very fond if dim memories). I'm also growing very fond of Becca and Emma's respective brothers. BRB, laying some kindling for the shipper fires I intend to stoke when Jess & Emma age up a bit.
October 16, 2017
I still find all the negative talk about weight and looks disturbing. My own daughter is only 9, and thankfully hasn't started speaking negatively about her body (or other people's) yet. I don't remember when those thoughts started in my own head, but I hate them, and I don't enjoy books that perpetuate them. I'm sure the author is just trying to make the characters relatable, but it makes me sad. 2.5 stars
SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!
I was also disturbed that Stanley would place a tracking device in Clementine's backpack without telling her. It's a reasonable safety precaution, but why didn't he tell her he wanted to do it?!?!
Also, why would Clementine marry someone when her daughter was still so unhappy about it? I'm not saying that parents should just kowtow to heir children's whims, but getting married, especially with children still at home, is a HUGE decision. Why not wait until Cassidy had more time to process, and for God's sake TALK ABOUT IT!!!!
SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!
I was also disturbed that Stanley would place a tracking device in Clementine's backpack without telling her. It's a reasonable safety precaution, but why didn't he tell her he wanted to do it?!?!
Also, why would Clementine marry someone when her daughter was still so unhappy about it? I'm not saying that parents should just kowtow to heir children's whims, but getting married, especially with children still at home, is a HUGE decision. Why not wait until Cassidy had more time to process, and for God's sake TALK ABOUT IT!!!!
February 12, 2021
I laughed so much while reading this. I loved the relationships between the girls and between the girls with their moms. I think a mother-daughter book club would be so much fun! The struggles the girls went through seemed fairly realistic. One of the girls was a "queen bee" and bullied some of the other girls by calling names and poorly planned "pranks". Another girl was worried about her family having to move from their beloved home because of a tax problem. And a third girl was having trouble coping with her mother dating again after her father died a couple years prior. Meanwhile, the book club reads Anne of Green Gables and they are able to apply lessons from the book to the situations in their lives. Pretty cool. Made me appreciate Anne a little more (I was never a huge fan, but I can see why so many people adore the books). I am between 4.5 and 5 stars on this one.
January 30, 2018
This book is as darling as the first one! it's another quick read--finished in about 24 hours. I love the simple storylines and fun characters.
this year, the mothers daughter book club reads Anne of Green Gables which I just read last year (full series for #AnneReadAlong2017!) I loved all the references to that classic novel.
Again, I loved the positive messages from this book and the way the characters change and develop. they aren't perfect and make plenty of mistakes. But they are trying to be better and I like that.
Excited for book 3!
this year, the mothers daughter book club reads Anne of Green Gables which I just read last year (full series for #AnneReadAlong2017!) I loved all the references to that classic novel.
Again, I loved the positive messages from this book and the way the characters change and develop. they aren't perfect and make plenty of mistakes. But they are trying to be better and I like that.
Excited for book 3!
February 7, 2023
Juvenile fiction
Book two in the Mother-Daughter Book Club series. I usually don't love juvenile books that have all the woes of middle school (hits too close to my own bad memories perhaps🤷♀️ ), but I am really enjoying this series! Once I picked it up, it was hard to stop! The books are easy to read, but well-written enough that I am enjoying them. Now I'm off to read Anne of Green Gables like the book club!
I would possibly read it again.
Brighter Winter Challenges: book told from multiple POVs, read in a favorite place
Book two in the Mother-Daughter Book Club series. I usually don't love juvenile books that have all the woes of middle school (hits too close to my own bad memories perhaps🤷♀️ ), but I am really enjoying this series! Once I picked it up, it was hard to stop! The books are easy to read, but well-written enough that I am enjoying them. Now I'm off to read Anne of Green Gables like the book club!
I would possibly read it again.
Brighter Winter Challenges: book told from multiple POVs, read in a favorite place
June 24, 2020
A very sweet second installment for this series. Although written for a young audience, I am impressed by the variety and depths of emotions described in this book. Especially those Cassidy deals with as her mom gets re-married. I was in tears. This scenario would be difficult for anyone, but is especially difficult for an adolescent. I love that the adults (mostly) say helpful things, seeking to both understand and to help their daughters.
January 10, 2024
4.5 ⭐️! This gave me such a fun time and many comfort hehe there was no any worries and anything and the whole thing was just drama and chaos
(Also girls teaming up to defeat a mean girl who at the end of the book became friends with them, obviously.) I loved all of them , especially Emma , she really spoke to me and I loved how she’s nerdy and a know-it-all person :)! I also loved how they chose the book “Anne of the green gables” one of my favourite books of all time awh, they all then discovered there’s a piece of Anne in all of them, differently. This book took me sooo long and this was on my kindle , definitely will read the 3rd book and I really have been struggling to give this book a 4.5 or a 5 ☆ will maybe to 4.5 for now and the first one I gave 5 ☆ as maybe it’s the *first book* and they are always the most iconic and the best book of the series (iykyk) but anyways its night time and I deserve some sleep, good night and sleep night , don’t let the books bite !
(Also girls teaming up to defeat a mean girl who at the end of the book became friends with them, obviously.) I loved all of them , especially Emma , she really spoke to me and I loved how she’s nerdy and a know-it-all person :)! I also loved how they chose the book “Anne of the green gables” one of my favourite books of all time awh, they all then discovered there’s a piece of Anne in all of them, differently. This book took me sooo long and this was on my kindle , definitely will read the 3rd book and I really have been struggling to give this book a 4.5 or a 5 ☆ will maybe to 4.5 for now and the first one I gave 5 ☆ as maybe it’s the *first book* and they are always the most iconic and the best book of the series (iykyk) but anyways its night time and I deserve some sleep, good night and sleep night , don’t let the books bite !
January 31, 2019
What a great follow up to the first Mother Daughter Book Club series. I loved that they focused on Anne of Green Gables, as that was a favorite book of mine as a 13 year old. I am interested to see where the series goes after this.
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