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 Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Moves from Book to the Big Screen
by Lynne Mehley
Before I became a teacher, I read children's books simply because I have always—as a child and as an adult—enjoyed children's literature. I first read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants when it was published in 2001. When asked to write a review of the movie based on this book, I found it necessary to reread the book for two important reasons: first, I only vaguely remembered the storyline; and second, I needed to read the story from a teacher's perspective, keeping in mind potential learning opportunities as well as my students' interests. In turn, I kept these same thoughts in mind as I watched the movie and pondered the usefulness of using the book, movie, or both in the classroom.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants embraces the theme of friendship by introducing four best friends who spend a summer apart for the first time in their lives. Ann Brashares, the book's author, presents four very different girls: Lena, beautiful but reserved; Bridget, athletic and impulsive; Tibby, offbeat and cynical; and Carmen, outgoing, thoughtful, and half Puerto Rican. Carmen is also the story's narrator. Enter a pair of thrift-shop jeans bought by one of the girls that miraculously fits each girl's unique shape perfectly. These "magical" jeans create the sisterhood, in which the girls decide to share the pants, each getting one week of wear before sending them to the next "sister." At the end of the summer, they return home to share their stories of the pants.
As a book, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is an engaging and, at times, heartwarming story of four teenage girls who, despite their differences, deeply value their friendship and are committed to one other. For middle-school girls, this story is a reaffirmation of the power of friendship; the book readily lends itself to a middle-school literature circle or book club, delving into young-adult issues that are relevant but not too controversial for 12-, 13-, and 14-year-olds. In many aspects, the movie remains faithful to Ann Brashares's writing and several of the issues that she weaves into the story: death of a parent (Bridget) and of a friend (Tibby), divorce and remarriage (Carmen), and the dangers of being too introverted (Lena) and too impulsive (Bridget).
Brashares's book delves into these issues in depth enough that the reader can identify with the character and be sympathetic to her situation. The movie, though, over-dramatizes parts of the book while overlooking and deleting important characters and scenes. From the beginning of the movie, the differences of the four girls are clear, but almost too so. I found myself quickly placing each girl in one of my middle-school cliques and questioning how they could maintain such friendships, especially with someone as self-centered as Bridget. I found it difficult to move beyond my doubt as the movie progressed, and I found myself disliking both Bridget and Lena. I feel these changes made the characters shallower and less likeable. For example, in the book, Lena's sister Effie is a pleasantly sharp contrast to Lena—despite their physical and emotional differences, the sisters maintain a solid relationship. Effie does not appear in the movie, and Lena is forced to identify her issues and remedy them herself. Ironically, Lena finds happiness not in her grandparents or her painting, but in a boy and pursues him despite her grandparents' threats. Likewise, Bridget is portrayed as somewhat of a tomboy in the book, an athlete who is ambitious, outgoing, and impulsive. She quickly makes friends and shows her ambition on the soccer field. In the movie, Bridget is ambitious, impulsive, but also so self-confident that she appears self-centered and boy-crazy. Rather than being inspired by her, the viewer becomes annoyed by her obsession with her male coach. And even though the movie does not explicitly show the viewer, it is quite obvious that Bridget ends up being hurt by a sexual encounter. And like many movies, this hurt and sadness is neatly wrapped up at the movie's end, just in time for the girls to share stories of their summers with the pants.
I would not recommend using the movie to supplement the study of the novel. I feel that the changes made to the movie weaken the characters and alter the feeling of the story. Brashares's writing creates a flow of thoughts and feelings from one friend to the next, incorporating short notes and letters into the text—anchoring the text and allowing one girl's summer to connect to another's. That same flow and connection is not so apparent in the movie. I think showing the movie after the study of the book has been completed is fine, but keep in mind, boys will not be interested in either the book or movie. Suggesting that your students rent the movie, or setting up a lunchtime or after school movie session might be more appropriate.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a wonderful book that should be in every middle-school classroom library. At an age when one's physical appearance begins to be scrutinized and more adult issues impact children's lives, Brashares's novel is a welcome reminder of the importance of friendship. For teachers, the story lends itself to a variety of literacy-based learning opportunities in reading discussions, presentations, and writing assignments that will engage students and encourage them to think more about their own relationships. •
Lynne Mehley is a third-grade teacher at Public School 47 in the Bronx, New York. She especially enjoys teaching, reading, and writing, and she incorporates her love of children's books into many of her classroom lessons.
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CBC Teacher Movie Reviews
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - PG (6/15/2005)
• Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - PG (7/25/2005)
• Brothers Grimm - PG-13
• Chicken Little - G
• 12/9/05 - The Chronicles of Narnia - PG
• 2/10/06 - Curious George (H. A. and Margaret Rey, et. al.)
• 4/7/06 - Hoot (Carl Hiaasen)
• 3/3/06 - Aquamarine (Alice Hoffman)
• 7/21/06 - Lady in the Water (M. Night Shyamalan)
• 7/28/06 - Flicka (Mary O'Hara)
• 8/4/06 - Ant Bully (John Nickle)
• 8/18/06 - Stormbreaker (Anthony Horowitz)
• 8/25/06 - How to Eat Fried Worms (Thomas Rockwell)
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares:
* "An outstanding and vivid book that will stay with readers for a long time. Readers will hope that Brashares chronicles the sisterhood for volumes to come." —Publishers Weekly, Starred, Flying Start
* "A complex book about a solid group of friends, with each one a strong and courageous individual in her own right. They form a true sisterhood of acceptance and support, resulting in a believable and inviting world." —School Library Journal, Starred
"A posse of loyal girlfriends has enormous appeal; add in the dream-come-true perfect pair of jeans and you can't lose. Good friends, like good pants, should make you feel fabulous; Brashares takes the two and creates a breezy, feel good book." —The Horn Book Magazine
* "A feel good novel of substance. . . . Move over, Ya-Ya Sisters." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"A page-turning story driven by four beautifully interwoven voices. . . . Brashares' descriptions are so vivid that the reader can see the olive grove in Greece and starry sky in Baja." —The Book Report
The movie of the summer from Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures.
• Ken Kwapis directs a dream cast: Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) as Lena, 2004 Emmy nominee Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia) as Tibby, America Ferrara (Real Women Have Curves) as Carmen, and newcomer Blake Lively as Bridget.
• Screenplay by Delia Ephron—the screenwriter behind You've Got Mail and associate producer of Sleepless in Seattle.
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