Many of you have found my blog through Heather Vogel Frederick’s blog (which is awesome, because HVF fans UNITE!) And I love talking about the Mother/Daughter book Club because… well, let me put it this way: they feel like home. Like the last sentence in the last book (so far!) says, “There’s no place like home.” Especially when home is where the heart is. And my heart is where the mother/daughter book club is.
I started reading the books in the fourth grade with my mom (who else was I going to read them with?!), and loved it. At the time, the girls were older than me in the books. You know how you always seem to look up to older girls? Like that cool high school babysitter you had when you were little? That’s how Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and Megan were for me. I’ve grown up with them over the past three years. So today I made a list of things I’ve learned from the Mother/Daughter Book Club.
#1: Don’t judge a girl by her looks or the way she acts.
At first, every single one of the girls in the book club judged the others by the way they looked. Emma was “fat,” Jess was a stinky farm girl, Cassidy was a dumb jock, and Megan was the snobby girl from the Fab Four. The Mother/Daughter book club really hit this home, especially in the later books when the girls did the same to Becca, Anna(stinker)belle, and Sophie. =)
#2: It’s okay to be happy again and still miss lost loved ones.
One of the girls in the book, Cassidy, lost her dad, and was really angry when her mother moved her to Concord and then in the second book began dating again! I really liked how throughout the books, there were many scenes where Cassidy was missing her dad, but that didn’t mean she hated her mom’s new boyfriend, and she was content with her life the way it was.
#3: There’s always going to be embarrassing moments happen to us, but we just have to laugh at ourselves.
Even though the girls made mistakes and embarrassed themselves more than once, in the end of the books, they always shook it off and laughed at themselves. Best of all, they learned from their mistakes – and yeah, they still regretted what happened/they did, but they all used it as a learning experience.
#4: We grow out of those awkward phases.
In the first book, I don’t think any of the girls would have guessed how they’d all turn out by Wish You Were Eyre. All of the girls grew out of their awkward phases, and by the last book, they were more confident in themselves than every before.
#5: Family and friends are most important.
I loved all of the get-togethers and parties and the close-knit bond the mother/daughter book club created. I loved each adventure the girls went on, from a goat in the school play to a year’s trip to England. Everything that happened to them, the group became closer. It reminded me a lot of my own family and friends.
Have you read the mother/daughter book club?? Anything to add to my list?
I love this post! <3
MDBC is my absolute favorite series ever, and it does have its flaws that I've noticed, but I love them to the ends of the earth and back. I love it so much and I'd say that writing MDBC fanfiction is about my favorite thing to do because I get to create my own adventures with the girls. Do you read or write fanfiction?
I found about this series about 3 years ago, so I didn't grow up with it but I remember reading the first 3 and thinking I need the rest!! I had to wait about 7 months or so before I finally got to read the last 3 and I was ecstatic! I was cheering Megan when she dumped pancakes on Becca's head, starry eyed when Mrs. Frederick narrated the fashion show, hungry when Gigi made dumplings, surprised when I found out Mrs. Sloane was pregnant, shocked when Emma got her first kiss, crying when Eva Bergson died, hurting when Megan and Becca fought, dreaming with Megan about Fashion week and crying when I read the page of the series. The girls have gone through so much and I feel like I was there with them. The cover for Home for the Holidays is the most comforting thing for me when I feel upset. It probably sounds strange but I've gone through lots of hard times and when I look at the cover and start reading I feel at ease and I start to feel better and it gives me a sense of home, like it's a part of me and it will always be in my life. I don't think Heather Vogel Frederick will ever understand how her book make me feel or how much of an impact they made in my life. I can't wait to be able to make this series into a movie it'll be so much fun to produce!
Sorry for this long comment but once I get started on MDBC i don't stop. 😉 Thanks for sharing your favorite things about MDBC!
I agree.
I’ve read MDBC fan fiction, but I haven’t written any. Honestly, I’m scared I’ll not do the characters justice!
That’s okay! Lol, same here. That’s why I had to do a whole post for it!! 😀
I’m sure you’d be fabulous at writing fan fiction!! You should give it a try! I use fanfiction.net and I’ve written a couple stories and working on one know, my pen name is sunflowerstar481. Like I said, you should look into it! Nothing feels better that writing new adventures with the girls and having other people experience it as well!
I’m going to go check out your fanfiction! I think I’ve read almost every MDBC fanfiction on fanfiction.net
thank you! let me know if you saw/liked it! 😉
You have? I need to check you out sometime.
These next two weeks are super busy, for me, though. April 30th is my last day of school, and then I’ll be on vacation on May 3rd. I’m sooo looking forward to vacation! Hopefully I’ll have more time for replying to comments and checking out your fan fiction, soon!
I bet, so! I reeeallly need to read some more fanfic.
That would be cool! I have a couple stores in progress and a couple that I’ve finished. One is about Jess visiting Darcy at college and there’s a huge misunderstanding. Another is about what Zach thought when Becca read the Zach attack poem, The other is about Cassidy going to the Olympics but needing money, so she has to model in order to earn the money. (I’m having most fun with that one! Especially since I added a couple of characters) and last but not least, one is about why Simon broke up with Megan in HFTH, I write the story in Lucy’s point of view and Simon and her get together….
the link to my fan fiction page
https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5678535/sunflowerstar481
This is incredibly ironic because I’m binge-rereading the series right now.
The series taught me all that you said, and also that we can’t judge people before we know them, which is kind of similar to #1. Like how they judge Becca and Megan in the first books, but then later are really good friends.
I love this series so much! It’s the one that I go back to when I need a pick-me-up or just am in general want of some comfort. 🙂
Really? They’re my go-to binge read, too. 🙂
Such a cool post. I need to make my cousin read them. ;p. That’s basiclly what that series taught me too. I can’t think of anything to add. You basicly thought of it all :). Heather Vogel is definately my favorite author( she is tied with J.K. Rowling). I got my second letter from her the other day! Its so cool that she writes back to her fans. If I ever become an author I’ll make the time to write back to my fans. What character are you most like? I’m a mix of Cassidy( I’m not afraid to speak my mind, I’m definately a tomboy, and I like sports) and Emma( I love to read).
Im sick. I seem to be getting sick a lot this year. Usualy I dont get sick often. I hate being sick.
Today I need to work on birthday invintations. I’m having an amazing race party. I have a lot to do today.
Oh and I found your blog through heathers blog. I think you were thanking her for doing an interview for your blog. I’m so glad I discovered your blog.
I got my second letter, too! We must have written her a second time around the same time. I’m definitely Emma. And a little bit of Megan. Especially in the first book… I completely understood her need to fit in with the Fab Four, but also a part of her was tied to Emma and she began to like Cassidy and Jess. I’ve been in that situation before.
Awww. 🙁 The weather is all wonky in Georgia. My eyes are dry and then watery and then dry again! I hope you feel better soon!!
That sounds fun!
I sent you a short card to hold off until the full letter. I’m still trying to get my mom to take me shopping. I hope I can get your gifts in time, but they’ll definitely be right behind the card. I discovered a small used bookstore near me, closer than the other one we usually go to, so I’m super excited to be going soon! I can’t wait.
I’m really glad you discovered my blog, too!! 😀
Yeah I think we did( I think I remember talking about it). Yeah. What’s your least favorite book? Mine is the first one and Wish you where Eyre. What’s your favorite book? Mine is Pride and Prejudice.
The weather is weird here too. It gets hot then cold and its pretty windy.
I think it will be! I’ll tell you more about it in my next letter.
Okay :). I plan on working on a second book recommendations for my next letter today and throughout the week because I realized I left so many books out. Okay. Don’t worry about it. Cool. We aren’t close to any used bookstores. The only bookstore close to us is hastings. Hastings has used and new books.
Mine is probably Dear Pen Pal. I wasn’t such a fan. My favorite one is Pies & Prejudice, too!
Sorry I’ve taken so long replying. These next two weeks are super busy, for me. April 30th is my last day of school, and then I’ll be on vacation on May 3rd. I’m sooo looking forward to vacation! Hopefully I’ll have more time for replying to comments soon!
Okay, I promise I’m sending you your letter and b-day presents, soon! My mom said she’ll take me shopping tomorrow. So either Tuesdays or Wednesday! They may come a day or so late, but I hope that’s okay. 🙂 I seriously can’t wait to go shopping for you!
I’ve never been to a Hastings. We have so many book stores, but I don’t think a Hastings is nearby. We usually go to Barnes & Noble, but we also looove 2nd & Charles, a chain used book store. Then there’s another one downtown (it’s such an adorable, picturesque, quaint used book place.) And several others!
I totally agree with all of this. I actually found YOUR blog through her blog. Those books are a pretty big part of me. All of the girls are part of me. Cassidy is the part of me that loves sport. Megan is the fashionista part of me. Jess is the school loving and animals part of me. Emma is the bookworm in me. Becca is leader part of me.
You can create new memories with old memories, and that’s kinda what we’re doing with the BBC and reading MDBC. 🙂
That’s so neat! And I’m sooo glad you did.
Same, here. You said it just right. 🙂
This is a great post! I found your blog through Heather’s as well. Did you draw that pic?
Thanks! I’m so glad!
No, actually it was from a fan mail friday on Heather’s blog, about two years ago. (I know because I’ve had it printed out in a binder I used for writing two years ago.) 🙂 It’s my favorite fan mail picture!
Yes! I found your blog through HVF’s blog as well. 🙂 The MDBC are like my literary best friends. Some times I feel really disappointed when I realize they aren’t real, lol! 😆
So many of you have!
I know. Pleeeeaaaseee don’t remind me. 😀
I found your blogs through HVF’s too. I started reading MDBC 2 years ago in grade 5 and read the 5 that were out back then in less than a week! They were my ultimate favourite books until I read Harry Potter, but MDBC is definitely still high up there!
OMG, I can’t believe how many people have found me through HVF!
That was about the same time I read them, too! I think it was 4th/5th grade I was so obsessed with them! I still am!
Hey Emily! I tagged you to do the “Teenage Girl” tag! I hope you can join!
https://abookishflower.wordpress.com/2015/04/19/the-teenage-girl-tag/
Thanks, Daisy! I’m not sure if I’ll do this or not. It looks like so much fun, though! I might do it sometime. 🙂
I haven’t read this series, but I really want to. I love how the books focus on family and friendship because I think that’s something that way too many books lack right now, and that’s kind of sad. It’s also a plus that the titles are so unique and punny!
Is that your fan art? ‘Cause it’s gorgeous.
Oh my goodness, Ana, you’re missing out on such cute books. 😉
I know! They all relate to the books they’re reading. I especially love “Wish You Were Eyre.” So creative!
No, actually it was on HVF’s blog, Fan Mail Friday, a few years ago. 😉 Isn’t it pretty??