The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade    by Doreen Lewis Order:  USA  Can Helm, 2005 (2005) Paperback     Reviewed by Lyn Seippel The Bubblegum Babes bring to mind The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, only for a younger audience. Long time friends - Kelly, Sara, Meg and Emily - call themselves the Bubblegum Babes. Their different personalities and interests pull the Babes in different directions during their first year in middle school. Their commitment to the group is tested when their lives extend to include new friends, sports, and activities that not all of them share. Will boy friends, cheerleading, and just growing up threaten their friendship? This first book of their series is told in vignettes from Kelly's point of view. Adolescent hormones, hurt feelings, and individuality often provoke disagreements and resentment, but Kelly looks at friendship like a marriage. You may not like all the behaviors of your friends, but you love them anyway. Young girls facing the problems and responsibilities of middle school will enjoy reading about the difficulties the Bubblegum Babes face. Kelly, with her lively personality and commitment to her friends, did a good job of introducing the group, but I hope future books will include the viewpoints of other Babes. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews