Murphy McGowen has bright green eyes, a reputation as the wildest girl in Bridgewater, and a way of getting out of all the trouble she gets into. But when she's caught stealing from the Darlington Orchard, she's forced to repay her debt picking peaches in the hot Georgia sun.

Leeda Cawley-Smith has professionally whitened teeth and the softest skin her boyfriend has ever touched. Unfortunately, Leeda's parents aren't too keen on her being touched anymore. Now Leeda's country-club summer is out the window -- she'll be getting a serious sock tan working at her uncle's peach orchard instead.

Birdie Darlington used to dance around her family's orchard picking peaches for fun. But now that her parents are getting divorced, Birdie would rather spend the summer in the A/C eating Thin Mints than pick another peach -- too bad she doesn't have a choice.

Thrown together at Darlington Orchard, Murphy, Leeda, and Birdie discover what it means to find a real soul mate, and that sometimes cute boys know a lot about peach cider. And, of course, they learn the trick to picking a perfect peach. One thing's for sure -- it's going to be a juicy summer.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In a Ya-Ya Sisterhood for teens, Peaches combines three unforgettable heroines who have nothing in common but the troubles that have gotten them sentenced to a summer of peach picking at a Georgia orchard.

Leeda is a debutante dating wrong-side-of-the-tracks Rex.

Murphy, the wildest girl in Bridgewater, likes whichever side Rex is on.

Birdie is a dreamer whose passion for Girl Scout cookies is matched only by her love for a boy named Enrico.

When their worlds collide, The Breakfast Club meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in an entirely original and provocative story with a lush, captivating setting.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

"In a novel about broken hearts, broken spirits and the healing power of friendship, Anderson profiles three one-of-a-kind Georgia `peaches,' a trio of teenage girls who converge at Darlington Orchard during picking season," wrote PW in a starred review. Ages 14-up. (May) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Mary Loftus

This is a story that unfolds at the pace of a summer day down south. Murphy McGowen is the 15-year-old whose antics at the Darlington Peach Orchard open the story and lead to a sentence of service. She is required to work in the orchard for two weeks in the spring. Birdie Darlington helps her dad oversee operations, and Leeda Cawley-Smith is the cousin who comes to stay for spring break. It is not until summer that the unlikely, yet predictable, friendship of these three takes off. That is plenty of time for the reader to accumulate the backstory on each: Murphy, daughter of the town's "loose woman"; Birdie, the overweight and shy daughter of divorce, struggling to get her dad's attention; the rich, neglected Leeda, living in the shadow of her adored older sister. A few romantic subplots are worked into the girls' summer. There is Rex, the orchard employee who's Leeda's boyfriend, and Enrico, the migrant worker and object of Birdie's desire. With only two men, a love triangle develops that puts a strain on the friendship of the girls. That, along with a impromptu group road trip, are late events in the novel which attempt to gear up the action, but they feel a bit contrived. There is a lot going on in and around the peach orchard, but the plot may not hold readers' attention unless they get specifically interested in the three characters who share the spotlight. 2005, HarperCollins, and Ages 13 to 16.

VOYA - Lisa A. Hazlett

Aside from producing delicious fruit, Georgia's Darlington Peach Orchard provides sanctuary and changes its occupants' lives. Birdie's family owns Darlington, but after her self-centered mother tires of peaches and suddenly leaves, the shy, home-schooled girl must assume her mother's business responsibilities and discovers mounting bills. Murphy, brazen and constantly in minor legal skirmishes from boredom and disgust with her mother's revolving boyfriends, is caught stealing and sent to Darlington to work. Birdie's cousin Leeda is rich and beautiful, but demeaned by her mother who favors her older, engaged sister. Unwilling to spend the summer wedding planning, she too goes to Darlington. The trio initially dislikes each other, but through working in the beautiful orchard, saving it from bad weather and bankruptcy, and wrestling with relationships, their true personalities and commonalities emerge, creating their close friendship. The lush, intricate, and sensual descriptions of Darlington's grounds and peaches provide lyrical scenes that are standouts, although some are over-long or repetitive, adding to the novel's length and inviting skimming. The characters are familiar: Shy Birdie reveals inner reserves, wild-child Murphy displays intelligence and caring, and vapid Leeda is introspective and industrious. All possess greater maturity than their mothers and frequently seem older than fifteen or sixteen. The languorous pacing suddenly switches to swift, happy resolutions relying on unlikely contrivances, notably Darlington's saving of surrounding orchards after storm damage, skyrocketing the demand for peaches. Overall the book will be more appealing to those enjoying its descriptivewriting and unusual setting than its familiar characters and plot. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2005, HarperCollins, 320p., and PLB Ages 11 to 15.

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-During a summer at the Darlington Peach Orchard in Georgia, Murphy, Leeda, and Birdie discover the true meaning of friendship despite their differences. Murphy, a bright, sarcastic 16-year-old from the wrong side of town, is completing community service at the orchard. Wealthy Leeda lives in her perfect older sister's shadow. She decides to work at her uncle's orchard on a whim and then is too proud to change her mind. Birdie Darlington is trying to keep the farm running despite the fact that her mother has left and her father refuses to face the desperate straits that the business is in. As the summer progresses, the girls bond and realize that you cannot judge someone by her financial or family situation. The characters are realistic and the dialogue is fresh. Readers looking for light reading will not be disappointed.-Angela M. Boccuzzi-Reichert, Merton Williams' Middle School, Hilton, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Funny, free, and utterly imaginative, Jodi Lynn Anderson¿¿¿s writing is packed with loveliness. Peaches is a sweet and delicious read. — Ann Brashares