Ann Brashares Books in Order

Where to Start with Ann Brashares

For most readers, the absolute best entry point into Ann Brashares’ work is The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2001). This novel launched her career and defined the emotional, character-driven style she is known for. The book, following four lifelong friends who share a single pair of magically fitting jeans over a formative summer, establishes the core themes of female friendship, growing up, and emotional resilience that run through all of Brashares' writing.

If you prefer adult fiction or speculative romance over young adult contemporary, you could alternatively start with My Name Is Memory (2010), a sweeping romantic fantasy about reincarnated souls. For middle-grade readers or fans of alternate history, the newer series Westfallen (2024), co-authored with her brother Ben Brashares, offers a suspenseful sci-fi starting point.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Reading Order

The Sisterhood series is best read in strict publication order, as the characters grow older in real-time with each book. Reading them out of order will spoil major life developments, relationships, and the characters' ultimate fates. The core series spans four summers during their late teens, followed by a time-jump conclusion when they are nearly thirty.

1. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2001) – The girls are 15 going on 16 during their first summer apart.
2. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (2003) – The girls return for their second summer, facing deeper family and romantic struggles.
3. Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood (2005) – Set during the summer before the girls head off to different colleges.
4. Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (2007) – Covers the summer after their first year of college as their paths diverge further.
5. Sisterhood Everlasting (2011) – The final installment, taking place ten years after the fourth book. The girls are now 29 and reunite for one last pivotal trip.

Companion and Spin-off Books in the Sisterhood Universe

Beyond the five main novels, there are two important books to keep on your radar:

• Keep in Touch: Letters, Notes, and More from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) – This is a unique companion book containing ephemera like notes, letters, and scrapbooks exchanged between Lena, Carmen, Bridget, and Tibby. It does not feature a traditional linear narrative but offers charming, in-universe background details. It is best read between Girls in Pants and Forever in Blue.
• 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows (2009) – This is a companion spin-off novel set in the same world. It follows three new teenage characters—Ama, Polly, and Jo—navigating their own transition summer. While they have their own story, the original four Sisterhood characters make brief cameo appearances. It can be read as a standalone or after Forever in Blue.

[!NOTE]Title Alert: If you are in the UK or certain international markets, 3 Willows was published under the title The Summer That Changed Everything in 2010. They are the exact same book, so there is no need to purchase both!

Ann Brashares' Standalone Novels

Brashares has written several standalone books that showcase her range beyond her signature series. These can be read in any order, though readers should keep a few unique details in mind:

• The Last Summer (of You and Me) (2007) – Brashares' first official foray into adult fiction. It is a bittersweet, contemporary romance set in Fire Island, focusing on two sisters and the childhood friend they both love.
• My Name Is Memory (2010) – A sweeping story about Daniel and Lucy, two souls who have reincarnated and found each other throughout history. Be warned: the novel ends on a major cliffhanger. While Brashares has confirmed she is working on a sequel and hopes to release it (even if self-published as an ebook due to rights issues), no official release date has been locked in. However, an adaptation of the book is in development at Amazon Studios.
• The Here and Now (2014) – A young adult time-travel thriller about a girl from a plague-ravaged future who must live in the present day under strict rules to avoid changing timeline events.
• The Whole Thing Together (2017) – A contemporary YA novel about a complicated blended family sharing a summer house.

  [!NOTE]Title Alert: This book was also published under the alternate title The Summer Bed. Keep this in mind to avoid buying duplicate copies!

• Girl of Lost Things (2005) – The Shelved Novel: Many online retail databases and libraries list this title with a 2005 publication date. In reality, this was a manuscript written by Brashares that she decided to shelve and never publish, describing it in interviews as too "sad and lonely" for where she was in life at the time. You will not find physical or digital copies of this book in distribution.

The Westfallen Series (Co-Authored)

In 2024, Ann Brashares teamed up with her brother Ben Brashares to create a new alternate history sci-fi series aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers. The series centers on friends who find a buried radio that allows them to talk to kids in 1944, inadvertently altering the timeline of World War II.

1. Westfallen (2024)
2. Westfallen: Into the Fire (2025)

Early Non-Fiction Works

Before achieving breakout success as a novelist, Brashares worked in editorial roles and wrote two short, educational non-fiction biographies for young readers. While not necessary reading for fans of her fiction, they show her early roots as an author:

• Steve Jobs: Think Different (2001)
• Linus Torvalds: Software Rebel (2001)