Slumber Party Reads
By Camryn Garrett
Sleepovers are one of my favorite traditions. Eating junk food, giggling until late hours with friends, playing pranks, playing truth or dare… and the best part: the sleepover movie. You know what I’m talking about. There are some movies that seem engineered for the perfect sleepover, like 13 Going on 30 and Clueless, movies you and your friends can recite by heart.
Thinking about these movies has made me curious about books that make us feel the same way. Whether young adult, middle grade, or maybe even adult books, this list is full of books sure to give you the same snug, giggly feeling you’d have at a sleepover with your best friends.
Brown Sisters Series by Talia Hibbert
This series follows three sisters as they go on their own distinct love journeys. The first book follows Chloe, a plus sized black British woman with chronic illness who decides to reclaim her life, the second follows Dani, who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her goes viral, and the third follows Eve, the flitetest Brown sister, who falls for an uptight innkeeper. These are the types of books that will have you giggling late at night with friends while also swooning over their love stories.
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Honestly, what is there even to say? Princess Diaries is an absolutely iconic classic. Most people know the movie, but the books are so perfect in a different way. In the books, Mia is a bleeding heart liberal who only does “princess lessons” with her Grandmere because the older woman agrees to donate to Greenpeace for each session. Who could be a bigger icon?
She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
I love this book! It feels like one of my older favorite teen movies like Easy A or 10 Things I Hate About You. She Gets the Girl is about two opposites who start college at the same time and embark on a journey to help each other “get” the girls they’ve been crushing on. It’s so fun and easy to read, but it also has real heft to it. I love a somewhat intricate plot involving romance. We were truly gifted with this. I also need the movie immediately.
Chloe and the Kaishao Boys by Mae Coyiuto
This is one of my first favorites of 2023. It follows Chloe, a Filipina girl who aspires to go to film school in the United States, and her father, who sets up dates for her to keep her in the Philippines. It’s so bright, beguiling, and straight up FUN. It’s also incredibly funny. This would definitely be the comedy portion of the slumber party.
Check Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
Check Please! is a graphic novel about a college student named Bitty who joins his school’s hockey team. I’m not a big fan of sports, so I wasn’t paying attention to a lot of the hockey stuff happening in this book (which is a lot.) But the main character, Bitty, is the sweetest, purest icon. I would love to be friends with him. If he were real, I’d follow him on Twitter and watch his vlogs and be his biggest fan. I love his character design and the very essence of him. He’s definitely the draw of the book, as are the friendships. And what a better time to celebrate friendships than a slumber party?
Alex Approximately by Jenn Bennett
I remembered having a lot of fun with this in high school, but I think I got a lot of joy from it now as a film student. It follows Mink, a film lover, and Porter, a hot guy in the new town she moves to, as they basically dance around each other while unknowingly falling in love with each other online in this classic You’ve Got Mail story.
There's some drama, but in a soapy teen movie way. Porter is sort of a mushball and also a dream boy; he gets into fights and is hot and surfs and loves quizzes and old movies and weather. He also works two jobs and plans special dates for his girlfriend. What's not to love?
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby
This book is the equivalent of having a really great talk with your favorite auntie or older friend. As Sam Irby talks about the ups and downs of her life, including bad relationships, bad jobs, and her evil cat, it’s impossible not to laugh out loud. It’s the type of conversation that belongs at a slumber party, that makes you feel warm and happy and better about life.
Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith
This graphic novel follows four best friends through their daily lives in the Bronx, with their different hair styles and hair care processes binding them together. It felt so relatable and intimate and just like hanging out with my friends. This would definitely remind you of your own friends, especially the type that you’d love to have a slumber party with.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
This isn’t the super light book you’re expecting, but one of the reasons why it holds up is because it’s so real. It feels like you’re truly with each girl as she goes on her journey. They could be one of your best friends. Even when things get intense, the story reminds you of what it feels like to be a teen girl. The most important part of this book is how much the girls love each other, which is the best part of a slumber party.
