Outside Beauty, by Cynthia Kadohata

This is a different book.  I cannot recall reading another book with a similar cast of characters.  I really liked it, but it is not for everyone.  The story is about four sisters who each have different fathers, but are best friends and cannot imagine being without each other.  When circumstances force them to spend some time with their respective dads, they have to cope with being separated from each other, but immediately start finding a way to get back together.  The family structure may not go over too well with some parents.  However, I do not think that the story itself has an agenda.  The mother is not necessarily irresponsible: though she may have problems committing to one man, she is 100% committed to raising her daughters to be strong, capable women.  She does have her flaws, such as being overly concerned with physical beauty and looking young.  She depends on her boyfriends to pay for certain things, and if she can't, she uses her feminine charms to get other men to provide those things (car repairs, jewelry, etc.).  However, this is where the main character, who is also the narrator, comes in and brings us some perspective.  Shelby is the second oldest daughter, and, while she loves her mother immensely, she also acknowledges that her mother's ideas about life and love leave a little to be desired.  Mom is always giving her girls tips on how to be beautiful and young-looking, how to behave properly, how to be charming and seductive, etc.  But Shelby (who wears glasses and describes herself as a rather awkward-looking pre-teen) knows there is more to life than a string of guys who may or may not be the pleasant type.  I would recommend this to anyone over 13, really, or maybe a mature 12, but especially to those who have grown up in different family structures and feel like an outsider sometimes, whether it's within their immediate or extended family, at school, or with friends.  Shelby is another strong female character: she is supportive, smart and observant, and eventually embraces who she is and where she comes from.  I could almost label Outside Beauty as a growing-up book for girls.