Four best friends, one pair of jeans and a few important rules:

1. You must never wash the Pants.
2. You must never double-cuff the Pants. It's tacky. There will never be a time when this will not be tacky.
3. You must never say the word 'phat' while wearing the Pants. You must also never think 'I am fat' while wearing the Pants.
4. You must never let a boy take off the Pants (although you may take them off yourself in his presence).
5. You must not pick your nose while wearing the Pants. You may, however, scratch casually at your nostril while really kind of picking.


Carmen, Tibby, Lena and Bridget have been best friends all their lives. They live in the same small American town and usually spend every moment of their long summer holidays together. The year they turn 16 is the first time they have separate plans for the summer but the girls are determined to keep in touch. Tibby buys a pair of jeans in a second-hand shop and the girls discover that the trousers magically fit each of them perfectly, despite their different figures and heights. They hit upon a wonderful plan of sharing the jeans throughout the vacation - sending them on to the next friend when they feel the time is right. From Baja California to Greece, from film-making to football, the girls - and the traveling pants - encounter first love, family upset and fatal illness. Secure in the knowledge that their friendship is constant - and the symbol of it need never be more than a parcel-delivery away - the girls survive their summer and return home with a wealth of new experiences to share. A perfect teen-chick summer read; a quirky, humorous and memorable cut above the rest.