even tho these books have a lot of negative stuff, i love them, i started reading them in the 7th grade and im ready for the new one, "i will always love you" to come out in november. if u have a problem with these books then just dont read them or let ur kids read them. but go ahead and let ur kids read fairy tales with magic and blood and a bunch of stuff thats not okay even tho eveyone says it is :)
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Gossip Girl Books
(2005, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Cecily von Ziegesar)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 15. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Addictive high-society fluff with bad messages.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–18
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Gossip Girl Books
Parents need to know that characters in these books drink, smoke, do drugs, throw parties, and have sex. Their party lifestyle is glamorized (and their own parents are permissive about their drinking); sex is not graphic, but it isn't always equated with love, either. Also, brand names run throughout, from high-end clothing designers to skin products to alcohol brands.
Read our full review by Kate Pavao
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the popularity of the series and why teens seem to find it so appealing. What do books like these do for their readers? Are they simply guilty pleasures, or do they have lessons to teach? How are you supposed to feel about the rich characters -- envy them, hate them, feel sorry for them? What do you think of all the materialism? Does it make you want labels, or make you think they're shallow?
Our Members Say
See all 86 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
I read the books just after I turned 13 and I was able to understand the content that was in the books. I know some of the things that happen in the books are not at all appropriate but I know that I would never do any of the stuff that they do and just because they do that stuff in the books it doesn't mean I am going to. The books were different to anything I have ever read and I overall enjoyed that fact. Plus, I LOVE the show!
- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
I read the books when I was 13 and I understood most of the content in the books
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Amazzzing!
These books are great. i don't see why everyone freaks out about them. people don't care their kids are reading about vampires, who do it while sucking blood, but kids who have issues that are in a way simillar to every teenage life. great great books.
- I rate this title off for age 16 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Very sad this toxic stuff is so popular
I am not easily shocked, but that's my reaction to how cynical and demeaning Hachette and this author are. They are making a lot of money selling a concentrated form of the stuff that ultimately keeps teenage girls and young women weak: intense emphasis on looks, materialism and brands; a view of female relationships as competitive sport; and a view of cheap sex, alcohol, and smoking as just part of a normal girl's life. And they can't pretend the appeal and the sale doesn't work it's way down to the "'tweens". I am not a conservative, either politically or religiously. But this is the underside of American culture, celebrated and treated as normal. I hope we'll eventually grow up to the point where we see this stuff the way we now understand smoking: bad for everyone, and not to be made sexy and marketed to young people. Parents you should read this book before you let your daughter read it, and see where you stand. If you are trying to raise a daughter (or son) who has values that will lead to real happiness over time, and the courage to stick to these values -- you may agree with me that Hachette and "Cecily Von Ziegesar" are enemies to your cause.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 67% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 67% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 67% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
| 67% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
| 67% | of parents say they notice product placement |
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