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.
Gossip Girl Books
(2005, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Cecily von Ziegesar)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 |
Have you read it? 
Most Recent Reviews
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- 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 rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
I LOVE GG LOL
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
TERRIBLE books.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Junk food reading - zero value
Twelve year-old daugter brought book series home from school and public library (recommended by her friends). Front cover apprears age appropriate but inside is anything but. Language, sex, galore. Had a hard time finding any value at all for any age.
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
hey this was a faboulous book i would recommend it as a night time reading project for young and devolping child readers everwhere best for shildren aged about 6
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Good Call ( ages 12-13)
These are great for my kids to tell them this is not what they should do. I would say that these should be rated 12 - 13. I barley let my kids see PG-13 movies. These books are right on the PG-13 line.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Cannot believe it
I was appaled that someone would write this for kids. Even if they had an adult to discuss the issues with them it is still more than they can handle. If you let you kids even if they are teens read these books then you have a seriously mental issue. I would label you as a bad parent. These books are just wrong they should be classified as adult only. If you let your kids read them its like your saying its okay to do the stuff that they do in the book.Your kid will usally do what you tell them is not cool they will have a kid at school tell them its cool to do that stuff so they will do.If you let your kids read these you might as well let them watch porn.The show is the same way.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
These books are comepletely empty of any moral lessons
I'm fully aware that our kids encounter situations in real life that deal with sex, drugs, alcohol etc... but there is a big difference between that and cramming a glorified technical manual of it down their throats. These books have no value to them, the characters learn no lessons from their behaviors. When I discovered my 14 year old step-daughter reading them and absolutely dying for the next one in the series I was SHOCKED! And even more shocked that her MOTHER bought them for her. I really hope that our young ladies have more respect for themselves and avoid these books. Just because 'the other girls' are doing it, doesn't mean it's ok. There are other series out there that are wonderful reads and have actual substance and moral values. These are nothing but soft p*rn for teens.
- I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it
Author is a sick person
I can't believe a woman who is a mother would write such filth for kids!!! I couldn't believe all the sex and drugs etc.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
book
htis book is awsome I love it I read it all the time it is the coolest series in the worl. I think that everyone should read this series because it's so cool
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Banned from local High School library
I couldn't believe when my daughter (15) came home from school with 4 of these books. After reading the first chapter I was appalled to say the least that such books would be available in our high school!!! Ages 13 and up!!! All I had to do was go to the school and show them to administration... The looks on their faces were priceless!!! I really was anticipating having to go to the superintendent and other school officials!! I can't believe a librarian would purchase them for a school.... Local City/Town library - yes I can understand.... But in a school -------- If you are a parent/guardian, pick up one of these books and read it!!
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
Read it, but think about it!
The Gossip Girl books are quite popular for teens - and in and of themselves, they aren't terrible books. However, they DO contain a lot of sex, drugs and other "issues". I would suggest that teens be encouraged to read them if they have a parent or other figure to discuss them with.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
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 :)
- 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 on for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
not for everybody and not awful...
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
ah-freakin-mazing
really good book series! plots are fun and do invlove sex, drugs, and alcohol but its not like if i read it in a book im going to honestly think,"hey, nate archibald smokes pot all the time so i should too!" parents should give their kids more credit and let them make their own desicions about what books to read. Its their life!
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
I thought it was a great book
Gossip Girl is a great book. I do think there are some iffy parts but over all it is a good book. The book is fun to read.
- I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it
Don't read this if ur under 18!!
Hey guys! i have not read this book, but it sounds WAY to o inaproppriate for pre-teens and kids, i am 11 and of course this is just too bad don't read this if ur under 18!!!!!! lol
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
These books, while sort of plotless are actually a very good series for some girls to read--- they show you how NOT to behave, and since most of the outlandish behavior will seem ridiculous to readers anyway, the message gets across. The books are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me-- but i really did enjoy them. I recommend them for teenage girls and mature pre-teens(10-12). The content really isn't all that bad-- the characters only talk about having sex and i cant think of any actual sex scenes. So all-in-all i give these books a thumbs up.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
I HATED them.
They are really pointless, bad message for girls growing up. the charaters are shallow and mean.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
I HATED them.
They are really pointless, bad message for girls growing up. the charaters are shallow and mean.
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
If your kids arent 15, dont let them read it
This book clearly says on the back of the book AGES 15 AND UP. If you are complaining and saying that any parent who lets their kids read this is a bad parent, then that parent should know that it has an age limit. Or if you think your child is mature enough to know right from wrong and not take this book as a way teens actually live, then you should have tought them better, not given this book a bad review. I personally thought this series was great one and i recommend it to all of my friends, or anyone who is looking for a good, quick read series.
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
THESE SHOULDN'T EVEN EXIST
The fact that these books are out there shows just how decrepit this world is. Teen sex is a real problem, as about a fourth of our teen population has had at least one sexual relationship, and people wonder why. These books are beyond inappropriate and practically encourage teens to have sex, like it's a popularity thing or something. God did not mean for teens to have sex. It's purely for adults. I can't recommend these books one bit; I warn my friends with blaring red lights and horns. DO NOT READ THEM!!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Great series!!!!
Well some social behavior is questionable, etc, but overall, good series. Well written, and very addicting. And on common sense, people always say that there is too much materialism making us want what the characters have, but some of us actually have that stuff, so do not assume we do not own designer brands, good electronics, etc. Anyways, good books. I recommend them for ages 13 and up...
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
loved it
my all time favorite series! it may not be appropriate for 12 year olds like me, but i loved it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
not as bad as people say (Age for this is 12 and up)
The gossip girl series are amazing! I tell my daughter when she reads this that these things are bad and she should not do them. In a kind of strange way it helps explain not what to do in life, so you don't do it. I would say without a doubt that 12 and up can read this book. I barley let my kids watch PG-13 movies. Gossip Girl Books are right on PG-13. But I would never let my daughter see the TV show though.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
I LOVE THESE BOOKS
I am completely addicted to Gossip Girl. I will say that they do not necessarily promote anything good, but they are not saying that things like drinking and smoking are necessarily glamourous, either. But I would say this is definatly a "PG-13" series.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I love it...
I love this book series. It's highly addicting and I could seriously read two books a day. Yes, some of the content should only be read by high school kids but it also informs us how to act and how not to act. When it comes to language, I mean really we're gonna hear it all eventually anyway. We know the effects of drugs and driking and also the consequences that come with doing them (Nate does pot and gets arrested and has to go to rehab where he meets a girl that pops pills and almost DIES) this alone makes me not want to do drugs. In these books characters have sex, and they get their hearts broken. Also, it's exciting to read about these rich teens who go on these weekend get aways to St. Barts(which by the way is an excellent place to vacation). And also when it's talking about designers like Ralph Lauren, DKNY, or Marc Jacobs it's only informing teens of fashion, 17 magazine does the exact same thing, i promise. So in conclusion these books rock, and I hope von Ziegesar keeps em coming!=D
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Okay, um, well... this book disgusts me. What kind of self-respecting author titles a chapter, "An Hour of Sex Burns 360 Calories?" Come on. This book recites f*** twice, or so on each page. I regret purchasing the book, since I had no idea it had this kind of outrageous content. Forget about it...
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Love it & hated it.
I have read the whole series, and i sbsolutely loved it. The drama was enthralling and it was so hard to put the books down. I feel in love with the characters, but I was also appalled at some of the content I was reading. I think the themes in the book are highly innappropriate, even for a mature teenager. I am sure the author could have written the series without all the added swearing, sex, and materialism. It is also up to the reader to decide if they want to be reading about these possibly degrading themes. We should be able to make the choice if we want to read these books or not. I agree with some of the adult reviews saying it should be banned from high school libraries. Students can purchase this book anywhere else, but it is negligent for school administrators to have these books available to high school students. This series is highly entertaining, but also highly innappropriate.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
I personally love these books...
Whereas some might see the Gossip Girl series as being inappropriate for teenagers, i believe that it all lies in the maturity level of the reader. While it is completely up to parents to allow or ban their children from these books, i find them okay as long as you realize it is simply a fictional book and is not a manual for making good choices. The situations dealt with in the books are probably not for those udner the age of 15 or so, but if read with the mindset that it is just entertainment and an interesting story, i think these books are okay. The only thing that brings up a red flag is the language, but other than that nothing is overly bad.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Not really for my age group
Most kids my age (12) would think of this book as trashy, but I really liked it. The way the writing is really descriptive was very nice (even if it was a bad part).
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Gossip Girl is the teenage version of Sex and the City. The girls in Gossip Girl could write Carry’s column in a snap. i find that extremely inappropriate.
