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Harry Sue

(2005, Fiction - Contemporary Fiction, Written by Sue Stauffacher)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 10.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Passionate tale of child enduring trials of Job.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 10–13

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Babies and toddlers are left unattended in daycare, teens drop out of school, Granny is a raving racist, Harry Sue tries to be bad but can't quite manage it.
  • Violence:

    A child is thrown out a window, it's implied that Granny is abusive to her daycare charges, a murder is mentioned, a baby seems to have drowned in a tub, a boy is crippled in an accident, another accident puts Harry Sue in the hospital.
  • Sex:

    Several mentions of boobs, Harry Sue makes fake breasts, seeing underwear.
  • Language:

    Mild expletives such as "crap" and "butt."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A drunk father, a mother who makes, uses, and sells crystal meth, cocaine is mentioned, teens smoke, toddlers are given cold medicine to keep them quiet, Harry Sue tells a version of Red Riding Hood in which Red drinks, Granny smokes cigars.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Harry Sue

Parents need to know that this book includes lots of difficult content -- drugs, child abuse and neglect, incarcerated parents, racism -- but none of it is graphic, and it's mostly told with a certain emotional detachment.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the difficult content, as well as a wealth of other issues and themes: Harry Sue's determination to get thrown in jail so she can find her mother, and why she is unable to accomplish this; Anna's bizarre physical therapy methods; convict lingo; the Wizard of Oz connection; and lots more.

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 5.0

    this book was awesome!!!

    i thought this was a realy interesting and strange book. i mean when i read the first 4chapters i told my friends this was one of the strangest books on the market, but when i finished reading it, i thought i was one of the best books ever written!!!!

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