I loved this book because it offered a lot of complex thoughts. It showed views on life and philosophy. Not to mention as a writer it gave me tons of inspirations. and it was by far not close to being as bad as like 80 percent of books out there. Not graphic nor does it influence anything. it just shows a different life style and back grounds. all of which i think is healthy for kids to be aware of. You can keep your kids in the dark but when they see freedom they will go wild. Introduce them to things and make sure they understand why it is wrong. And there are consequences. The death of Alaska, several punishments by the dean, depression from death ect showing why you shouldn't
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Looking for Alaska
(2006, Fiction - Friendship, Written by John Green)
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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 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 15. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Award-winning novel of life and death, for teens.
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 Looking for Alaska
Parents need to know that this book hits all the controversial pulse points: drinking, (not graphic) sex, bad language, and smoking, including marijuana smoking.
Read our full review by Matt Berman
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the questions that Miles and his friends think about and discuss: How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering? What happens to us when we die? There is a central mystery in the second half of the book that is never fully resolved, which could prompt debate.
Our Members Say
See all 25 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
An Amazing Book
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
perfect
While this book does include references to drinking, sex, smoking, marijuana, reckless behavior, and obscene language, you should read it if you are considering not allowing your child to. Children today are experiencing and learning about things very early, so by not allowing your child to read this book you are not shielding them from anything. In all honesty i believe that by parents being naive, and hoping their kids do not already know about the topics discussed in this book, you are hurting your child. the lessons that are portrayed in this book concerning various topics are excellent, and could be very beneficial to SOME decisions they will shortly be making, or already have made. while some topics like smoking, and drinking are not heavily reinforced with consequences this simply means that you should talk to your child about these issues. However, even with smoking and drinking consequences are mentioned, but they are not done so in an up front way. so some children may not catch on. the real issue being this particular reading material is great despite controversial topics that are in the novel.
- I rate this title on for age 16 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
Inappropriate Scene
There is an inappropriate scene where a girl gives a guy a bj. Very graphic.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
this book is really good. i am 13 and i read this book when i was 12. i dont see why people think it is so inappropriate. in the book it deels with many issues that teens face daily and while they are "dark" and "inappropriate" the book teaches very good lessons and is very realtable.
- I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
Great book.
It is one of my favorite books. It really makes you think about the Labyrinth of suffering and how to get out of it.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 67% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 33% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
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