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Off-Color

(2007, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Janet McDonald)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Mixed-race teen thoughtfully dissects race issues.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Cameron and her friends share controversial opinions about race, but in the end, the message is about accepting yourself -- and finding good in everyone. Cameron does skip school, text her friends in class, and ends up talking to the principal a lot.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Girls threaten to beat up Cameron and her friends at the mall. When Cameron moves to the projects, she and her mother are afraid of violence. Also, Cameron is approached by a creepy man at the beach who is later arrested for "endangering the welfare" of two girls.

  • Sex:

    Cameron kisses her boyfriend. One of her best friends talks about being "in lust." At a party, guys and girls do some "booty-dancing."

  • Language:

    Lots of slang words like "wassup," "frickin'," and "ain't."

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A man offers Cameron a beer. Girls later talk about drinking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Off-Color

Parents need to know that this book centers on a girl who discovers she is half African-American. There is some frank talk about race throughout as Cameron learns to accept her new identity. Other than that, this book is pretty tame, though Cameron does skip school, texts her friends in class, and ends up talking to the principal a lot. When Cameron moves to the projects, she and her mother are afraid of violence -- but there isn't much in the book beyond girls threatening to beat up Cameron and her friends at the mall. Also, Cameron is approached by a creepy man at the beach who is later arrested for "endangering the welfare" of two girls.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about any of the racial issues brought up in this book. Are there taboos in your school about mixed-race dating? Do people who look black get treated differently by police or other people in our society?
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