I was surprised that CSM rated it okay for 11+. There are references to sex, making out, drinking, and all manner of other things that are inappropriate for tweens. There is a very disturbing scene of a woman attempting to breastfeed a doll, and a boy makes a couple of lewd remarks about sex. Great book, but only for teens.
Tools for this page
Strays
(2007, Fiction - Contemporary Fiction, Written by Ron Koertge)
-
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 11, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 11. -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Gripping story of teen entering foster care.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 11–15
The good stuff
What to watch out for
-
Violence:
-
Sex:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Strays
Parents need to know that there's nothing graphic, but there are many references to things that teen foster kids might encounter, including drinking and drugs, swearing, and child pornography.
Read our full review by Matt Berman
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the magic realism of the book. Does Ted really talk to animals, or is it all in his head? If it's real, why would he have this ability? If it's not, why would he be imagining this?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
Not okay for tweens!
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Have you read it? 
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
