Parents need to know that this book, based on a true story, depicts some horrifying events, including a graphic description of a young teen giving birth on the kitchen floor, assisted only by her much younger siblings, and the murder of a baby by exposure.
Violence:A boy is beaten up by a schoolmate. A baby is stillborn, another is left to die of exposure in a cave.
Sex:Young teens repeatedly have sex, not described, which results in pregnancy; kissing with tongue; a girl sees her father naked and aroused; references to periods, prostitutes, and abortion; a graphic depiction of childbirth.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:Everyone, including young teens, smokes constantly. Teens drink, including sneaking the communion wine. A father is a drunk.
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