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Those Girls

(2007, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Sara Lawrence)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Not much to like about these shallow, mean girls.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The girls sneak out of school, drink -- and are pretty heartless, even when one of them accidentally injures a teacher. Also, the book features lots of stereotypes, like an overprotective Muslim father.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    The book opens with Jinx hearing her neighbor having sex. There is some other sex talk, like a reference to a student with syphilis, but the most graphic encounter is a rendezvous between two of the women on the faculty.

  • Language:

    Lots of bad words, with an especially heavy use of the f-word and its variations.

  • Consumerism:

    Some high-end brand name dropping (Stella McCartney, Dior, Miss Sixty), plus Diet Coke, MTV, Coco Pops, etc.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The characters drink (even with parents), smoke pot, and take ecstasy.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Those Girls

Parents need to know that the characters in this book swear like crazy, sneak off of school grounds, wear designer clothes, drink, smoke marijuana, and take Ecstasy -- and generally don't seem to care too much about anyone. The book opens with Jinx hearing her neighbor having sex, and there is some other sex talk, but the most graphic encounter is a rendezvous between two of the women on the faculty. The book features lots of stereotypes, including offensive representations of Asians, Muslims, and lesbians.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the impact of books like this one that feature lots of swearing, drinking, and bad behavior. Do these books simply reflect current teen culture -- or do they encourage kids to act out? Should parents care about (and monitor) what's in their kids' books, or just be happy that they are reading?
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