Common Sense Note
Parents need to know this features a rather old-fashioned plot, with teen sex serving as a "shocking" secret; smoking is portrayed as a rebellious act. Despite the suggestive title, the sex is pretty tame; Nothing is explicit, they're in a committed relationship, and they use birth control.
Families can talk about why Katie and Michaela's family keeps so many secrets. Katie's parents withhold important information from her, supposedly so she won't get upset. How do all these lies and secrets affect their relationships? Families can also discuss how and why a passion (such as Michaela's dancing, or other sports or hobbies) can stop being fun, and what parents can do to help teens feel less pressured.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Stephanie Dunnewind
Readers who prefer the mall to a park may find Katie's small-town travails humorous (she is horrified by the very idea of camping) but for many, her whining will grow tedious. Indeed, a friend tells her, "Your princess act does get a little old after a while." (In a genuine moment, Katie spits back, "It's not an act. This is how I am . . . I don't wear flannel.")
When Katie (the first-person narrator) stops complaining long enough to actually do something, the book zips along more pleasantly. The plot is standard-issue (a teen asserts her independence, a fish out of water realizes her new home isn't so bad after all, a little sister discovers the big sister she worships isn't perfect), but the sisterly bond is appealing. Michaela offers advice and big-sister sighs as she strives to create her own life, setting boundaries for both her nosy sister and their controlling mother.
Plot Summary:
Katie, 14, and her 17-year-old sister Michaela thrive in the fast pace of New York City, where they attend a prestigious ballet school. Then their mom's new job requires a sudden move to a rural town. This leaves fashion-plate Katie warily facing a dragonfly (she attempts to annihilate it with bug spray), a deer in her front yard, and a cute boy in her homeroom class. Michaela, in contrast, embraces their new surroundings, befriending the popular crowd and dating the school's hot quarterback. Katie, accustomed to sharing everything with her big sis, feels left out and homesick -- especially when she discovers Michaela is hiding some major secrets.
Related Books:
Also by the Author:
French Kiss
South Beach
Hollywood Hills
Mistletoe
A Novel Idea
Breaking Up: A Fashion High Graphic Novel
Other Books about Sisters:
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata
The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker
Ballet Movies:
Save the Last Dance
The Company
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Sexual ContentMichaela (17) has sex with her boyfriend using birth control -- not explicitly described. A friend sends her an email: "Congratulations on no longer being a virgin." Katie asks how sex feels and Michaela says, "Kind of weird and scary at first, but then better. It can be special, if you make good decisions." She also offers to educate Katie about condoms: "If I'm not going to give it to you straight, who will?" |
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Violence |
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LanguageVery mild: "pissed off," "bitch." |
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Message |
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Social BehaviorSome of the ballet dancers are so thin that when they walk by, mothers whisper, "eating disorder." A teacher makes inappropriate comments to students. Katie's parents keep secrets from her, and Michaela lies to her parents. Katie snoops through her sister's IM log. |
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CommercialismMany mentions of brand names in fashion, food, perfume, stores, coffee and drink shops, Web sites, electronics, and magazines. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoMichaela jokes about spiking hot chocolate with whiskey; before she realizes her sister is kidding, Katie is thrilled by the forbidden but worried about their parents finding out. Michaela starts smoking cigarettes because her friends do; this is presented as rebellious because dancers shouldn't smoke. Their ballet instructor smokes and says "but I'm old." |
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