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Airhead (by Meg Cabot)

common sense media says

Freaky life-swap tale with fashion and flair.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this book covers some questionable medical procedures and discusses the question of when life actually ends. A teenager is thrust into a very adult world where there's little supervision, but plenty of money to purchase high-end goods. This is handled better than in many other teen books with a fashion focus.

Positive messages: A teen searches for her true identity and worth in a world that emphasizes looks -- more specifically, the fashion world and high school. While there are some issues of questionable judgment and medical ethics, the author handles them well.
Violence: A girl is injured in an accident. There's talk of what is technically alive and legally dead.
Sex: There are crushes, kisses, and a girl describes her body wanting to do more than kiss.
Language: "Bitch," "slut," "loser," and other slightly saucy teen language is used.
Consumerism: Part of the novel takes place in the fashion world, so naturally there are plenty of labels and brands: Marc Jacobs, Vespa, Google, Doritos, Sports Illustrated, Sketchers, Victoria's Secret, etc.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A teen disguises her drink to look alcoholic when it isn't; other teens are let into a club even though they're underage. One is described as being drunk.

More on Airhead

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what it would be like to live another person's life. What do you think would be easy? What would be hard? Also, what do you think of the medical procedures Emerson endures? Are they ethical?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Emerson Watts is trying to get her best friend Christopher to realize she's actually a girl, keep her little sister from becoming a clone of the popular kids, and maybe, just maybe, survive high school. When her mom makes her supervise her little sister's trip to the mega music store, an accident changes her forever -- into someone totally different and someone her best friend and the world will definitely notice.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Meg Cabot, Princess Diaries author, brings teen readers yet another makeover story -- but here the fantasy twist is that a regular girl gets a model's life after an accident and some much more invasive procedures. It's a fun ride, made more entertaining by the model-in-the-making herself. Emerson Watts is witty, sensitive, and slightly offbeat -- and her humorous take on her new life keeps the usual fashion and high school cattiness and snobbery in check.

The downside of this teen fantasy is the stretch the author asks the readers to make -- the kind you would usually only make for mad-scientist horror movies. Adding a slight edge is an underlying mystery that feels just sinister enough to keep it from dissolving into a Scooby-Doo caper. A few intriguing loose ends set readers up for more in the series.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: Point
Publication date: May 13, 2008
Number of pages: 352
Hardcover price: $16.99

This review was written by Terreece Clarke
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

igotcrzyfriends
teen, 16 years old
 
A-MA-ZING
i loved this book and couldnt wait until being nikki came out, its an amazing book

 
A must read for all girls 12 and up
This book is another one of Meg Cabot's fantastic novels for teen girls. I read this book at age 12. It was fantastic. There really is nothing parent's should be worried about, except maybe a kiss or two, but come on, this book is brilliantly written.All girls 11 and up will adore this novel, I, a bookworm myself, guarantee it. I am personally a fan of Meg Cabot and have read many of her teen novels. This is one of her best, and I reccomend this book 100 percent.

exrbklyngirl
teen, 15 years old
 
Love it!
I really like this book. The things these teens do are actually age appropriate, even though they're illegal.

cabbe
parent of and 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 18 year old
 
Great Book About Finding Yourself!

I love the ...
teen, 14 years old
 
Good moral
There's a positive message in this book telling us that Emerson is a smart, and nice girl that is picked on because of the way she dresses. Nikki is a beautiful but back stabbing friend and a total jerk. This book tells us not to judge people the way they look but instead learn who they really are. Looks can be deceiving.

tailsroxz
teen, 14 years old
 
good book
i liked the book it a very short book hunting down the sequel menions clubbing,kissing and dying and wors like suck

megan094eva
teen, 16 years old
 
Counting down until the second one.
I love this book - cant wait to gte the second one!!! A mature 10 year old could read this, and it would be enjoyable from that age upto about 15.

gaaralover
teen, 17 years old
 
:D
Greatest book I ever read (almost). It'll keep you reading for hours. I didn't go to sleep till I finished it.

Twix
teen, 17 years old
 
This book was funny, sad, fresh, interesting, and mysterious. Go read it and find out for yourself! The next book in this trilogy is called Being Nikki.

garima06
teen, 16 years old
 
for teens
i liked the book. .it talks abt a girl who has A BRAIN TRANSPLANT and finds herself in a supermodel's body...

zipzipzap
teen, 15 years old
 
awsome book
I love this book its great for teenage girls. Super funny and really good. I would strongly suggest this book to any girl 10 and older.

earthgurl
teen, 15 years old
 
Good
Good book. The beginning is kind of sad.

dancing girl
kid, 12 years old
 
I read the first two pages of the book and hated it. It was just too boring, Meg Cabot has not done a good job with this book.

AlinaW.
teen, 16 years old
 
This was a pretty great book, and like most of Meg's books, it's fluffy but has a pretty unique and clever plot which hooks in book-worms and reluctant readers alike. The switch from average tom-boy to superstar was fun to read about, as was getting used to someone else's body. Also suprising was the sequal which was just as good, if not better then Airhead. I'd definetly recommend this as a must-read light book for any tween or teen girl!

Book Eater
teen, 14 years old
 
The inside is what counts, but every one likes the outside better
A dip into the world of a girl who isn't herself any more. Amazing book!

taco22
kid, 12 years old
 
Pretty Good
A pretty good story but I haven't read the second one (yet).

maureen102
teen, 15 years old
 
Not for real little kids/ tweens
A good book but in all of Meg Cabot's books she likes to make fun of people

lolkid
teen, 17 years old
 
Airhead moral reveiw
its a good book to make others realize the life of celebrities and be happy with their own lives in an interesting way

themediator
teen, 13 years old
 
Airhead
Great but not as good as the sequel ?

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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