 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
L.A. Candy
- By Lauren Conrad
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Not as bad as you might expect from a reality TV star.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this novel by a reality TV star from the MTV show The Hills includes pervasive, extensive drinking by underage young adults; repeated mentions of name brands with an emphasis on having the right expensive clothing; and features some sexual encounters, including one-night stands and two girls making out.
What's the story?
Nineteen-year-old friends Jane and Scarlett move to Los Angeles for a new adventure. Jane plans to intern for an event planner while Scarlett attends classes at USC. When they're hand-picked to star in a new reality show -- described as a PG-version of Sex in the City -- cameras follow them everywhere. As the TV producer tells them, "No one moves here to be a nobody." When the show becomes a hit, the friends have to discover if becoming "somebody" means losing who they are.
Is it any good?
The draw here -- as the book jacket with the author's name twice as big as the title suggests -- is author Lauren Conrad's fame as a star of MTV's reality show The Hills. The entire back cover is a photo of her looking like a model. The book, "loosely inspired by her own experience," highlights the staging of "reality" shots but doesn't dish much insider gossip.
Conrad falls into common new author traps (telling rather than showing, lack of character motivation, caricatured secondary characters) but she's not bad with dialogue. Readers will trust her authenticity in portraying the lives of young adults testing their new independence.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why Jane and Scarlet were so willing to participate in the reality TV show. Would teens want to be followed by cameras documenting their lives?
How "real" is reality TV? In what ways does Conrad show how staging and editing affects what happens and what viewers see?
What does it mean to be "hot"? Scarlet and Jane learn that L.A. clubs are only popular for six months; "most places are in and out faster than Juicy track suits." What do teens think that says about the nature of trends?
Also, what do you think the consequences in real life would be for Scarlet's sexual behavior? See our Sex and Media Tip
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AGE
Great Book!
I love this book! I do love Lauren Conrad! This book has a lot to do with her past few years on the Hills and Laguna Beach! So cannot wait until the other one comes out!
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AGE
first page
i only read the first page in a bookstore and i loved it. i will definatly buy it and read the whole thing.
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AGE
this is fun, not the bible!
Ok, so this book isn't perfect. There is some sex, language, and maybe the role models aren't the best. People over the age of 13 or 14 have begun to decide for themselves what they are going- they aren't going to sleep with men all the time just because Scarlett thinks its ok. I personally enjoyed the book, and I have not turned into a "bad seed". So really, all the fuss over something just to read for fun? It is enjoyable, quick and sweet.
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AGE
I'm liking this book so far. It's not the BEST BOOK IN THE WORLD..but it pretty good.
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AGE
Great for Teen :)
I loved the book, its very well written. Showing how the media can cause problems. The negative things people have written about the book are false. If you think the book is inappropriate than your too young!
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AGE
good
this book was very good not the best i have read!
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AGE
Entertaining
This is a very fun and entertaining book to read. It does have underage drinking, sex, and a little drugs, but it teaches you about what really happpens in a celeb's life. As a person above already said "If you think this book is inapropriate, than you aren't emotionaly and ready for it."
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AGE
Excellent, well-written read for 6th grade and up
L.A. Candy is a well-written guilty pleasure novel that is an enjoyable and entertaining read for 6th grade and up. I definitely allow my 11-year-old sixth-grader to read this. Kids will enjoy the fun details of the wealthy and privileged. Your children should be smart enough to realize that this is guilty pleasure fiction and should not be taken seriously. A+
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| Author: | Lauren Conrad |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Children's Books |
| Publication date: | June 16, 2009 |
| Number of pages: | 326 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Read aloud: | 14 |
| Read alone: | 14 |
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