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The Other Girl: A Midvale Academy Novel

(2009, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Sarah Miller)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Fun prep school story, but full of racy content.

Themes in this book include:   dating/crushes, gender issues, growing up

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Ultimately, Molly realizes that she should stop trying to be everything that Gideon wants her to be, and instead just be herself.
 

What to watch out for

  • Role models:

    Pilar is portrayed as a rather unhappy character despite her physical beauty -- however, she does a calculation whenever she meets a woman, comparing how hot she is compared to her. She also starves herself to be thin. 

  • Sex:

    The opening scene involves Molly and Gideon "writhing half naked in an empty chapel." And that's just the beginning of the racy stuff.  In another scene, Gideon talks to his friends about getting hot and heavy with Pilar and what parts of her body she lets him touch. Molly uses her ESP to let a boy see Pilar naked, and later she and Pilar work on a scheme that ends up with Pilar having to make out with the slimy Dean of Standards.

  • Language:

    Pretty racy language. All the biggies are thrown around like crazy, as well as some pretty naughty slang for body parts, etc. 

  • Consumerism:

    Not overly saturated but Pilar does some serious shopping at stores like Fred Segal. Other mentions of brands like Coach, Coke, Target. 

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters drink and smoke marijuana. Gideon's roommates even grow plants in their dorm closet. 
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Other Girl: A Midvale Academy Novel

Parents need to know that this book features all kinds of racy material, from the main character planning to have sex with her boyfriend in the school's chapel to a scene where an underage girl makes out with a creepy dean as part of an elaborate scheme. There is swearing, drug use, and sex among the teens at Midvale Prep -- and the prettiest girl at school  pretty much starves herself in an effort to look thinner.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the appeal of media about rich people. What other TV shows, books, and movies can you think of? How are we supposed to feel about the characters? Like them, hate them, envy them, judge them? What does this display of wealth do to our expectations of or (our contentment with) our own lives?
  • This book is number two in the series. Have you read other series? Why do you like them? What are other books you'd like to see sequels to? Are book sequels ever as good as the first book in the series? Why do you think publishers ask authors to write them? Do you think it has more to do with book sales -- or the creation of a really good character who has more to say?
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