Pretty Little Liars #1

 Review

Common Sense Media says

First book in cliquey girls' series shows off bad behavior.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this book features all kinds of bad behavior. One character hooks up with a teacher, another with her sister's boyfriend. There's bulimia, drunk driving, shoplifting, pranking, swearing, smoking -- and the big secret: what happened to their best friend. This is the start of a series and also inspired a popular TV show.

  • Well, it is reading. And perhaps if they like this series, teen readers will check out better girl-centered series, such as Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
  • This is fluffy guilty-pleasure fare, with few surprises among either the character types or the plotting. Gossip Girl fans probably will enjoy this one -- but parents who read along will find plenty to cringe over. If there is a positive message here it is obscured by the sensationalist and materialistic plot.
  • These girls do all sorts of bad things: shoplift, drink and drive, steal boyfriends, starve (or throw up intentionally), etc.
  • The plot centers around a missing girl -- and there are references to, but few details about, the "Jenna thing," a prank gone wrong.
  • Girl-on-girl kissing, plus Aria nearly has sex with her teacher, Spencer hooks up with her sister's boyfriend, and Hanna tries to seduce her boyfriend in the woods.
  • You'll find all the big bad words -- but not a lot of them.
  • Tiffany & Co., Kate Spade, BMW, Marlboro, Corona, Cheetos, etc.
  • Characters drink and smoke.

What's the story?

This is basically Desperate Housewives for the teen set. The book centers on former friends, each with her own set of issues -- one crushes on a girl, another struggles with her weight/self-esteem, etc. What they share now is a mystery in their past: One night, during the summer before eighth grade, their leader, Allison, disappeared without a trace. They've drifted apart but come back together when they start receiving strange messages from someone named "A" who seems to know all their secrets, past and present.


Is it any good?

 

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS is the launch of yet another series about pretty, privileged girls who do all sorts of naughty things. This book has a mystery at its heart -- a former friend disappeared one night before the start of eighth grade. Ali's disappearance gives readers something to guess about in between the protagonists' student-teacher sex scandals and bouts of bulimia. This is pure guilty pleasure that's popular with teens: the average rating among nearly 100 of Common Sense Media's young readers is 5 out of 5 stars! Inspired parents can use it to get kids thinking about why books about rich, popular female frenemies have struck such a chord with readers. 

 


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about the appeal of this book -- and the crop of clique series that have appeared on bookstore shelves in recent years. Are these books simply an escape, or do they promote dangerous values?

  • Do books like this one affect the way girls treat one another -- or themselves? 


This review of Pretty Little Liars #1 was written by
Adult
October 1, 2010
 
Inappropriate for Anyone Under Age 18
I am a director of education and read contemporary juvenile and young adult literature so that I am aware of what many students are reading. I was SHOCKED by the contents and characters in Sara Shepard's _Pretty Little Liars_. I found the characters to be plucked straight from TV shows that are aimed at adults and the plot developed as a situational comedy/drama. I do not think that it is an appropriate book for any youth in high school or younger to read. The author has placed her teen age characters in adult situations. In addition, none of the adults in the book is a good parental model. The adults are immature, self absorbed, and emotionally still adolescents. The teen aged characters lie, drink, do drugs, steal cars, have sexual encounters with teachers, have sexual encounters with older young adults (one character goes after her college-age sister's boyfriend who is in medical school.) and show no remorse or examination of conscience for their actions. If find such behavior in high school sophomores to be high inappropriate for a book aimed at middle- and high-school students. On page 88 the author refers to one mother as a MILF. I was not familiar with this acronym. When I learned that it means "Mother I'd Like to F*#%", I couldn't believe that an editor and publisher allowed it to appear in a book for youth. I am not a prude, but I do believe that books for youth should not further sexualize teen girls and young woman, especially through situations that have them lusting after older men (who are happy to return the lust). It is a sad reflection of our society that editors and publishers believe that this book is appropriate for youth. But, they are as greedy and driven by market success and money as the characters in the book, no matter the true cost to others and the harm done in the long run. Equally shocking to me are the parents who allow their children to read these books without first reading, reviewing, or at least reading reviews of them. Parents NEED to parent. Just because a book in labeled and marketed as Young Adult does not mean that the book is appropriate for youth. It is negligent (if not criminal) that this book is able to be published and marketed as a book for Young Adults.
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Teen, 15 years old
September 15, 2009
 
Just fine for tweens!
Loved It - and so will your teenager!
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Teen, 14 years old
August 7, 2009
 
Fine for 13+
I loved this book and all of the others in the Pretty Little Liars series I read them all very quickly. They may have a lot of bad things, but nothing that a 13 year old wouldn't already know about. I enjoy the mysteries and drama and how everything is weaved together in this series.
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Parent of 14 year old
January 17, 2011
 
Good for girls 12 and up
It was a really good book. I don't understand what everyone is so concerned about. None of the girls in this book have sex. One likes other girls, one is secretly dating her English teacher, one doesn't even have a boyfriend, and ones boyfriend refuses to have sex. And it's a good mystery.
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Teen, 13 years old
April 13, 2010
 
Obviously, you're not going to use the characters in this book as role models. There's a little bit of everything--eating disorders, sexuality, cursing, violence, drinking, and sex, but in all, it's entertaining. I really enjoyed reading this book and didn't find it as shallow as other teenage books. It was a little creepy, with Alison's disappearance and the messages that are popping up everywhere, but it added an edge to the story. The characters are all a little extreme, in my opinion, but that makes the story interesting. I say read it if you're looking to relax but to also get a little something from it. It's a little mature, but I wouldn't say 15 and up. We all know about this stuff anyway.
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Parent of 3, 6, 10, 13, 15, and 17 year old
February 28, 2011
 
e.g. For anyone who can read
I think that the message this book sends out to readers is that, it is never good to lie. This book is a perfect example of bad things that could happen if you dont follow the rules.
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Teen, 13 years old
November 17, 2009
 
13 and older
I love these books! Yes there is bad language, sexual aspects and drinking but if your kid is 12, 13 and if your kid is like me, about 10 there is nothing new in this book. Chances are your kids say most of the words in this book when you aren't around and see this type of stuff on tv, in movies, and in other books and magazines they have read or their friends have.
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Kid, 11 years old
October 31, 2010
 
11+
This is an awesome book. It teaches people to be yourself and what comes around goes around. Plus, the plot is genius!
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Teen, 14 years old
September 4, 2010
 
A Perfect Wake-Up Call
There's absolutely no problem with this book. Any kid aged over 15 understands that just because they read a book where they do bad things, doesn't mean they should do it. Just because a book isn't completely G rated doesn't mean that teenagers can't understand. Because they befriended this Queen-Bee Alison, they were caught up in this. It is BECAUSE they drink, do drugs, smoke, hook up with teachers, etc. that they are in this mess. When I read this, a lot of what goes through my mind is "Huh. Wow. I definitely shouldn't make out with my English teachers then." And her friend having gone missing... well that actually happens in real life. You can't pretend that a 15 year old doesn't understand that it's a dangerous world out there. Giving her kiddy books that make the world look like sunshine and rainbows is only going to make her an idiot.
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Adult
January 10, 2011
 
NOT for tweens.
I love this book for ages 16 and up, I'm 18 and I'm almost finished with this series, but I would never recommend it to anyone under 15.
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This review of Pretty Little Liars #1 was written by
Author:Sara Shepard
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Coming of Age
Publisher:HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication date:October 1, 2006
Number of pages:304
Publisher's recommended age(s):14 - 14
Read aloud:14 - 14
Read alone:14 - 14

This review of Pretty Little Liars #1 was written by
 

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