Tools for this page
Print

Secret Keeper

(2009, Fiction - Family Life, Written by Mitali Perkins)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

    (Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

    Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Cultural peek into 1970s India through a girl's eyes.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Asha's mother looks down on Asha's friend because she is Punjabi and not Begali. Asha must live within restrictive social rules that say she cannot play sports or leave her home unaccompanied by a male relative. Asha fights against Indian's society's version of beauty, which expects women to be light-skinned and curvy. She retells Grimm fairy tales so the "princesses and peasant girls got slightly more noble, smart, generous, and brave, and less physical." In greeting, women must bend down in front of older male relatives and touch their feet "in a traditional sign of submission." Asha disobeys her family's wishes by going outside unattended and wearing shorts. Reet's uncle intends to marry her off despite concerns about the man. According to social customs, a widow must wear white, give up eating meat for the rest of her life, and never remarry. Reet becomes anorexic in her grief.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Neighbors gossip that Asha's father's death was suicide rather than an accident. Asha remembers a young wife who tried to cover bruises.

  • Sex:

    A group of boys stand outside Reet's house to ogle her. Asha says the boys are "like a bunch of hungry calves who see an udder." She wonders if she could attract the same attention by adding mangoes to her bra. Reet answers, "They don't care if these are real or not -- at least not till their wedding night." The girls' grandmother tells them about her wedding and how her husband promised not to touch her "until I wanted him as much as he wanted me." Asha says when she feels Jay's eyes on her, "my whole body aches for him."

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    The girls' mother's depression is lifted by shopping.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A brief mention of Asha's father's chain smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Secret Keeper

Parents need to know this book highlights 1970s-era Indian customs that will seem very sexist (and likely unimaginable) to contemporary American girls. Asha and Reet's mother suffers from depression; the sisters must deal with a rumor that their father committed suicide. There are some oblique references to what happens on wedding nights.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about societal expectations for women's beauty. In this book, set in the 1970s, Asha rails against women being judged on their looks. Has this expectation changed in the last 40 years? Do readers agree with Asha's sacrifice at the end of the book? Would they make the same choice, given the circumstances?
Tools and tips that can help

Want more? Get Common Sense recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Our Members Say

Have you read it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Secret Keeper?

  •  I think this book is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review

More Great Stuff For Your Kids

  • Now Playing

    Age 9+
    Where the Wild Things Are

    Where the Wild Things Are

    Sometimes-dark adaptation focuses on friendship, loneliness.

  • Advice for Parents

    Are Your Kids Obsessed with Twilight & New Moon?

    Are Your Kids Obsessed with Twilight & New Moon?

    Discussion pointers for parents of "twilighters."

  • Book of the Week

    Age 10+
    Million-Dollar Throw

    Million-Dollar Throw

    Another Lupica sensitive dad/son sports story.

  • Pick of the Week

    Bestselling Books

    Bestselling Books

    Popular new reads kids are buying today.

  • Game of the Week

    Age 8+
    LEGO Rock Band

    LEGO Rock Band

    Simplified, no-fail Rock Band with a whimsical story.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
(It's free!)

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy
Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
Register to add this school to your profile. You'll be able to see and share reviews from parents, teachers, and kids at your child's school.
I'm already a Common Sense member.
Kids under 13 must use a screen name
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.