Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Extremely intense, gritty look at teen prostitutes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say this book is a gripping and heartbreaking portrayal of the struggles faced by teens making poor choices, particularly in relation to sex, drugs, and survival. While many appreciate its raw honesty and depth, others warn that it is not appropriate for younger readers due to its graphic content and mature themes.
- raw honesty
- graphic content
- mature themes
- gripping portrayal
- not for younger readers
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Hopkins weaves the lives of five teens who sell themselves for money, security, drugs, and power. Ginger ends up stripping after running away from an abusive mother, while Whitney is manipulated into prostitution by a man who she thinks she loves. Seth is kicked out of the house by his father when he discovers he's gay and ends up being \"kept\" by an older man.
Is It Any Good?
The characters all seem a bit too archetypical (the gay farm boy, the rich girl who feels unloved by her mother) but because the stories are written in verse, the pages turn quickly. The details are gritty and gripping: Mature readers and Hopkins fans will likely be drawn in, but sensitive readers will find the raw material overwhelming and will likely need some parental guidance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about prostitution. What are some of the reasons that characters here are driven to prostitution? What would you do to stop this problem?
Some of the material here is very graphic -- from depictions of sex acts to descriptions of drug use. At what point is the material inappropriate for teen readers? Should a book ever be censored?
Ellen Hopkins has written other books in free verse, like Glass and Impulse. Do you think books written this way are easier to read? How about to write?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date : August 25, 2009
- Number of pages : 640
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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