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Vibes

(2008, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Amy Ryan)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Honest, edgy portrait of teen girl includes mature themes.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Kristi is an angry, attitudinal teen who wears gobs of makeup, makes her own clothing from scraps found in trash bins, swears, lies to her mother, plays mean tricks on innocent strangers, and thinks she is fat and ugly. She also believes that she is psychic. In the end Kristi takes responsibility for her behavior and begins to make amends with family and friends. Kristi's best friend is homosexual, her new friend smokes, and a minor character is anorexic. The gay and anorexic characters are treated sympathetically, though the gay friend is somewhat stereotyped. Characters participate in mean teasing. Kristi's parents are separated and her father had an affair. A high school teacher seriously flirts with a sophomore girl.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    No sex but some graphically described kissing and plenty of innuendo. References to erections, erotic dreams, "ginormous boobs," "watermelon sized gazungas"; various boys look at the main character's breasts and imagine doing things with them. Kristi writes a lude poem: "I love the way you rub pollen on my pistil, your sweet caress really gets my nectar flowing, you can pollinate me anytime you want."

  • Language:

    Frequent and varied: "suck," "f--king," "bastard," "bad ass," "bitch," "damn," "Christ," "pissed," "hell," "asshole," "fags."

  • Consumerism:

    Kristi watches CNN, FOX, and Comedy Central. Minor characters refer to BabyGap, Abercrombie and Fitch, Glamour magazine, M&Ms, Russel Crowe.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Plenty of adult drinking -- Kristi's father drinks whiskey when he's troubled. Kristi tries the wine and also takes a swig of tequila from the bottle her mother offers her. Kristi's friend, Mallory, smokes, and Kristi thinks it's kind of cool, although she swears she will never smoke.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Vibes

Parents need to know that the main character, Kristi, is angry, isolated, intentionally cruel, and lies to her mother. There is much swearing and cynicism, some adult and teen drinking and smoking (a mother offers her daughter tequila), as well as crude sexual banter, but nothing much beyond that. On a positive note, Kristi takes responsibility for her misguided behavior and begins to make amends with family and friends. There are two stable boy characters. The material is mature but has several good discussion points.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can discuss body image and how teens come to respect or despise what they look like. The main character in this book believes she is ugly, yet the best-looking boy in school thinks she is beautiful. How do people form such different images of the same thing? Why do you think Kristi thought beautiful people are evil? Families can also discuss taking responsibility for wrongdoing. Kristi ultimately has the courage to see herself honestly and to apologize for the hurt she caused both family and friends. But Kristi's father never really owns up to his part in her pain. What is the role of responsibility; what is the role of forgiveness in this story?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    dancer3442512
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0

    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Buffy_Summers
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

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