HarperTeen (http://www.harperteen.com/)

common sense media says

Publisher's site is safe, but some novels are a bit spicy.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this site lets teens browse HarperTeen's young-adult offerings, some of which include iffy content like drug abuse, one-night stands, and vampire violence. The other content on the site (quizzes, podcasts, contests) is pretty tame, and there's no social networking or other privacy-compromising features.

Educational value: The site encourages teen reading, but the books aren't exactly educational.
Positive messages: Messages vary based on the books.
Violence: The Vampire Diaries books contain some graphic scenes of violence, including sexualized violence.
Sex: Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy talks about characters having sex and cheating on their partners.
Language: There's no strong language on the main site, but some of the books contain profanity.
Consumerism: The site links to vendors that sell its books. There are some ads and product-related promotions, such as contests with iPods and Mark cosmetics as prizes.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking, smoking, and drugs come up in books, but some (like Dope Sick) are cautionary tales.
Privacy & safety: Users can provide their name and email address to enter contests or sign up for newsletters.  

More on HarperTeen

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about creativity and self-expression. Why do certain books appeal to us? What kind of stories do your teens have to tell? Discuss the risks and rewards of sharing our writing and talk about giving and receiving constructive criticism.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Fans of The Vampire Diaries and other popular young-adult novels can take quizzes, enter contests, and listen to podcasts featuring their favorite authors on HarperTeen. These interactive features -- and more -- offer a nice complement to the novels, many of which are available for browsing (and purchase). The site has a clean, appealing design, and the information is well organized. Teens don't have a chance to contribute to the site -- there's no social networking or user-created content -- but for parents, that's probably a plus.

Online interaction: No social networking or messages boards.


This review was written by Susan Yudt
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

awsomewebkinzgirl
kid, 12 years old
 
perfect for older kids. but too iffy for tweens.
it's too iffy for tweens. but it's good for 13-yr olds. i mean teens will love this site. the website's books has sex and swearing in them. moms and dads, it's fine to let yuor 13-yr old to use this site.

KateLeubner
teen, 16 years old
 
Would you rather you kid throw away a book in the first couple of chapters or read them online to make sure they want it?
I love this website! It lets me know if I would like the book or not. Your kid knows what they are not suppose to be reading, so why would they read anything bad on here? yeah I understand the issue of letting your kid read about sex, if you are worring about that then, then stand behind them til they get that book to read.

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age