PulseIt

Review

Common Sense Media says

Friendly social site for fans of young adult novels.
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.

Find out more

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

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this "book social networking site" features a rotating selection of new titles published by Simon & Schuster, which teens ages 14-18 can read online and discuss. (Only teens in this age group are permitted to register on the site.) Visitors must provide a mailing address to sign up, and it may take several days for an account for be approved by the webmaster. In general, users' interactions are friendly and respectful, and the books seem to be age-appropriate. (Two of the current selections include Girl Stays in the Picture by Melissa de la Cruz and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.)

  • Positive messages0
    Messages vary based on which books are available.
  • Violence1
    Some books about witches, demons, and other evil creatures. In one book, the main character's father was murdered.
  • Sex1
    Mild banter like "Biting is sexy" (in reference to vampires); one book deals with purity rings and pressure to have sex.
  • Language2
    Generally, language in posts and blogs is mild, with a few stronger words here and there ("bullcrap," "hoe," "b*tchin").
  • Consumerism1
    Occasionally directs readers to the Simon & Schuster store to purchase a book.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    One book focuses on a character's struggles with drugs and alcohol. Users' comments on the book are very anti-drug.
  • Privacy & safety3
    Visitors must provide a mailing address in order to sign up -- the site says "it will only be used if we need to ship you a prize." Profiles can contain a username and photo. No email addresses or locations are displayed, but there's an "About Me" open text field in each profile.
CloseExpand to see more details

Is it any good?

 

Simon & Schuster's PulseIt began as an offline program that provided teens with free books in exchange for their feedback. Now, this "book social networking site" encourages teens to choose to a book to read online -- two new titles are introduced each month -- and post their reviews. Judging from the overwhelmingly positive ratings, the books seem to be faring well. The browser-based reader isn't very sophisticated, and some users have complained about technical glitches. Visitors may also get frustrated waiting for their accounts to be approved -- it can take several days before they're granted member status. Nevertheless, teens who like to read young-adult fiction will have fun expressing themselves in this friendly, respectful community.

Online interaction: The vast majority of interactions are respectful. However, one user expressed a concern about not being able to block a user who was sending her unwanted messages. There are community guidelines, and users can flag objectionable posts.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about Internet safety with social networking sites. What information is OK to reveal in your profile and posts, and what's off limits? What would you do if another user was bothering or harassing you?

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

This review was written by Susan Yudt

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Susan Yudt
Genre:Social Networking
This review was written by Susan Yudt

Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.

 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.

About our rating system
ON: Content is age-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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

Other sites for bookworms
For kids who love current events
Browse more websites
 

vote now

Will you visit PulseIt?

Absolutely
Maybe
No way

Already visited it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it