Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Beautiful, honest look at the journey from girl to woman.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In CALLING MY NAME, Taja Brown has a family that loves her, friends that care, and eventually a boyfriend who makes her feel something deep. She also has a lot of questions. Questions about religion as she sits in the pews every Sunday, and in her regular life. She also has questions about all the advice from her family, friends, the church, and eventually her boyfriend. Growing up is hard, navigating everyone else's opinions. Who should she listen to? And what about listening to her own heart?
Is It Any Good?
Hauntingly honest and incredibly engaging, this novel has such rhythmic and lyrical prose that even the awful moments have significant beauty. Author Liara Tamani shows the impact of religion, peer pressure, and gender inequality on the decisions and perspective of a young woman in transition, creating a story almost any teen can relate to. Tamani perfectly captures that internal struggle that comes with finding and using your own voice and trusting yourself. While there are depictions of sex, they are not graphic, and parents/educators can use them as a gateway to discussion.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about boys and girls being treated differently when it comes to dating and sex in Calling My Name. Have you noticed this kind of double standard in your life?
How stressed are you about test scores and the college application process? How do you cope with stress?
How do you maintain your boundaries and values with your friends, family, and the people you date?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Greenwillow Books
- Publication date : October 24, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate