Carrie
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Tale of telekinetic teen still packs a punch.

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.
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What's the Story?
Everyone in the small Maine town of Chamberlain thinks Carrie White is odd, perhaps even worthy of their contempt. Her mother is a scary and abusive religious fanatic, and the teen has no friends. But Carrie is able to move objects with her mind, and after she's humiliated during gym class, her psychic powers ratchet up a notch or two. When she's invited to the prom by the most popular boy in school, she thinks it might be another joke on her. She and the residents of Chamberlain, however, have no idea what's in store for them on that fateful night.
Is It Any Good?
A modern classic of the supernatural, this slim, straight-ahead thriller has served as a template for countless inferior imitations. It's still the real deal, though: sharply observed, solidly constructed, and suspenseful despite the narrative's sense of inevitability.
Author Stephen King employs (fictional) newspaper reports, court transcripts, and personal memoirs to lend a sense of realism to the outlandish proceedings, and that strategy, in addition to the author's ability to create credible, sympathetic characters, works splendidly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it feels like to be a social outsider. Why are kids sometimes mean to others who are different from them? What is the meaning of the term "scapegoat"?
Why do you think Carrie is considered a horror classic? What other supernatural stories have you read and liked?
What can be done to prevent bullying? How should schools intervene when someone complains that he or she is being bullied?
Book Details
- Author: Stephen King
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Anchor Books
- Publication date: July 26, 1974
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 304
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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