Common Sense Media Review
By Amanda Nojadera
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Powerful novel deals with suicide, anxiety, and loneliness.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 46 kid reviews
Kids say this book delivers a powerful message about real-life issues such as mental health, anxiety, and suicide, resonating strongly with teens and young adults. While many appreciate the emotional depth and character perspectives, they also caution about its explicit content, including swearing and mature themes, suggesting parental guidance for younger readers.
- powerful message
- character perspectives
- parental guidance
- emotional depth
- explicit content
- real-life issues
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In DEAR EVAN HANSEN: THE NOVEL, high school senior Evan Hansen suffers from anxiety and knows what it's like to feel invisible and alone. But when a letter he wrote for his therapy session unexpectedly pulls him into the Murphy family's grief over the death by suicide of their son, Connor, Evan finally gets the chance to know what it's like to belong. All he has to do is pretend that he and Connor were best friends. And while Evan knows that lying is wrong, he justifies his actions as helping people beyond his community find connections and cope. As Evan spends more time with the Murphy family, who desperately want to know more about Connor from his "best friend," he realizes how painful it will be once the truth is revealed.
Is It Any Good?
This poignant coming-of-age tale thoughtfully portrays heavy topics including suicide, grief, and mental health issues while powerfully reminding teens that they're never alone. Told mostly from Evan's point of view, with a few key passages taking Connor's perspective after his death, this heartbreaking and timely stage-to-page novelization shows how easily lies spiral out of control -- and how important authentic connections are.
Readers might find themselves frustrated by the lengths to which Evan will go to find acceptance and a sense of belonging: His growing lies end up really hurting some people. But Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel will ultimately help teens understand the importance of honest communication, empathy, kindness, and finding meaningful relationships.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the heavy themes of suicide, anxiety, depression, and loneliness in Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel. How do these issues affect the characters' mental health?
How do you cope with big issues? Who can you turn to? What help is out there?
Who do you consider a role model in the story? What character strengths do they display?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Poppy
- Publication date : October 9, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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