Flipped

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
Flipped Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 11+

Honest story about first crushes -- tweens and up.

Wendelin Van Draanen Contemporary Fiction 2006
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 14 reviews

Kids say

age 10+

Based on 85 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that nearly every character, major and minor, adult and child, behaves badly. In some cases they learn better or regret their mistakes; in others (such as the main characters cheating in school) they don't. Because of the romantic subject matter, it will probably appeal mainly to middle schoolers.

Community Reviews

Lauren P.
Lauren P. Adult
January 23, 2023
age 10+

This title has:

Great role models
Diana S.
Diana S. Adult
May 4, 2017
age 10+

Flipped

Juli baker is an incredible girl that Bryce Loski did not take advantage of when she showed up in his moving truck offering help when he was 6 years old. Since then it was love at first sight or at least Juli thought. Bryce moved in 2 weeks before school started knowing it was going to be a rough one with Juli baker adoring everything about him. Juli liked Bryce ever since first grade offering to help and in payment she accidentally held Bryce's hand and it was love at first sight since. Now it is 7th grade and Juli still has a crush on Bryce. But Bryce still did not understand the feelings that Juli had for him. So he kept trying ways to have her leave him alone until he pushes Juli to an extreme level of leaving him alone which worked. After wards Bryce realizes he missed Juli and started having feelings for Juli. One conflict is Bryce struggling against himself. Bryce struggles with himself because one side of him wants to keep having Juli away from him because it took years for her to get away from him and the other side misses her and wants her to come back. One theme in this book is that it is okay to have a point of view but we also have to realize our fault in a side of a story and transform into better people doing it because not only do we get an other point of view letting our opinion rest we also understand what we did wrong. I think this book was a really good book because there is a lot of great messages and great role model such as perseverance when Juli kept trying hard at everything she does including her school grades, Her tree, The assistance of her chickens, her 120% projects, and he feeling for Bryce. I recommend this book because the amount of courage Juli an Bryce showed i this book is a lot especially when Juli stood up to the construction workers from cutting the tree she loves and climbs to the top everyday and Bryce not quitting to regain Juli feeling for him before it is too late.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 14 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In alternating chapters, Bryce and Juli tell the story of their relationship, beginning in second grade when Bryce moves in across the street from Juli. Juli instantly develops a crush on Bryce, who does not reciprocate, and throughout elementary school he tries to avoid her persistent and unwelcome attentions.

In middle school, however, they both begin to notice Bryce's substantial character flaws. Just as Bryce begins to try to change, and to notice Juli's good points, her ardor starts to cool. Meanwhile their families, and their perceptions of their world, also undergo dramatic changes.

Is It Any Good?

This deceptively simple novel about first crushes is a lot like real life -- sometimes too much so. There is hardly a character, major or minor, adult or child, who is really likable, though a few, such as Bryce and his grandfather, drift toward likability by the end. They all mess up, usually repeatedly, and mostly through selfishness and lack of understanding and compassion, just like real people. And most of them change -- and change again.

The alternating narrators device in FLIPPED adds another realistic layer to this multilayered book. Bryce and Juli describe the same events from their points of view, and they do so with surprising honesty. The differences in their versions come not from trying to hide the truth or justify their own behavior, but from genuinely seeing things differently. They both behave badly, Bryce especially, but they're both able to face that and to attempt the always difficult process of conscious change.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the characters' behavior.

  • Why do they do the things they do?

  • Is Bryce really a coward? Is his grandfather fair to him?

  • Also, point of view is very important here. Why do the stories the two characters tell seem so different? Are they lying?

  • Do people really see the same events so differently? Why?

Book Details

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