Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet graphic novel captures first blush of romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 65 kid reviews
Kids say the book is an engaging and heartwarming story that effectively represents LGBTQ+ themes and offers valuable lessons on friendship and self-acceptance. While it includes mild swearing and touches on serious topics like bullying and self-harm, many readers believe it is appropriate for pre-teens and teens, depending on their maturity level and comfort with such content.
- LGBTQ+ representation
- Friendship lessons
- Mature themes
- Mild language
- Positive messages
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
HEARTSTOPPER: VOLUME 1 is the story of an unlikely high school friendship as it starts to blossom into something more. At the start of a new term, Charlie and Nick are seated together in class. Charlie is openly gay, does well academically, and has a variety of interests. Nick seems like a typical straight jock on the rugby team. As they get to know each other both at school and outside of it, they start to develop feelings beyond friendship for each other that are confusing in different ways. Are their feelings real? Should they act on them?
Is It Any Good?
This sweet romance captures first love, from the thrilling to the awkward, with charm and believability. Teens will relate to Nick and Charlie as Heartstopper: Volume 1 takes them through the ups and downs of first love while they're also trying to figure themselves and their emotions out.
The manga-style drawings create a lively feel and are especially effective at conveying unspoken thoughts and feelings. The cliffhanger ending will have fans ready to jump right into the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strong language in Heartstopper: Volume 1. Is it realistic? Does it matter if it is? How much is too much?
Why is diverse representation important in books, TV, games, and other media? How do we feel when we see people like ourselves? What do we learn from people who are different?
Have you seen the Netflix series based on the books? Have you read any other books in the series? If you have, which do you like best, and why? If you haven't, would you like to now?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Alice Oseman
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Hodder & Stoughton
- Publication date : May 5, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 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