Kate in Waiting

The diverse cast features a range of ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, abilities, and gender identities. There are Jewish, Black, Asian, White, Latino, gay, and transgender characters. A minor character uses a wheelchair, and two main characters briefly discuss levels of social anxiety and how it affects their behavior. Several main characters have deeply felt stereotypes about so-called jocks. Some minor jock characters behave stereotypically, but several other main characters prove the stereotypes to be wrong.

Some brief, imagined violence, like thinking an unpleasant and annoying person "should be punched in the balls."

A few kisses and light making out briefly described. Lots of romantic tension.

"F--k" and countless variations including ones made up for comedic effect like "f--kboy." "D--k" as body part and insult." "Bulls--t," "c--kblocker," "dumbass," "bonered," "a--hole," "Goddammit," "eyegasm," "taintweasel," "boobs," and "butt." Lots of banter with sexual innuendo.

Teens drink beer and unspecified hard alcohol at parties. Slight excess is shown. There are no consequences. The teens are careful about drinking and driving. Adults drink in social situations. Dad sips bourbon at home once. Past rumor that a student was caught snorting Ritalin in class and did not get in trouble for it. Mention that one boy is "really stoned" half the time. A joking reference to Xanax.

Parents need to know that Kate in Waiting is a romantic comedy by popular author Becky Albertalli that has strong elements of friendship and coming of age. For a romance, the sexy stuff is pretty light: there's lots of romantic tension but only a few kisses and light making out briefly described. There's lots of profanity, including "f--k" and countless, sometimes made-up words combined with it like "f--kmonster," other crude made-up words like "taintweasel" and "eyegasm," and "bulls--t," "c--kblocked," and "d--k." The only violence is imagining someone deserves to be "punched in the balls." A few instances of teen drinking at parties and adults drinking socially with no consequences. There's a joking reference to the drug Xanax, and a past rumor about snorting Ritalin. The widely diverse, inclusive cast of characters provides positive models for ranges of skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, and to a smaller extent ability and anxiety differences.