Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tale of dying teen is full of embarrassing comic moments.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 18 kid reviews
Kids say the book offers a mix of opinions, with some enjoying its unique take on adolescence and humor, while others find it overly inappropriate and lacking in character development. The explicit language and crude jokes are frequently criticized, but there are readers who appreciate its deeper themes and relatable characters, suggesting it may be better suited for a more mature audience.
- coming of age
- character flaws
- inappropriate content
- humor and depth
- mature audience
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
The narrator of ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, Greg Gaines, is a hilariously awkward high school student. He's painfully embarrassed by nearly everything that comes out of his mouth -- even by his own thoughts. The only real friend he has is Earl, a troubled kid whose household is headed by a mom who's mentally checked out and run by Earl's angry, truant brothers. Greg and Earl share a love of movies and filmmaking, and they spend a lot of their time creating remakes/parodies of their favorite films. When Rachel, a girl Greg once had an uncomfortable non-relationship with, becomes sick with leukemia, Greg's mother presses Greg to re-initiate a friendship with her. Greg ends up taking what for him are huge emotional risks to try to cheer Rachel up, especially after Earl decides to let Rachel see their films.
Is It Any Good?
Greg's perpetual state of shame and self-loathing gets a bit old to other characters in the book, and it does a little to readers as well. The tone of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is practically nihilistic, but the novel is full of hilarious moments and believable characters. It's a testament to Jesse Andrews' talent with comedy and character development that a novel in which a teen is dying can be funny so much of the time. Descriptions of Greg and Earl's films are especially entertaining, and in those cases, Greg's self-deprecating M.O. is very effective.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how realistic Jesse Andrews' portrayal of high school life seems. Does it ring true to your experience?
Greg and Earl give what they have, from their own personal talents, to help Rachel. What other sorts of help can a teen give a sick friend?
What kind of friend Greg is to Rachel? He argues that he's not a very good friend; what do you think?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Amulet Books
- Publication date : March 1, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 304
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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