Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poverty, being unhoused explored in hopeful tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In PARKED, by debut novelist Danielle Svetcov, 12-year-old Jeanne Ann's mom tells her that they are moving from their home in Chicago to San Francisco. The pair of them are to travel across the country in an orange van that they've named The Carrot. There are shelves for books in the van, pans hanging from a rack, sleeping bags, and, when they get to San Francisco, a view of the Bay. But camping in the van loses its allure after a week, and Jeanne Ann's mom is having a really hard time finding work. A 12-year-old boy named Cal, who lives in a house nearby the van, takes an interest in Jeanne Ann and tries to help her. Life becomes more complicated as the days tick by, and Jeanne Ann realizes that her mom's inability to provide for them has them hanging by a thread. If she can accept the help of her new community, she just might get to have the things that she wants in life, like access to books, enrollment in school, an actual address, and maybe a good friend.
Is It Any Good?
This relatable and beautifully told story of struggle and friendship looks at poverty in America, while maintaining a feeling of hope. Romanticizing or criticizing the burden that Jeanne Ann and her mom face would cut into the momentum of the story, but it stays real, and at the same time, age-appropriate. Parked explores the sacrifice people make to realize their American dreams.
Parked is told in two voices: Jeanne Ann's and a boy named Cal, who watch each other from across the street. Cal lives in an ultra modern luxury home, whereas Jeanne Ann lives in a van. He's sensitive; she's tough. He wants to help; she refuses his charity. Kids will like the dance and tension between characters, and they will relate to Jeanne Ann's ability to survive on peanut butter and pretzels. But they will also root for Cal, whose awkward efforts to help really do come from the heart in this optimistic tale of survival in the big city.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how hbeing unhoused and privilege are portrayed in Parked. What does having money mean to Cal and his mom? What does it means to Jeanne Ann and her mom?
Neither Jeanne Ann or Cal use devices of any kind. Is that believable for kids their age in a digital capital like San Francisco? Did their lack of devices make the book seem any less realistic, or do some kids simply not use devices?
Jeanne Ann refuses Cal's help throughout the book. What does it say about her frame of mind? Can you think of movies or shows where people in need accept or refuse help?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Activism , Cooking , Book Characters , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Dial Books
- Publication date : February 4, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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