Parents' Guide to

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Realistic portrayal of sisterly love keeps story afloat.

Book Lauren Myracle Coming of Age 2009
Peace, Love and Baby Ducks Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

MFerrent
MFerrent Parent of 7 and 10-year-old
April 3, 2011
age 12+
I gave this book a 3/5 stars because it was talking to much about drugs and was kind of not appropriate because my daughter read it and she was showing me stuff i was hoping her not to for a 10 year old.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Carly thrives on being an individual -- and protecting her younger sister. But when pretty Anna joins her at her exclusive private high school, they begin drifting apart. Carly even finds herself feeling jealous about her sister's looks -- including her developing body, which attracts a lot of attention.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (19):

The relationship at the center of this book is well-drawn. Readers will easily relate to Carly, who wants to support and protect her little sister -- but is still jealous of the attention she gets (from their parents, her friends, and later from her crush).

The symbolism can be a bit over-the-top at times (consider the accidental drowning death of the misfit baby duckling the girls adopt, for example). In the end, however, the realistically flawed main characters -- and their struggle to love one another -- will win readers over.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the comments Carly's mother makes about Anna's changing body. Carly stands up for her sister when her mother hints that she is fat, but her mother continues to make comments. Do you think a lot of teens feel body image pressure from their parents?

  • Why is that?

  • How can we work to change that?

Book Details

  • Author: Lauren Myracle
  • Genre: Coming of Age
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publication date: May 14, 2009
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
  • Number of pages: 192
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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