Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
First book in cliquey girls' series shows off bad behavior.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 36 parent reviews
Based on 148 kid reviews
Kids say this book series is a thrilling blend of mystery, romance, and real issues faced by teenagers today. While many readers appreciate its relatable characters and engaging plot, a significant number of reviews warn about its mature themes, including language, sexual content, and substance use, suggesting it's suitable primarily for older teens due to its adult content.
- mature themes
- relatable characters
- engaging plot
- caution advised
- age recommendations
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
This is basically Desperate Housewives for the teen set. The book centers on former friends, each with her own set of issues -- one crushes on a girl, another struggles with her weight/self-esteem, etc. What they share now is a mystery in their past: One night, during the summer before eighth grade, their leader, Allison, disappeared without a trace. They've drifted apart but come back together when they start receiving strange messages from someone named "A" who seems to know all their secrets, past and present.
Is It Any Good?
This is pure guilty pleasure that's hugely popular with teens: The average rating among nearly 100 of Common Sense Media's young readers is 5 out of 5 stars.
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS is the launch of yet another series about pretty, privileged girls who do all sorts of naughty things. This book has a mystery at its heart -- a former friend disappeared one night before the start of eighth grade. Ali's disappearance gives readers something to guess about in between the protagonists' student-teacher sex scandals and bouts of bulimia.
Inspired parents can use this story to get kids thinking about why books about rich, popular female frenemies have struck such a chord with readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of this book -- and the crop of clique series that have appeared on bookstore shelves in recent years. Are these books simply an escape, or do they promote dangerous values?
Do books like this one affect the way girls treat one another -- or themselves?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date : October 1, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 14
- Number of pages : 304
- Last updated : May 24, 2022
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