Parents' Guide to

Pulled Under: Sixteenth Summer, Book 2

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Surfer girl fears first-love wipeout in sweet romance.

Book Michelle Dalton Romance 2014
Pulled Under: Sixteenth Summer, Book 2 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Izzy loves spending her summer days surfing and hanging out with her two best friends at the small surf shop where they all work. When cute Ben moves to her island community for the summer, she feels an immediate spark, but the shy girl is "not very good at picking up signs" and isn't sure if he likes her as anything more than a friend. Even after they begin dating, she worries about getting things right: How much should she ask him about his parents' ugly divorce? Or, even bigger: Should she admit that she has fallen in love with him? With the help of her supportive friends and family, she starts to learn to believe in herself -- and to be brave -- lessons that she has to draw on again when she enters a surf contest for the first time.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

PULLED UNDER provides a good primer to surfing -- as well as navigating the rocky waves of a first romance. In addition to learning about what it means to pearl and aerial, readers will really get that Ben cares about Izzy, supporting her in all sorts of ways: He's happy to spend a date night playing charades with her family and even dresses up in a coconut-shell bra and grass skirt to shake her nerves the day of the big surf competition. Her friends are equally awesome, boosting her confidence, giving her advice about surf moves and romance, cheering her successes, and not being afraid to cut loose and perform stupid dance moves in public.

If there's any criticism here, it's that everyone acts a bit too perfectly, and things seem to work out really, really well for Izzy and her friends and family. But readers swept up in Izzy's romance -- and the quaintness of her sweet beach town -- will happily root for this sweet narrator throughout her awesome summer.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about summer romances. Do you think it's worth dating someone who will leave in a few months?

  • What do you think makes a good beach read?

  • Do you think it's possible for long-distance romances to survive? Does technology make it more possible?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate