Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

September Girls

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Lyrical coming-of-age tale undercut by iffy gender messages.

Book Bennett Madison Coming of Age 2013
September Girls Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

letticepalmer
letticepalmer Parent of 5 and 8-year-old
September 27, 2017
age 15+

It upends a lot of romantic tropes

There is a small group of people who have vocally lambasted this book for being "sexist." There is another group of people who find it an amazingly thoughtful critique of the ways that men and women can feel trapped in particular roles and identities. I am in the latter camp. The set up of the book feels like the beginning of an erotic story meant for teenage boys. It very realistically depicts the way some boys talk about and think about girls. The book does NOT indicate that these people are correct to speak about women in this way. In fact, there are frequently indications from the narrator that he is bothered by thinking of women in sexist ways. The Girls of the book are depicted in very stereotypical ways for a very particular reason that becomes clear as the book progresses. The depiction of the girls ends up being a fantastic critique of the messages that mass media and consumer culture send to women, but it seems like some readers don't pick up on that aspect of it, and maybe it is true that younger readers who are not good at picking up on irony and the concept of an unreliable narrator might take too much of the book literally. I am a 40+ year old reader, and strangely enough, I felt like I was the best audience for this book. The book is ultimately a tale about the life changing moments we pass through in life and that is a theme that the average teenager doesn't quite get. I think this story might resonate most with someone who has just come home from a summer camp, or graduated from High School or College. The book very realistically depicts A LOT of talk about sex, drinking, and drug use. I do not consider it too much, it is just a realistic amount for the group of people that the book is depicting. Ultimately, I think it is a mistake to consider this a Young Adult book.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Sam's father suddenly decides to take him and his brother Jeff to the beach for the summer. In the preceding year, Sam's mother just leaves the family without giving a reason, so Sam is glad to get away for a while. He immediately notices something strange about the young women in all the service jobs in town, who seem inexplicably attracted to him instead of his older, more outgoing, and confident brother. Eventually Sam and Jeff get to know two of the Girls, as they're referred to, and Sam finds himself falling for one, DeeDee. Where she came from, where she's going, and what she needs to become a free and fully realized person provide the framework for Sam's journey into manhood.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

SEPTEMBER GIRLS is beautifully written. Author Bennett Madison is a formidable talent. But the merits of his lyrical language as it matches the rhythm of the sea are dishearteningly undercut by a fairly sexist attitude toward women, bringing to mind Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Older teens should be able to evaluate these issues and come to their own conclusions, but less sexually mature teens might need help with the advanced themes.

Sam's early, immature, sexist attitudes are unfortunately accepted and presented as the norm. This coupled with frequent, pervasive descriptions of women as sexual objects, sirens, and analogous to a school of fish undercut Sam's sexual and intellectual transformation into a thoughtful, caring adult. The climax is somewhat glossed over, diminishing its impact; maybe that's why some of the negatives are what stay with you instead of the positives.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about attraction. Do you think about people you're attracted to in the same way Sam does, especially at the beginning of September Girls? Looking at it from the other side, how does the idea of someone seeing you like that make you feel?

  • Why does the narration shift back and forth between italics? Would it be confusing if all the text was printed the same way?

  • How do you think the fantasy element works with the very real-world coming-of-age story?

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