Common Sense Media Review
By Karen Wirsing
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Compelling tale of girl's skin issue; mature sexual content.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
A 16-year-old girl named Sep, who wakes up one morning to find her lips as white as snow. For the first time ever, she puts on lipstick to conceal the imperfection. While Sep has always been somewhat of a wallflower, her new appearance catches the eye of a boy, and not just any boy, but star football player and childhood friend Joshua. Although Sep never had any intentions of romance, the progression of her vitiligo (an incurable skin condition) causes her relationship with Joshua to advance more rapidly than if she were not afflicted. While Sep is unable to control the disease that's taking over her skin, she decides to control her body. Through dance, sexuality, and love, Sep slowly uncovers who she really is beneath the skin.
Is It Any Good?
SKIN is a compelling story about the beauty of transformation and what can happen to a person who views the glass as half full. In this coming-of-age tale, the female heroine displays incalculable courage by choosing not to hide behind makeup and clothes, but rather to embrace the unusual skin she has been given. On her journey, she discovers the importance of true love and romantic love. And while she learns to differentiate between the two, she discovers her true passions and comes to understand that the depth of a person is always what lies beyond the exterior.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it would be like to live with a condition that's aesthetically different from the majority of the population. Do you know anyone with any skin conditions similar to vitiligo?
A lot of coming-of-age stories involve teens learning to accept how they're diffrent from others. What other novels have you read that explore that struggle?
Do you consider Sep a brave heroine? If so, in what ways?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Arts , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Skyscape
- Publication date : August 6, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 341
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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