Teen Spirit
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Romantic ghost story is light on chills and thrills.
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What's the Story?
Julie's life turns upside down when her loving, supportive grandmother suddenly dies and her mom loses her job. After they're forced to leave their home for a tiny apartment, Julie finds a Ouija board in her new closet and quickly decides to use it to find out what Grandma wanted to tell her right before she died. At her new school, Julie quickly befriends Clark and meets his mysterious twin brother Grant, both also haunted by loss. Julie hopes the three of them can find the answers they're looking for -- so that living and dead alike can be at peace.
Is It Any Good?
Kids will root for likable, sympathetic Julie, though fans of Twilight-style supernatural romances might find less to sink their teeth into. Francesca Lia Block's romantic ghost story TEEN SPIRIT focuses on 17-year-old Julie's grieving process for her grandmother. Broadly telegraphed suspense about who's really the ghost is quickly resolved, and the book's overall atmosphere is more mundane than chilling. However, positive messages about preserving self-esteem and solving your problems with love shine through.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why ghost stories are so popular in movies and books. What about them continues to fascinate us?
Do you believe in ghosts? Why, or why not? Are ghost stories scary even if you don't believe in ghosts?
Do you see any similarities between Teen Spirit and other popular series such as Twilight? What's different about Teen Spirit?
Book Details
- Author: Francesca Lia Block
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, High School, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperTeen
- Publication date: February 4, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 17
- Number of pages: 240
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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.
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