Parents' Guide to

The Accidental Cheerleader

By Pam Gelman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Easy read on fitting in not worth cheering about.

The Accidental Cheerleader Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 5+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 7+

is the best !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is such a great book!!!!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
age 2+

This title has:

Too much violence

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (14):

One of the biggest errors in this book is the lack of diversity. Are these kids really any different? And parents, don't be fooled by the easy-to-read text -- there are many passages about dreamy boys, spending money on clothes, and experimenting with makeup that make this book not totally inappropriate for younger readers, but a much better fit for kids facing similar issues, readers 11+.

Book Details

  • Author: Mimi McCoy
  • Genre: Friendship
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
  • Publication date: January 1, 2007
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
  • Number of pages: 176
  • 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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