The Ashwater Experiment
By Cindy Kane,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
A sharp take on junior high relationships.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Pretending she is part of an alien experiment helps Hillary adjust to life in the town of Ashwater, and then she relaxes enough to taste the joys of friendship for the first time. Twelve-year-old Hillary, a loner whose family frequently moves, is realistically and sympathetically presented.
Is It Any Good?
Hillary's way of coping -- creating a fantasy experiment -- allows her to maintain an emotional distance from her own life, and to make some pretty sharp observations of both her parents and peers. She is quickly able to get beyond the stereotypes of the popular girl and the angry outsider to see the complex humanity in each.
Hillary's alien-observation fantasy may be off-putting for some readers, though she clearly abandons the pretense by story's end. When she tells her new friend Cass about it and asks, "Do you think I was crazy?" Cass responds, "No. I think you were lonely"--the perfect response from an understanding friend.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about forging friendships. Why does Hillary create her fantasy experiment? Once she begins to set that aside, how does her life change? She manages to befriend people in different cliques. How do you think she's able to do that?
Book Details
- Author: Amy Goldman Koss
- Genre: Family Life
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Penguin Group
- Publication date: January 1, 1999
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 153
- 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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
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