Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

The Carrie Diaries

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sex and the City prequel is OK for mature teens.

Book Candace Bushnell Coming of Age 2010
The Carrie Diaries Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

bailee-
bailee- Parent of 13-year-old
September 12, 2010
age 13+
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Carrie Bradshaw was once a virginal high school senior, living in New Jersey and trying to figure out how to navigate high school romance and friendships -- and dreaming of a writer's life in New York City. Even then, she burned pretty bright: She has a spark that lands her singing on stage with one of her favorite bands and a fashion sensibility that helps her transform her mother's ruined handbag into a fashion statement with a little hot pink nail polish. She even gets the whole school buzzing by writing a series of provoking articles under the name Pinky Weatherton. But she has her share of problems too -- most importantly, she suspects one of her best friends is cheating on her with her boyfriend. That and the school's queen bee is out to sting her.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (13 ):

Bushnell certainly packs this book full of plot points: Carrie discovers a friend is gay, that another may be pregnant, and that one of her best friends is cheating with her boyfriend. Her mother's death has caused them all pain, and one of her sisters is becoming a criminal. To top it off, she has angered the most popular girl at school (and is causing more controversy with articles she is writing about cliques and popularity for the school paper). It's a lot, but mostly well done. The only major device that simply doesn't work here is Carrie's boyfriend Sebastian. Readers may understand the initial sparks, but he is so controlling and smarmy that it's hard to understand Carrie's burning desire.

But considering that teen girls -- and their mothers -- would have picked up this book even if it was just a list of Carrie's favorite high school outfits and '80s cassette tapes, this book has remarkable substance. Readers will not only find it believable that lively high school Carrie will grow up to be the funny, stylish city-dwelling sex columnist we know so well, they will also be left thinking about all kinds of important questions, such as what should you expect a high school boyfriend to act like? Or what does it mean to be feminist in today's society? These are the types of questions that often framed episodes of the popular TV show and kept fans debating between episodes. Ideally, this book will get parents and teens chatting in much the same way.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about who is this book for -- both teen readers and their mothers, who might be fans of the Sex in the City TV show? If you were the author, how would write it to make sure that both audiences want to read it?

  • Carrie discusses the death of her mother, whom she calls a feminist, even though she was a mother and always very ladylike. How has the definition -- and public perception -- of feminism changed over the years?

  • Carrie admits to acting dumb around her boyfriend. What are some ways that your friends act when they are dating someone that surprise you?

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