Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gripping story of teen struggling with alcohol addiction.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE GLASS GIRL, high school sophomore Bella is under a lot of pressure. There's school, of course, keeping up her grades, and having to see the guy who dumped her with his new girlfriend every day. She's also grieving the loss of her grandmother, the only person in her life who didn't demand things from her, and the loss of her familiar family life after her parents' recent divorce. She's also everyone's go-to. "Bella will do it" seems to be the world's motto. So she drinks every now and then to relax, forget all the pressure, and feel less like herself and more like a normal person. Everybody does it, so it's no big deal, right? Until it becomes everything to Bella, and almost takes her life. Things change for Bella the moment she enters a behavioral rehabilitation facility, and keep changing throughout her time there. But when it's time to go back to her regular life, will anything else have changed for the better?
Is It Any Good?
This gripping, honest look at a teen's struggle with alcohol and her journey through rehab can be hard to read sometimes, but it's also nicely balanced with hope and humor. Author Kathleen Glasgow's proven talent for creating believable, colorful characters and inspiring empathy for the ones struggling the hardest is in full force with The Glass Girl. Aside from being a compelling look at addiction and rehabilitation, it offers a lot of food for thought and insight into some of the pressures and factors that steer people, especially young women, toward addiction. Some passages, especially from Bella's mind while she's blacking out, are poetic and riveting. She and her story will stay with readers long after the realistic but hopeful ending.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how addiction to alcohol and other substances is portrayed in The Glass Girl. Is it realistic? Does it help you understand and empathize with people who may be struggling with addiction themselves?
What about the strong language? Is it a big deal? Why, or why not?
Excessive alcohol and substance use are strong themes in a lot of books about teens. Why do you think that is? Which ones have you liked the most, or have had the biggest impact on you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Delacorte Press
- Publication date : October 1, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 464
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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