Tricks
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Did this review miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Want to help us help them? Suggest a diversity update
Suggest an update Tricks
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book is about teen prostitution and features graphic depictions of sex. The teens in this book have sex with men and women, trade sex for money and drugs, and are forced to make pornographic movies, have threesomes, etc. One character is raped in two different instances when her mother sells her to strangers. There is harsh language, drug use, and violence throughout. The author powerfully demonstrates how easily children can be manipulated by adults. All but one of the teens here had a loving home at one point, but still eventually ended up trading sex for a living. The author also points to resources for teens in trouble.
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Tragic Beauty
Open Minded
Gives You the Harsh Reality of Life
What's the story?
Hopkins weaves the lives of five teens who sell themselves for money, security, drugs, and power. Ginger ends up stripping after running away from an abusive mother, while Whitney is manipulated into prostitution by a man who she thinks she loves. Seth is kicked out of the house by his father when he discovers he's gay and ends up being \"kept\" by an older man.
Is it any good?
The characters all seem a bit too archetypical (the gay farm boy, the rich girl who feels unloved by her mother) but because the stories are written in verse, the pages turn quickly. The details are gritty and gripping: Mature readers and Hopkins fans will likely be drawn in, but sensitive readers will find the raw material overwhelming and will likely need some parental guidance.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about prostitution. What are some of the reasons that characters here are driven to prostitution? What would you do to stop this problem?
Some of the material here is very graphic -- from depictions of sex acts to descriptions of drug use. At what point is the material inappropriate for teen readers? Should a book ever be censored?
Ellen Hopkins has written other books in free verse, like Glass and Impulse. Do you think books written this way are easier to read? How about to write?
Book details
- Author: Ellen Hopkins
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date: August 25, 2009
- Number of pages: 640
- Last updated: June 19, 2019
Our editors recommend
For kids who love challenging books
Top advice and articles
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.