Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Junior high girls are models of self-esteem.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
On the "coolness" scale, 12-year-old Ginger Foutley (voiced by Melissa Disney) and her best friends Dodie Bishop (Aspen Miller) and Macie Lightfoot (Jackie Harris) teeter toward the nerdy end, making them the victims of some nasty teasing at school. But their constant desire to climb the popularity ladder is offset by their realization that self-acceptance and unconditional friendship matter more than the opinions of their peers. Produced by the creators of the Rugrats media franchise, AS TOLD BY GINGER is a multidimensional look at the life of a preteen girl pulled between being true to herself and succumbing to the demands of popularity.
Is It Any Good?
The three main characters are intelligent, well-adjusted junior high girls who are comfortable with themselves. Ginger is helped along the way by her caring single mom, Lois (Laraine Newman), representing the foundation for Ginger's strong values. Viewers are privy to Ginger's insights through her chats with Dodie and Macie, as well as through the poetry she writes, such as "Someone once told me the grass is much greener on the other side... From where I'm standing, my grass is green." Lessons like that are worth learning, and they're exactly the kind of messages viewers will get from this show -- which makes it a winner for kids ages 7 and up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the pressure to be part of the "in" crowd. How important is it to be accepted among the so-called "cool kids"? What if being cool meant doing or saying things at others' expense? Which group of kids on this show would you rather be friends with? Why? Parents also can talk about Ginger's relationship with Lois. What do you admire about Ginger's mom? What's important in the relationship between parent and child?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 25, 2000
- Cast : Jeannie Elias , Kenny Blank , Melissa Disney
- Network : Nickelodeon
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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