What: Gossip Girl Series by Cecily von Zeigesar
Why:
Banned for homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, being unsuited to age group and offensive language.
Thoughts:
This series has been on the most challenged books list since 2006, and often for the same chain of reasoning, as stated above. Yes, this is a mature and somewhat graphic book. It does glamorize drugs (weed) sex (the never ending quest to lose one’s virginity before the age of 18) and friendship, backstabbing and shopping binges.
Is this book realistic? Not in comparison on my high school. Is this book over the top? Comletely. And the funny part, is that these characters doing these controversial things are flawed, clueless and immature. They are not role models, nor are they meant to be role models. The series has since transformed intself into a milder TV show. I wouldn’t recommend this book for teens under the age of 16, because of the mature content, but no matter how outlandish, the issues the teens these book deal with are symbolic of the same issues all teens deal with: peer pressure, friendship, puberty and maturity.
Instead of challenging these books, why not sit down with your child and discuss the issues and consequences and how they could relate to your child.
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You can read my review of the series by following these links:
Gossip Girl here
You Know You Love Me here
All I Want is Everything here
Because I’m Worth It here
I Like It Like That here
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
