Good-hearted story about popularity's true meaning.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
very little
Some discussion of the stuff popular girls (and their parents) have, like cherry-flavored Chapstick and cell phones.
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
There is some age-appropriate stuff about flirting with boys and crushes. An exchange student writes a poem expressing his feelings for Julie, which the class ends up performing in song. Julie lives with her two dads, but the specifics of the situation are not explored.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
The girls learn that they should worry less about being popular and instead "do what makes you happy" and "hang out with other people who make you happy."
Positive Role Models
a lot
Lydia and Julie are both nice girls who learn from their mistakes. In the end, they even learn that the popular girl they considered the most stuck up is "actually not that bad."
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that there isn't much to worry about in this sweet book. There's a little talk about boys and crushes ("If he's your boyfriend, you have to kiss him," Julie writes to Lydia). There's also some minor discussion about the girls' family structures (Lydia's parents are divorced whereas Julie lives with her two dads). The girls feel bad when they make mistakes, and learn valuable lessons, most importantly that it's better to do the things you love -- with the people that you like -- than it is to be popular.
This is one of our family's favorite book series. Both of my children enjoyed the humor from the situations and the cast of characters. The characters are both funny and unforgettable. It's funny but also has good messages about being yourself and not following others' ideas of popularity. I wish they sold the ladybug pjs in stores. The books acknowledge that divorce is hard, that gay people exist and can be great parents, and that being a pre-teen and teenager is hard. Really, nothing to be offended by.
I agree with what another parent said about this being for older kids, though it is marketed to younger. I think the topics are what we want to keep our children away from: boys, cliches, caring about popularity. These are not things we want our girls to be focusing on--especially at school!
Having said this, I think there are some positive talks you could have with your daughter while reading this. However, the CSM reviewer does not discuss these at all, which is surprising because they are issues that need to be addressed over the ones given such as how creative you think the format is and having opposite interests from your friends. The reviewer could be more intrepid and have parents discuss the fact that one girl has two dads, that one set of parents is divorced and what that means for that girl. The reviewer could suggest talking to our young daughters about boyfriends and what that means and bowing to peer pressure, etc.
What's the Story?
Lydia and Julie are fifth graders who want to be popular. Realizing that "a lot can change between elementary school and junior high," the best friends decide "to observe the girls who are already popular" in their class. By writing down (and illustrating) their observations in a secret notebook, the girls hope that they can soon discover -- and emulate -- the behavior that sets these girls apart. Of course, instead the girls experience a lot of embarrassing moments -- and learn some valuable lessons along the way.
Readers will likely laugh out loud at some of Lydia and Julie's missteps (such as when Lydia decides to take stick fighting lessons to get to know an older boy who is in the class). The cartoon art, handwritten notes, and other fun touches make this a quick but memorable read -- even if most readers will be familiar with the lesson already (i.e. it's better to be around people you like than to be popular).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the book's format, which is put together like a comic book, with cartoon-y drawings and other fun details, like handwritten notes. Is this what initially drew you to the book? Are you more likely to read books like this that try something creative? Can you think of other graphic novels you've read?
This book has a message we've seen before: Two good friends realize that being around people you love is more important than being popular. Can you think of other books or movies that share this message? What is your own definition of popularity?
Julie and Lydia are very different. Julie is shy and artistic whereas Lydia is more outgoing and loves to perform. Can you think of other books about opposite friends? Is this something that happens in real life? Which of these girls do you feel more like?
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.
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.
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
