By Lucinda Dyer , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen detective "unsolves" murder in riveting thriller.
Parents need to know that in Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, 17-year-old Pippa (Pip) Fitz-Amobi has decided on an unexpected senior capstone project: investigating a murder. Teens attend parties where they get drunk and smoke weed, and several characters deal drugs. Several teens are…
Two characters die violently (only one death is described in detail), characters
Sex, Romance & NudityA few kisses are exchanged, teens grope at parties, and underage sex is mentione
Language includes "f--k," "a--hole," "smartass," "s--t," "crap," "slut," "d--k,"
Products & PurchasesCharacters make brief references to Lego bricks and a Ouija board (which they de
Drinking, Drugs & SmokingTeens attend parties where they regularly get drunk, throw up, and pass out. Som
It's never too late to seek justice for someone who's been wrongly accused.
Positive Role ModelsWhen Pip sees a wrong that needs to be righted, she doesn't hesitate to become i
Educational ValuePip's interview with a detective from the missing person's bureau takes readers
Diverse RepresentationsAuthored by White English female writer Holly Jackson, the book follows Pip, a W
Two characters die violently (only one death is described in detail), characters discuss suicide as a potential cause of death, a character drugs someone and attempts murder (described in detail), and the main character learns that a girl was drugged and raped at a party. A teen is catfished into sending a topless photo, and it gets posted on social media. References to verbal and emotional child abuse (e.g., criticizing a daughter's appearance). A teen forcefully grabs a girl's hair and wrist; sexual assault implied. A teen is hospitalized for self-harming (referred to, but not described in detail). A teen self-induces vomiting. Spoiler alert: An adult abducts and keeps a teen in captivity, and commits rape (not described in detail). A family pet drowns.
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A few kisses are exchanged, teens grope at parties, and underage sex is mentioned frequently. A teen sends a topless nude photo—see Violence & Scariness for details.
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Language includes "f--k," "a--hole," "smartass," "s--t," "crap," "slut," "d--k," and "bitch." Several instances of "oh my God" (as an exclamation) and name-calling such as "racist," "degenerate," "rapist," and "perverted ape."
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Characters make brief references to Lego bricks and a Ouija board (which they decide not to play). Social media apps are heavily featured, such as Google, Find my Friends, Instagram, and Facebook. Movie and TV references include Reservoir Dogs, Blair Witch, Harry Potter, and The Crown.
Teens attend parties where they regularly get drunk, throw up, and pass out. Some smoke marijuana and cigarettes. Teens take vodka along on a camping trip. A teen uses a parent's sleeping pills (phenobarbitals); another takes the "morning after" pill. Several teens and adults deal drugs, described as "weed," "Ecstasy," "mephedrone," "ketamine," and "Rohypnol."
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When Pip sees a wrong that needs to be righted, she doesn't hesitate to become involved. While she's fearless and determined, she's also sometimes impetuous and breaks the rules when she thinks it necessary.
Pip's interview with a detective from the missing person's bureau takes readers through the steps police use (determining if the person is at risk, deploying officers, documenting evidence, interviewing friends and family) when searching for someone who's been reported missing. She also learns that 80% of missing people are found in the first 24 hours, only 1% of people who disappear are never found, and only 0.25% of all missing persons cases have a fatal outcome.
Authored by White English female writer Holly Jackson, the book follows Pip, a White girl in a blended family (Black stepdad and stepbrother) who lives in a small town. Supporting characters include a queer older sister and an Indian American teen, Ravi, as well as his family who experience racism in their community and racial profiling by the local police. Two teens with disabilities (a wheelchair user and someone with an intellectual disability) are included, but they're minor characters who fall into stereotypes. Most underrepresented characters are victims, while Pip is heroic, righting wrongs on their behalf.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.Parents need to know that in Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, 17-year-old Pippa (Pip) Fitz-Amobi has decided on an unexpected senior capstone project: investigating a murder. Teens attend parties where they get drunk and smoke weed, and several characters deal drugs. Several teens are drugged, raped, and sexually or physically assaulted (fistful of hair grabbed, punched, kicked). Language includes occasional "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," etc. Social media apps are frequently shown, such as Instagram and Facebook. Supporting characters are diverse, but people of color and disabled characters are often victimized and saved by a White female hero.
