Flat-Out Love

Title: Flat-Out Love
Author: Jessica Parker
Publisher: Skyscape
Number of Pages:  351 (paperback)
Advertised Age Level: New Adult/Ages 15-17

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):  18/22 – college students

Language:  mild profanity
Sex: kissing, discussion of virginity
Drug/Alcohol Use:  drinking at college party, main character gets drunk
Violence: none
Social Issues:  dysfunctional family, death of sibling, childhood trauma, parental negligence
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG-13

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go: Chaos Walking Series Book 1
Author: Patrick Ness
Publisher: Candlewick
Number of Pages:  496 (paperback)
Advertised Age Level: grade 9 and up

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):  13+

Language:  rare profanity, limited use of the “f” word
Sex: none
Drug/Alcohol Use:  none
Violence: extreme violence, fighting, characters are wounded and/or killed
Social Issues:  dystopian world, death of a parent, misogyny, dictatorship, genocide, colonialism, terrorism, torture
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG-13

The 5th Wave

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Number of Pages:  480 (hard cover)
Advertised Age Level: Ages 12 and up

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):  16+

Language:  some profanity
Sex: minimal kissing
Drug/Alcohol Use:  none
Violence: extreme violence, prevalent death as humans are subject to complete genocide
Social Issues:  alien invasion, death of parents, destruction of humanity, plague, dystopian world
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG-13

Carter Finally Gets It

Title: Carter Finally Gets It
Author: Brent Crawford
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Number of Pages:  320 (paperback)
Advertised Age Level: Ages 13-17

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):  14 – 9th grade

Language:  mild profanity, use of the word “bitch” and other name calling, some crude humor
Sex: kissing, making out, light petting, references to having sex, references to masturbation
Drug/Alcohol Use:  characters drink and attend parties
Violence: minor fighting, physical competitiveness in football setting
Social Issues:  going to high school, dating, rumor-spreading, teen drinking
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG-13

Where I Belong

Title:  Where I Belong
Author: Gwendolyn Heasley
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Number of Pages: 291 (paperback)
Advertised Age Level: Ages 13 to 17

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):   15 – sophomore in high school

Language:  no profanity
Sex: kissing, vague references to hooking up
Drug/Alcohol Use:  underage characters get drunk
Violence: none
Social Issues:  entitlement, dealing with recession, parent losing job, moving to a new town
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG

Divergent

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Number of Pages:  576 (paperback)
Advertised Age Level: Young Adult

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):  16+

Language:  no profanity
Sex: kissing
Drug/Alcohol Use:  some characters drink alcohol, characters are injected with a serum that causes hallucinations
Violence: extreme violence, fighting, characters are wounded and/or killed
Social Issues:  government conspiracy, dystopian world, death of a parent
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG-13

What Is This New Adult?

A new category of books has emerged from the abundance of Young Adult titles that has many people confused. New Adult is the term applied to books that feature characters who are no longer in high school but are not considered full adults. Generally, these books cover the college years and follow characters in their late-teens and/or early-twenties, ages 18-25.

Parents should be aware that books labeled New Adult may contain more frequent and more explicit sexual material. Additionally, characters often consume alcohol regardless if they are of legal age. There is a general lack of parental involvement as the characters in New Adult have moved away from home or are in process of becoming independent members of society, separate from the family that raised them.

Generally, New Adult books would be appropriate for older high school students – ages 16+ – and college-aged young adults.

If you would like to read more about the New Adult classification, please check out the entry in Wikipedia. Another good article can be found at USA Today.

Undeclared

Title:  Undeclared
Author: Jen Frederick
Publisher: Pear Tree LLC
Number of Pages: 258 (paperback)
Advertised Age Level: New Adult

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):   Sophomore and older in college

Language:  profanity, use of the “f” word
Sex: yes – sensual (not explicit) descriptions of sex, main character loses virginity
Drug/Alcohol Use:  drinking at a parties, main characters get drunk on multiple occasions
Violence: one main character is a mixed martial arts/fight club fighter, main character served as a Marine in Afghanistan
Social Issues:  underage drinking, losing virginity, first love, PTSD
Suggested Movie Grade:  R

Crash and Burn

Title:  Crash and Burn
Author: Michael Hassan
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Number of Pages: 544
Advertised Age Level: not specified

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):   18 years/graduated high school

Language:  profanity used throughout, use of the “f” word
Sex: main character is promiscuous, contains non-graphic depictions of sexual acts
Drug/Alcohol Use: extensive use of alcohol and marijuana by main character and his friends, use of club drugs and other substances to get high is pervasive
Violence: main character gets into fights, main character has a gun pointed at him, secondary character takes a school hostage with the intention of blowing it up
Social Issues:  dealing with ADHD/ADD, Columbine-like school violence situation, suicide, parental death, drug use, teenage sexuality, parental hypocracy, fame, being a hero
Suggested Movie Grade:  R

This Is What Happy Looks Like

Title:  This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Your Readers
Number of Pages: 404
Advertised Age Level: Ages 13-17

Age and Grade of Main Character(s):   17

Language:  no profanity
Sex: kissing
Drug/Alcohol Use:  none
Violence: main character punches someone
Social Issues:  first love, fame, illegitimacy
Suggested Movie Grade:  PG