Book Review: Beige
Rated by 1 member
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to that Katy's parents are recovering drug
addicts and her dad still gets tempted. There is also some
swearing, underage drinking at a teen party, and some heavy
kissing.
Families can talk about addiction and its place in the entertainment industry. Why do so many stars have drinking and drug problems? Do you think it would be hard to be in a glamorous scene without developing a problem? How much impact do you think wild celebs have on the teens that look up to them? Do they have a responsibility to be better role models?
Common Sense Media Review
Readers will appreciate the unusual backdrop here: An L.A.
punk scene that includes dirty apartments and clubs, energetic
music, a burlesque dancer -- and a recovering drug addict dad
known as The Rat. Indeed Katy's new world seems very real, and
readers will immediately understand why the good girl feels out
of place there.
The author has also created wonderful, offbeat characters who are easy to like. And its easy to sympathize with Katy, who misses her mother -- and their Canadian life -- terribly. She may initially be a bit "beige" (she doesn't even connect with music), but she is also truly kind to everyone she meets, even a misfit boy who worships her dad's music.
The plot follows a pretty predictable path. No one will be surprised when Katy and her dad start to build a relationship (or when Katy and Lake -- the teen punk rock singer who's behind her Beige nickname -- finally bond). A final scene in which Katy sings backup for Lake seems a bit unbelievable, but it helps drive home the book's point: Everyone needs to find her own voice.
In the end, there is enough compelling material about the price of addiction -- and the importance of being yourself -- to make this a worthwhile read.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
