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Perfect: Pretty Little Liars #3

(2007, Fiction - Contemporary Fiction, Written by Sara Shepard)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 15.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Mystery overshadowed by mean-girl vibe, shopping.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Expect plenty of meanness, narcissism, and self-indulgence all around. These girls lie, cheat, steal, have sex with teachers, battle with bulimia, shop constantly, and plot against one another. There's also a mysterious character "A" that gets particular delight in torturing the four main characters and exposing secrets.
  • Violence:

    One girl pushes her sister down the steps as she remembers pushing another girl off a rock. A 7th grade girl is found underneath a slab of concrete in her own backyard. Another girl is hit by a car and left for dead. Police rough up a man during an arrest.
  • Sex:

    Students are described as sexy in the 7th grade. A character comes to terms with being a lesbian. A high school student has an affair with her teacher. A character's father has an affair with his own student and leaves his wife for her.
  • Language:

    Some swear words, but not overindulgent.
  • Consumerism:

    Somewhere among all of the name brands -- Gucci, Van, Seven, Chanel, etc. -- there's a story about four girls.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters are shown drinking and smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Perfect: Pretty Little Liars #3

Parents need to know that this third installment in the Pretty Little Liars series stays on the "mean girl clique" gravy train. Sex, lies, murder, betrayal, cattiness, and shopping are recurring themes; teens drink and smoke. One high school student has an affair with her teacher; another is bulimic. The mystery is about the death of a seventh-grade girl found under a slab of concrete in her back yard.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about commercialism. Does material wealth make you happy? Why is there so much emphasis on branding in this book? Does it help or hurt the story? What are the repercussions for behaving the way the characters do? What involvement do the characters' parents have? For more ideas, read our discussion guide.

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See all 7 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    Older kid book

    LOVED it at age 11. It was scary, but realistic ficton is great and I love how they use real brands. GREAT book. little sexual and scary at times...

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

    A Complete page turner! Very Intriguing!

    I read this book in two days! I couldn't stop! You think it's a snotty girl, kind of trashy book, but it was really more of a mystery than anything! The whole second book is a mystery about what had really happened in the first book. It can get kind of confusing, though, so make sure you pay attention to the details!

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    The best book that I have ever read

    This book was intense and interesting. It is rated for 15 year ols or older but I am an advanced reader and I enjoyed it when I was about eleven. There are some sexual parts but there is little to o description. mild language.

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    The best book that I have ever read

    This book was intense and interesting. It is rated for 15 year ols or older but I am an advanced reader and I enjoyed it when I was about eleven. There are some sexual parts but there is little to o description. mild language.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    The best book that I have ever read

    This book was intense and interesting. It is rated for 15 year ols or older but I am an advanced reader and I enjoyed it when I was about eleven. There are some sexual parts but there is little to o description. mild language.

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