My daughter read this book. I was ready to freak out - This book is way too graphic for an 11 year old. I was composing a letter to the middle school librarian who allowed her to check this book out. I was preparing a lecture for Ashley about what is and is not appropriate for a child to read. Then Ashley came to me and started talking about drugs. She started talking about the things that kids say about drugs at school. She told me that she and her best friend had a teary talk about how sad the book was, and how easy it was for the author to fall into the drug lifestyle. They made a vow to always be honest with each other and to always have each others backs. They vowed to speak up if they see the other making bad choices. I'm glad that she read the book. It was such a great starting point for a tough talk.