Martie answers “I'm a public school librarian on a 9th and...”

A Goodreads user asked this question about Greenlights:

I'm a public school librarian on a 9th and 10th grade campus (ages 14-16)...in Texas...and I'm getting lots of requests for this book. Is there anything that stands out that would make it objectionable for that audience? Note: some foul language would not necessarily exclude it, but it would if it were too much or just done for shock value (the reviews don't seem to mention any overly salacious content).

Martie I would NOT suggest this book as automatically OK for anyone under 18. If your kid is going to read this, be aware there is foul language, there are q…moreI would NOT suggest this book as automatically OK for anyone under 18. If your kid is going to read this, be aware there is foul language, there are questionable activities, domestic violence, sexual references etc that I feel, might get a lot of push back from some parents. The idea is presented that you can do “bad” things, but it’s only bad if you get caught. I think this is definitely a book that if a teen is going to read it, then there needs to be adult discussion and debriefing along with it - regarding ones moral compass. While most kids today already know about what goes on in this book, I’m not sure this is the role model you want them to follow, if the kid were so inclined. Plus, I’ll just say, if he were a person of color, the ending would not be pretty - he’d be in prison. Yes, he got by with doing things because his skin color allowed it. (less)

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