Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
Available At: Air Academy, DCC (HS), Liberty, Rampart
Removed from Liberty approx. Nov 2023
Categories: Cursing, Drug Abuse, LGBTQ+, Racism, Sexual, Violence
Description: Northern Nevada teenagers Cara, Kendra, Sean, and Andre, tell in their own voices of their very different paths toward perfection and how their goals change when tragedy strikes.
YA Label?: No
Notes: This book contains sexual activities including sexual assault; drug and alcohol abuse; profanity and derogatory terms; inflammatory racial commentary; self-harm including anorexia and suicide
Rating: 4
| Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
The above scale indicates whether, in our view, the referenced book violates established and upheld Federal (Miller Test) and State (Colorado Obscenity Test) standards. Books that violate ALL established standards will have a table printed in red. Under Colorado Law, willful distribution of such material is deemed a Class 6 penalty carrying a fine and/or up to 18 months in prison.
Snippets
Page 6 : “I mean, by putting a gun to his chest, he made an overt, if obscene, statement-I will no longer force myself inside your prefab boxes. I’d much rather check out of here than let you decide the rest of my life.”
Page 72: “Rumor had it her stepdad liked her a little too much. She coped with his “bad, bad touch” by binge-and-puking. Bulimia is nasty. Hanging your head in the toilet after every meal? Sticking your fingers down your throat?”
Page 138: “You really should date black girls. Are you ashamed of your race?”
Page 155: “He fumbles at my waistband and I hurry the unbuttoning, desire a steady thrumming, like rain upon tin. Strangely, I’m not afraid. Sean is a hot salt rub, friction against my skin, and it all feels good. Right. I reach for his belt, want to touch what’s below his belly button.”
Page 170: “And not the hottest internet porn. Okay, probably not the best thing for me to be looking at in my spare time, but I figured anything could encourage this piece of dead wood attached to my groin, that would be it. So far, no good. No giant boobs, not girl-on-girl action, not even the vilest three-way romp I’ve ever been not-quite-disgusted to view. The damn thing just lays there, like a bored housewife.”
Additional Snippets Here