It’s easy to see why Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s Dairy Queen is critically acclaimed. Readers will instantly fall for main character D.J., a fifteen-year old girl with a big heart and lots of spunk. The plot tackles several teenage issues including evolving friendships, high school and strained family relationships, but does so in a way that is both realistic and heartwarming.
Dairy Queen has some surprising twists, and with a stellar cast of secondary characters, makes for an engaging read. I especially loved D.J.’s hilarious voice and frequent laugh out loud lines. Dairy Queen is a great YA novel, as well as the beginning of a series!
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 19 religious exclamations; 9 mild obscenities; 6 religious profanities; 1 derogatory name; 1 anatomical term.
Violence/Gore: None
Sex/Nudity: Mention of a girl’s breasts; a few sexual references; reported sexual activity; brief reference/discussion referring to homosexuality.
Mature Subject Matter:
Underage drinking, homosexuality, family relationships
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Underage characters drink beers.