Book Review - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

On a whim, I bought this book for Small T for Christmas.

How was I to know that it was one she was "dying" to read.  

High Five to me.

She sped through it in a day.  Then asked me to read it.

I read the book yesterday and loved it!

Here is the book review from commonsensemedia.org :

Parents need to know that this coming-of-age classic features a lot of mature material including an abortion, repressed memories of sexual abuse, and men having sex with one another (sometimes anonymously). Characters, including the teen narrator, drink, smoke, and use drugs. Even so, it has become a classic of sorts because of its tender coming-of-age story that's easy to compare to The Catcher in the Rye. Parents who are concerned about the mature material may want to consider reading it along with their kids.

Is it any good?

Teens who love The Catcher in the Rye will find this to be an excellent sequel of sorts. Charlie shares Holden's overwhelming sensitivity -- and struggles with psychological issues -- and readers will find themselves quickly feeling sorry for the protagonist and worrying about him throughout his transformative journey. There's lots of mature content here, from sexual material to Charlie's repressed memories of being abused; parents may want to read along with their teens so they can help them with any questions. Alternately, Simon & Schuster has a reading guide that can help them think through some of the plot points and deeper issues.

**Edited to add.....
The main character in this book, Charlie, is given extra reading by his English teacher throughout the school year.  These books are:
On The Road
Naked Lunch
The Stranger
This Side Of Paradise
Peter Pan
A Separate Peace
To Kill A Mockingbird
The Catcher In The Rye
The Great Gatsby
Hamlet
Walden
The Fountainhead
I have read several of this books over the course of my lifetime, but not all of them.  Small T has stated that she would like to add them to her reading list.  So..."we" will be reading them together.  My next step will be to purchase these books, one at a time, as soon as the new year starts.
I know that most of these books are controversial, but...I'm a controversial type of parent.  I talk with my kids about everything possible because I want them to be prepared for life.  In some ways, I have sheltered them, but since they are subjected to many different things over the course of life, I feel they need to read about things as well as talking about them.  I'm sorry if any of my views hit a bad note with others, but ... that's life as well.