Eleanor and Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: 2013, St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN #:  978-1-250-01259-9
Lexile Measure: HL580L
Classification: Fiction

Summary:
Eleanor and Park tells the story of two high-school misfits, Eleanor and Park, who meet and fall in love in the 80s.  

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Language:
Language is strong.  Profanity is not gratuitous but it is frequent, Profanity used includes:

• sh*t
  
• b*stard
  
• b*tch
  
• f*ck
  
• f*cking
  
• *ss
  
• p*ss
  
• p*ssing
  
• d*ck
  
• c*nt
  
• p*ssy
  

Characters also say, “Oh, my God” and its variations.  Although some adults also curse, others (Park’s mother and grandmother) discipline him for cursing. The characters occasionally refer to each other as “retarded,” which may not be an obscenity but is rude nonetheless.

Drug and Alcohol Use:

• Eleanor’s stepfather is an alcoholic.  He drinks all the time, and he frequently gets drunk (and abusive). 
  
• Although Eleanor and Park do not drink, some of their friends do.
  
• The book makes a couple of references to kids smoking.
  

Violence and Crime:

• Park fights another teen who picks on Eleanor.  Both kids suffer minor injuries and are punished accordingly.  See pp. 130-135. 
  
• Eleanor’s stepfather is abusive.   He yells at Eleanor’s mother while Eleanor and her younger siblings cower in their room. Eleanor’s mother displays bruises and other signs of abuse. Once, Eleanor’s mother allowed her stepfather to banish Eleanor from the house for a year, forcing her to stay at a neighbor’s house. See, pp. 48-49, 67, 146-149, 151-155, 197-199.
  
• Eleanor is the subject of ruthless bullying at school.  Other students call her names (“Raghead,” “Bloody Mary,” “Big Read,” “c*nt”), vandalize her gym locker with maxi pads, and steal her clothes and put them in the toilet.  See, pp. 54-55, 88-90, 206, 238-241.
  
• Eleanor’s stepfather writes offensive, sexual messages on her textbooks, and it is apparent, although not explicitly discussed, that he intends to harm her.  When Eleanor realizes what he is doing, she runs away and classmates (including some who had been bullying her all year) help her escape. See, pp. 74, 88, 276-297.
  

Sexual Content:

• Eleanor and Park hold hands, kiss, and (although not explicitly depicted) almost have sex.
• On one occasion when they were going to Park’s room to listen to music, his father told him, “Just don’t get anybody pregnant.” See, for example, pp. 231, 248-255, 269-275.
• Additionally, the book refers to Eleanor’s parents having sex, noting that Eleanor and her siblings knew to hide when they heard the bedsprings. See, p. 27.
  

Other:

• Although Eleanor and Park references racial tension between the students, Park is half-Korean and, although he feels like a misfit, it appears as though the other students accept him. Additionally, Eleanor’s first two friends (other than Park) are two African-American students.  See, for example, pp. 53-56, 140-141.
  
• When he is falling in love with Eleanor, Park remembers how kissing other girls in the past had left him uninspired.  He had wondered if he might be gay.  See, pp. 71-72.
  
• Park decides to wear eyeliner to school and although his mother accepts his decision, his father is angry and does not speak to him for weeks.  See, pp. 218-219.
  
• Because she does not want to cause trouble at home, Eleanor lies to her parents about her relationship with Park.  She tells her parents she is spending time with a girl named Tina instead (p. 119).
  

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Other Helpful Reviews:

• Common Sense Media
  
• Good Reads
  
• New York Times