Carries Diaries by Candace Bushnell

Bushnell, C. (2010). The Carrie Diaries. New York: Balzer and Bray. ISBN: 0061728918.

Plot Summary

  This is a prequel to the Sex and the City phenomenon. This book begins with Carrie Bradshaw as a senior in high school in the 1980's and continues as she moves to New York City to pursue her writing. Carrie has always known what she wanted in life and she was not going to let anyone take that away, until she meets Sebastian Kydd and she falls in love. This causes a rift between Carrie and the most popular girl in school, and we see Carrie struggle with young adulthood, rejection, and professional acceptance. 

Critical Evaluation

  I love love love Sex and the City and I even flew to New York for the premier of the second movie. I was giddy when I saw this book on the shelf at the library were I worked. I was so disappointed. This book almost had nothing to do with the original series and most of the plot was silly and seemed forced. It was a fun read just because I was already a fan, but if someone who knows nothing about the series were to read this book, they would hate it. The only part that I loved and held something to the original series was the introduction of Samantha, even though in the series, we hear a totally different version. 

Readers Annotation

  You think you know all you can about Carrie Bradshaw, little do you know! See where it all began. 

Information about the Author

  Candace Bushnell was born December 1, 1958 in Glastonbury, Connecticut. She attended Rice University and New York University in the 1970's. She became a socialite and part goer who frequented Studio 54. 

  At age 19 she moved to New York City and sold a children's book idea to Simon and Schuster but it was never published. She continued writing and worked as a freelance journalist for different publications and then began working for the New York Observer where she created a column titled, Sex and the City. This column was later turned into a book series, HBO television show, and two feature films. 

  Bushnell was contracted by HarperCollins in 2008 to write books for young adults, the first one being Carrie Diaries. She married a principal ballet dancer and lives in Manhattan. 

Genre

  Fiction

Curriculum Ties

  n/a

Booktalking Ideas

  n/a

Reading Level/Interest Age

  9-12th grade/Young Adult

Challenge Issues

  Underage sex, drug and alcohol use.
   I would offer my library's Collection Development Policy which highlights how challenges and reconsideration's are handled. I would ask the challenger and the professional reviewing it to familiarize themselves with the book.

Reason for Selection

  I was thrilled when I saw this on the shelf at my local library and I had to read it.