Dress Coded

My daughter really liked this book.

A really great book, and lots of meaningful moments. Also very relatable. This book might help a lot of girls with loving themselves

A great read and discussion for my middle schooler and me.

One of my seventh grade students proposed this book as a read-aloud, and the class as a whole voted it in. They loved it and had some great discussions about the book itself and also the issues it raised. We also were fortunate to have a wonderful Zoom session with Carrie Firestone. Highly recommended!

A friend recommended this book, and my daughter read it (320 pages) in less than 24 hours. We've had so many great conversations about the stories she read about, from the embarrassing situations that arise with puberty to the unfair dress codes that are only enforced for girls, to the black girl who got in trouble for her natural hair. We've talked about "good trouble", speaking up without being disrespectful, and listening to our gut instincts about important issues.This was a perfect fit after a male teacher announced to the class that girls weren't allowed to wear tank tops or shorts because it's "disgusting". The book helped her come to her own conclusions about what's really disgusting.I've read parts of the book and plan to finish it myself. I highly recommend it for any other middle school girl moms out there.

This is a terrific story, told as a sort of collage narrative, weaving podcast into the story. I am a grandmother, and former middle school teacher, and I enjoyed it a lot, although the target audience is grades 6-10. It made me think about interactions I had when I was a teacher, talking with girls about their clothing. Firestone has created interesting characters and a very relatable plot while addressing some of the dilemmas young people face today. Not just dress codes, but also vaping, teasing, friendship issues, inclusion issues, and family drama. At no time does this book preach -- but I believe it will REACH!

Sharp, snappy, fun, engaging, and an emotional rollercoaster! Dress Coded brings a much-needed window into the minefield that is puberty, with all the unfairness that comes with adults judging middle school children for their bodies. This is an invaluable glimpse into body shaming in American schools, and all the weight that school dress codes carry at an already difficult time of life. It's an easy read, and a great starting point for discussing the matter with teens and pre-teens.

This book was astounding. It spoke out about sexism, dumb dress codes, and included a lot of appreciated diversity. There were LGBTQ+ characters, and characters who weren’t afraid to speak their mind. If only this were real life. Overall, this book is a great read, and I definitely recommend it.

I had read a review of this book in The NY Times Book Review section and decided too order it for a young niece. I had it sent directly to her, so I never actually saw it, or read it, but the word from her was that she liked it.