ParentsPick

Muted — Content Guide for Parents

By Tami CharlesScholastic Inc.2021-02-02ISBN 9781338673531400 pages
Muted

Themes present

Violence
Racial/cultural content
Sexual identity
Gender roles
LGBTQ+ themes

Not found

Scary contentReligious themesProfanityClimate change

Content themes

Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.

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Religious themes

PRESENT

Contains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.

About this book

A ripped-from-the-headlines novel of ambition, music, and innocence lost, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Jason Reynolds!

Be bold. Get seen. Be Heard.For seventeen-year-old Denver, music is everything. Writing, performing, and her ultimate goal: escaping her very small, very white hometown.So Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean "Mercury" Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights -- plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it.Until they're not.Denver begins to realize that she's trapped in Merc's world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken.Inspired by true events, Muted is a fearless exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl's dreams can be used against her -- and what it takes to fight back.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is Muted appropriate for a 7-year-old?

    The book addresses serious themes of abuse, including physical and mental abuse from a male figure towards young girls, as well as sexual assault and manipulation within the entertainment industry. No content deemed scary or frightening detected in the narrative of the book.

  • Does Muted have violence?

    The book addresses serious themes of abuse, including physical and mental abuse from a male figure towards young girls, as well as sexual assault and manipulation within the entertainment industry.

  • Does Muted have scary content?

    No content deemed scary or frightening detected in the narrative of the book.

  • Does Muted have religious themes?

    No religious content detected in the narrative of the book.

  • Does Muted have racial/cultural content?

    The book centers on Black and Brown girls, exploring themes of exploitation and vulnerability in the entertainment industry, particularly in relation to their racial identity.

  • Does Muted have profanity?

    No profanity detected in the narrative of the book.

  • Does Muted have climate change?

    No climate-related themes detected in the narrative of the book.

  • Does Muted have sexual identity?

    The narrative includes content warnings for sexual assault and emotional abuse, highlighting the exploitation of young girls in the music industry.

  • Does Muted have gender roles?

    The narrative critiques the power dynamics in the entertainment industry that lead to the exploitation of young girls, particularly focusing on the challenges faced by female artists.

  • Does Muted have lgbtq+ themes?

    The book features a character named Denver who is identified as a lesbian. This aspect of her identity is acknowledged within the narrative, indicating a normalization of LGBTQ+ themes.