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Little Children
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Little Children
Author: Tom Perrotta

Book Information
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Book Type: Hardcover
Rating:

ISBN-13: 9780312315719 - ISBN-10: 0312315716
Pages: 368


Other Versions of this Book: Paperback, Audio CD

Book Description:
Tom Perrotta's thirty-ish parents of young children are a varied and surprising bunch. There's Todd, the handsome stay-at-home dad dubbed "The Prom King" by the moms of the playground; Sarah, a lapsed feminist with a bisexual past, who seems to have stumbled into a traditional marriage; Richard, Sarah's husband, who has found himself more and more involved with a fantasy life on the internet than with the flesh and blood in his own house; and Mary Ann, who thinks she has it all figured out, down to scheduling a weekly roll in the hay with her husband, every Tuesday at 9pm. They all raise their kids in the kind of sleepy American suburb where nothing ever seems to happen-at least until one eventful summer, when a convicted child molester moves back to town, and two restless parents begin an affair that goes further than either of them could have imagined. Unexpectedly suspenseful, but written with all the fluency and dark humor of Perrotta's previous novels, Little Children exposes the adult dramas unfolding amidst the swingsets and slides of an ordinary American playground.

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Top Member Book Reviews

Jennifer V. (busygram07) wrote on 4/9/2009...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

This book was o.k. IT is About 2 people that are unhappy in their marriage. Who isn't at one time or an other? I would not highly recommend it. It was a book to read. In a few weeks I will probably forget all about it.

Brenda B. wrote on 7/1/2007...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

This book is alternately funny, disturbing, uplifting, and depressing. I spent a lot of the book wondering what I was supposed to think about it.

The plot focuses mostly on Todd and Sarah, married (not to each other) stay-at-home parents in suburbia. They begin an affair after meeting one day at their neighborhood playground. Tom Perrotta has a gift for bringing secondary characters to life, so we also become well-acquainted with Todd and Sarah's spouses, neighborhood friends and enemies, and the child molester who has recently moved to town.

This book was made into an excellent movie in 2006, an adaptation quite faithful to the book.

Stacey A. (starfkr) wrote on 10/2/2008...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Excellent novel! This book was recently selected for my book club and everyone in the group absolutely loved it. Being a person in my early 30's, I related to the issues that many of the characters were dealing with and found myself looking inward and getting analytical. This book tells a great story, gets you to think, enlightens, and entertains. 5 stars!

Joan L. (Yoni) wrote on 8/17/2007...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

I enjoyed this...sometimes funny, sometimes sad, entertaining book about suburbia.

Tamara K. (Daisyduke) wrote on 2/1/2007...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

I really enjoyed this book. It is very entertaining.

Molly B. (vintagereader) wrote on 12/4/2006...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Very readable and funny--typical Perrotta.

Kandis R. wrote on 3/1/2006...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Several thirty-ish parents who frequent the same playground all have different backgrounds, but live their lives in a world where nothing seems to happen. That is, until one fateful summer when a child molester moves into the neighborhood and two parents begin an affair.


Please Rate these Book Reviews

Ricky R. wrote on 11/7/2009...


Tom Perrotta has a rare gift in describing the mundane as sublime. In his world of everyday people, every man (and woman) IS an island, castaways in their own heads and isolated emotionally from those around them. I came to read Little Children after first coming across his newer book The Abstinence Teacher; both are wonderful portrayals of being mid-30 or mid-50 and still needing / craving intimacy despite leading a full and whirlwind life in the modern world.

Megan M. (mmiles) wrote on 10/14/2009...


One of my favorite books. I just didn't want to stop reading it. Everything that was going on. I loved the drama. I hated that the book ended I wanted to read more.

Amy H. (IntrepidOne) wrote on 11/9/2007...


At times it was a struggle to get through this book. I did enjoy the ending though.

Mary B. (eagles) wrote on 6/15/2007...


Good book, would recommend.

Toni B. (Twintoni) wrote on 1/14/2007...


It was very easy to read and enjoy this book.

Stacey F. (groovychick) - CA wrote on 10/5/2006...


Loved it!!

Rose F. (rosereads) wrote on 6/8/2006...


This is a great book -- I loved it!

Tracey C. wrote on 8/21/2005...


Awesome book. I loved the characters.


Book Wiki
Common Title
Series
Original Publication Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
People/Characters
Sarah (Primary Character)
Todd (Primary Character)
Real Places
Fictional Places
Important Events
Awards and Honors