Juno

Reitman, J. (2008). Juno. DVD, 20th Century Fox.
ASIN: B000YABYLA

Classification: movie, fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Age Level: 11th-12th grade

Subjects: family, identity, love story, pregnancy, adoption

Viewer's Annotation: Juno is pregnant and decides to give her baby to a couple she picks out of the Pennysaver.

Summary: Juno gets pregnant after having sex with her best friend Paulie. At first she thinks she will get an abortion, but she can't bring herself to do it. So, with the help of a girlfriend, she finds a couple in the Pennysaver who are looking to adopt a baby. This is ultimately more a story about relationships than it is about teen pregnancy. Juno's relationship with her parents, with Paulie, with the couple who will adopt her baby all take on new shape as she goes through her pregnancy.

Reviews / Awards:

Common Sense Media Review

Author Info:
IMDB page

Potential Hotspots:

drinking, sex, teenage pregnancy

Watchalikes:

• Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
  
• Waitress
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This film received a great deal of acclaim and teens will likely end up watching it, though they may or may not have been the original intended audience. While certainly the content might not be appropriate for some families, many will warm to Juno's style of decision making and her attitude about turning an unplanned pregnancy into a good thing for another family.

Other:

Plenty of well known actors in this movie will draw viewers in, not to mention a quirky soundtrack.

Evaluation:

5 stars