Lullabies for Little CriminalsLullabies for Little Criminals
Score Modern
What it's about
At thirteen, Baby still drags her dolls around in a vinyl suitcase, but knows more than she should about urban cruelties. Motherless, she lives with her father, Jules, who takes better care of his heroin habit than of her. Baby's gift for telling stories and finding beauty helps her survive.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It's a heartbreaking, funny and tender debut.
You'll love it if you liked
The Glass Castle
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Bastard Out of CarolinaGood to know
It deals with drugs, abuse and child prostitution.
By the numbers
- Readers65 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller5 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #109 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #900 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1664 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
If you like this, read next
The Book Thief
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Humans
Hidden Figures
In the Time of the Butterflies
DominicanaExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is Lullabies for Little Criminals worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It ranks #1,664 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lullabies for Little Criminals about?
At thirteen, Baby still drags her dolls around in a vinyl suitcase, but knows more than she should about urban cruelties. Motherless, she lives with her father, Jules, who takes better care of his heroin habit than of her. Baby's gift for telling stories and finding beauty helps her survive.
How long does it take to read Lullabies for Little Criminals?
About 8 hours (330 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Lullabies for Little Criminals?
If you liked it, try The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky or Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison.

















