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The “Elle’s Lettres” Readers’ Prize 2004:
“Lipper’s straightforward account of teen mothers struggling to raise their children in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, doesn’t treat these young women as objects of pity or scorn. She reveals their näiveté and the poor choices they’ve made, but also their willingness and determination to take care of their babies despite such obstacles as abusive boyfriends, drug addiction, and low-paying jobs.”

From Seventeen Magazine:
“…a moving portrait of struggling young families trying to make it without much help.”

From Elle girl:
“Joanna Lipper’s collection of excruciatingly real stories …will captivate you.”

From The Washington Post Fall Preview:
"There is nothing like the excitement of cracking open a new book, discovering talent, stumbling onto a fresh idea. It's what keeps us alert, trolling the endless shelves... Growing Up Fast, the story of six teen mothers in a burnt-out rust-belt city (originally the subject of a documentary) reveals much about welfare reform, domestic violence, and the state of public education."

From MSNBC News:
"What makes Lipper's book a page-turner is how intimate and detailed the stories are. Whether it's attributable to an interviewing skill of Lipper's or the openness of the young mothers, they've held little back. Growing Up Fast is a fascinating and deeply personal look into a part of our world that many of us choose not to see."

From Mother Jones:
"....extraordinary reporting... clear, insightful prose.... Growing Up Fast succeeds because of the author's evident respect for her subjects."

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