Lately I've seen a few posts out there about how the girls and boys in YA are always really hot/sexy/cute. However, then I suggest you meet Matt and Ursula from "Big Mouth & Ugly Girl". Ursula Riggs is a big girl. Not fat - but tall and big and a little big clumsy but she refuses to give into the cheerleader-world-domination standards. Instead she has created an alter ego: Ugly Girl. Ugly Girl doesn't take any cr-p. She is true to herself and her ideals at all times - being a vegetarian, standing up for people, refusing to give into group pressure. She is a loner but a strong loner and I honestly found her cool!
Ursula/Ugly Girl's sense of justice is awoken when her classmate Matt - a popular, goofy, kind guy that everyone loves - is accused of having made a bomb threat. Suddenly Matt's life is falling apart, his friends are disappearing, his position at school changed but Ugly Girl stands up for him and an unlikely friendship blossoms.
This is a short but really cute book. It is easily read and perfect for teens because it tackles a subject that is really difficult but does it in a clever and very well-written way. This is the book I would give to a 13-year old cousin for Christmas. I love the way Ursula is described, so strong, yet with a range of emotions and things that she is worried about. She is a real person, a great girl with a lot of ideals and thoughts that I found inspiring. Read it if you want some clever YA that deals with the real and difficult things in teen life.
Oh I read this earlier on in hte year and absolutely loved it :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it! I loved it too, i liked that the main characters were normal kids.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't Joyce Carol Oates normally write adult books. I haven't heard of this one, but it sounds fabulous.
ReplyDeleteShe does indeed :-) It is impressive that she can write so well for both audiences.
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