by Justin Sayre
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Publication Date: July 4, 2017
PRETTY by Justin Sayre discusses the meaning behind true beauty and true friendship. Sophie, the heroine of our story, struggles to balance her life at school as a popular, social girl and her life at home where she hides from her mother's alcohol addiction and abuse. Sophie is constantly being called “pretty”-- whether it's a compliment from a school friend or an insult from her mother-- but she doesn’t understand what the word means. Sophie’s social life becomes harder and harder to maintain. She has trouble interacting with her friends, her secrets increasingly drawing a rift between them. When her aunt comes to take care of her while her mother is away, Sophie begins to learn about her family’s past. Her aunt helps Sophie to express herself and do the things she loves. Sophie also realizes who her true friends are and is able to bridge the gap by opening up to them. With the help of her aunt and eventually her friends, Sophie is able to define herself: not as pretty, but as beautiful.
As a high school student, I read this and found it very enjoyable. Despite it being targeted towards a younger audience, I think it has a valuable message a person of any age can appreciate. The words used are simple and easy to understand but impactful, and the story is interesting and captivating. I recommend this book to kids in middle school but encourage older kids who are interested to enjoy this wonderful story as well.
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