Born Ugly

Gr 9 Up—Shir is the victim of vicious and relentless bullying. Called "dog face," she is voted the ugliest kid in school, and she gets "dog shit" smeared across her face. Her home life is similar. She is at odds with her sister, and her mother-unwilling to carry the burden that is Shir-constantly reminds her that she is just like her father: an ugly drunk. The only enjoyment the 16-year-old gets is chugging beers at Myplace, her alone spot beneath a local walking bridge, and the only time she feels worthwhile is when she's working for Mr. Anderson at Bill's Grocer. But Myplace is soon discovered by a teenager named Finley, and Shir finds out that she is delivering more than groceries for Mr. Anderson. As her relationship with Finley develops into her only real friendship, things escalate for her as Mr. Anderson's delivery driver. Unfortunately, there is little about the protagonist that will interest readers. Shir is floating through life as a broken and uninteresting character until everything snaps into place at the book's climax. Goobie's portrayal of teen alcohol abuse is very real; however, as things are resolved, Shir simply says she will stop and there is mention of AA meetings, but the matter is not dealt with seriously. The slow pacing and lack of dynamic characterization will likely leave this book unfinished by most teens.—Adrienne L. Strock, Maricopa County Library District, AZ