BIG MOUTH & UGLY GIRL by Joyce Carol Oates







Published in 2003 by HarperTempest.

Synopsis:

This book features two high school juniors - Matt Donaghy (Big Mouth) and Ursula Riggs (Ugly Girl.)

Matt Donaghy's a popular guy, but not the most popular guy in school. He's got a reputation as a funny guy and his mouth gets the best of him sometimes. His world gets turned upside down when he makes a joke that is wrongheadedly "misinterpreted" as a serious threat. The police are called and Donaghy is taken into custody and suspended. His name is kept out of the papers, but schools are like small towns - everybody knows all of the details (or thinks they do) soon enough.

Ursula Riggs is a star athlete. Her mom clearly prefers her little sister who is a ballerina and her dad is always away on business. Ursula is big for a girl and feels like she is out of place. She adopts the persona of "Ugly Girl" as a way of coping. "Ugly Girl" is a heartless warrior on the basketball court and acts the same way in the hallways of the school (even though she really does care.)

The author, Joyce Carol Oates
Riggs overheard Donaghy's comments and knows that they were intentionally taken in the wrong way and she ignores everyone's advice and tells the principal that a horrible mistake has been made.

And that is when things change for Big Mouth and Ugly Girl.

My review:

I teach high school and these characters felt pretty real to me. After a slow start with Ursula Riggs, I found myself totally buying into this book. 

I rate this book 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: BIG MOUTH & UGLY GIRL by Joyce Carol Oates.

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