PRETTY FACE
Mary Hogan
HarperTeen
Fiction
ISBN: 9780060841119
224 pages

Sixteen-year-old Hayley dreads hearing the “such a pretty face” compliment. She feels it really isn’t a compliment at all, but rather a reminder that she doesn’t have a perfectly thin body. Not that she needs another reminder. Living in Santa Monica, California, mere blocks from the beach, Hayley sees bikini-clad beauties everywhere. And then there’s her mom, who is obsessed with thinness enough for the both of them and nags her every available moment to exercise and watch her caloric intake. It’s enough to make anyone self-conscious, to pinpoint all worries on weight issues. And it’s enough for a person to seek comfort, even in the foods that promote these issues, hence a vicious circle.

But Hayley tries not to let poundage totally rule her life. Her best friend, Jackie, is always available for fun and IMs. And then there’s the cute guy in her class, Drew. Hayley chats with him, makes him laugh with her quick and off-the-wall sense of humor, and finally gets up the nerve to ask him to hang out on an upcoming Saturday.

Their rendezvous starts out rough and ends up a disaster. Hayley is heartbroken and instantly turns to a large pizza for comfort. But soon after, her parents make an announcement that will change her life. Deciding they are pressuring her too much, they suggest a trip to Italy for a change of scenery. Her mom’s old college roommate now lives there with her family and offers to host Hayley for the summer. Except for missing Jackie, Hayley is psyched to start an adventure, plus a new diet.

Right away, Hayley feels immersed in beauty, culture, history and even food. Her hosts welcome her with open arms, offering family, security, acceptance, her own guest cottage and even the freedom to explore and unearth hidden treasures. The Italian lifestyle differs so vastly from her southern California one, and Hayley finds herself adapting and changing, discovering and defining a new self. All around her, she sees beauty in the landscape, the architecture, the people, the culture, the unending flowers and gardens. Eventually, she even begins to see beauty in herself.

Mary Hogan grew up near southern California and knows what it’s like to be surrounded by what the media considers to be perfect and pretty. She also is aware that there are far more important issues in life than being a size four, and she relays these thoughts magnificently in this charming book. Hayley is hilarious, relatable and completely real, someone with whom readers will connect and bond. The story moves forward from page one, never a dull moment or a dragging paragraph, and the vivid descriptions bring Italy to life. PRETTY FACE is another outstanding accomplishment for Hogan, and fans will be waiting eagerly for more.

    --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND

Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.

© Copyright 1997-2008, Teenreads.com. All rights reserved.

Back to top.