Uglies ~ Scott Westerfeld
Had to get a little creative with our picture this week because my photographer is on a weekend 🏌🏼‍♂️trip! We just couldn’t wait to tell you about Uglies, by Scott Westerfield. It’s a bit of an oldie, but definitely a goodie. If you love dystopian lit like we do, this novel is absolutely going to be a favorite. Set in the future, protagonist, Tally, lives in a society where every citizen undergoes serious plastic surgery once they turn sixteen to transform from an “ugly” to a “pretty.” From the outside, being a “pretty” looks perfect. Your life becomes fabulous, beautiful, and super high-tech. Tally can’t wait to turn pretty like all her friends who are several months older than her. But one day, just before her sixteenth birthday. Tally’s new friend Shay convinces her to consider what life would be like outside of the city, a place where “pretty” and “ugly” don’t even exist. In a twisted turn of events, Tally is forced to choose between protecting Shay and losing her chance to be pretty forever. But once Tally realized the true cost of turning pretty, she is left with a very dangerous choice that goes against everything she’s ever known. I promise that you will not be able to put this novel down, and neither will your students. Best of all, it’s part of a series! This novel is a favorite in my classroom, particularly because it deals with such a prevalent issue right now--body image. The novel asks readers to consider- what is beauty? Featuring strong female characters, this novel is a must-add to your library. Happy Reading!
Maturity: 2/4The majority of this novel is appropriate for all ages. However, there is some violence and some romance (mostly just kissing), and reference to people in this society who "cut" (particularly in books later in the series). Be cautious when recommending this novel to students who struggle with body image.
Pages: 425
Lexile: 770L
Lexile is a score that helps educators and parents match students with an appropriate text. A Lexile score is a measure of both a child’s reading ability and a text difficulty. However, Lexile does not take into account the content of a novel. So, pairing readers with a text is a complex process, and knowledge of a novel’s themes and plot is necessary to make a high-quality recommendation.If you are curious about the grade-level equivalent to Lexile scores, check out the conversion chart here!
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