Summary: Annemarie Wilcox, or Shug as her family calls her, is beginning to think there's nothing worse than being twelve. She's too tall, too freckled, and way too flat-chested. Shug is sure that there's not one good or amazing thing about her. And now she has to start junior high, where the friends she counts most dear aren't acting so dear anymore -- especially Mark... (Goodreads)
Annemarie Wilcox or Shug as everyone likes to call her is a girl like no other but as all girls do at a certain age doesn't see that. Mark has been her best friend so long that when she sees him one day and sees him differently she is surprised but she sort of welcomes it. The only problem is that he's a boy and doesn't notice her. He doesn't really "see her" like she sees him.
Her sister Celia is so much prettier than her wheras she sees herself as plain. She may seem tough but in reality shes doesn't feel as adequate or see herself as beautiful. Her family life isn't going so great either and hasn't for awhile which is why her sister is never there when she needs her. She is a good sister though. She is there at times and is a better older sibling than some can be. Meanwhile her best friend Elaine seems to be slipping away from her in to the arms of a much cooler group of girls.
I was surprised when I read this story which seemed so sweet and innocent but there was this blast of reality in it too. I didn't see it coming and have never read a book where a mere child has to deal with what her family does. I have read something similar but not something like this that effected a child like Shug as much. Don't worry it's not an intense book. It is still that sweet and innocent book I was expecting.
Another thing that surprised me was how there was some things and moments that were like really? At twelve these girls felt this way or did things that you'd expect from high schoolers. I personally didn't really notice or compare myself to others in middle school. I was oblivious till high school. I hope that today's middle schoolers see themselves in a better light or don't even think about their bodies when they really need to be scraping knees as long as they can.
But that's not all!
I love how she mentioned greek mythology I think only twice. It made me smile. Whenever I read books I think I know I'm supposed to read another book as I'm reading it because it seems to almost always mention something. Maybe a name, place, or subject that was in the previous book I read! I'm sure it happens a lot to people who read frequently. You start noticing it more. It'll probably happen a lot more now so I'll try to restrain myself to not go on a wild tangent like I just did. This book left me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. It was very touching. There are some things that I would have liked to get solved in the story but that is miniscule in comparison to what a great overall book it was. And that always happens. No book is perfect like nobody is perfect. (:
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