Friday, January 26, 2024

Pretty Ugly by David Sedaris and Ian Falconer - OPTIONAL

Pretty Ugly
by David Sedaris and Ian Falconer.
PICTURE BOOK. Toon (Astra/Boyds Mill), 2024. $19. 9781663665271 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Anna Van Ogre does all the things good little ogres do. She stomps on flowers, and talks with her mouth full, but her favorite thing to do is make scary faces (which for an ogre are cute faces like a bunny). Her mother hates these faces and warns her to be careful or she might get stuck that way. One day, she makes the scariest face of them all - that of a little human girl - and it gets stuck. Now she's pretty ugly. 

Pretty Ugly is a great concept. Anna lives in a community of ogres and everyone, even the doctor is horrified by her new ugly face. However, her solution is pretty gruesome. I found the final illustrations of Anna rather disturbing - I'm sure they were meant to be funny, but I don't want to share this book with my granddaughter. Take a look before you buy. 

Lisa Librarian

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