The Prettiest

March 2, 2020
Sexism, harassment, and finding one’s identity are the topics addressed in this timely novel. Drama explodes in the eighth grade class when someone posts a list of the 50 prettiest girls. Jewish Eve Hoffman, #1 prettiest, just wants to “slide by, unnoticed,” but she’s suddenly receiving a lot of unwanted attention, including an onslaught of inappropriate texts (“I know you stuff your bra”). Eve’s plus-size best friend, Nessa Flores-Brady, didn’t make the list and is sick of being devalued because of her size and Latinx heritage. And blonde queen-bee Sophie Kane is furious about her number two ranking. While the administration tries to find out who’s behind the rankings, the three girls join forces to launch their own investigation, learning something about each other and themselves. Written using language that middle schoolers will find relatable (“Eve could feel them staring”), Young (Worth a Thousand Words) conveys a timely message about bullying and sexism, digging beneath the surface to show her protagonists’ intelligence, distinct talents, and misguided preconceptions. Ages 8–12. Agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong.