Duckling Ugly

Cara DeFido is the very definition of 'ugly'. Her face shatters mirrors and clouds water. All her life, she has had to deal with the cruelty of others who see only who she is on the outside and not the inside. She has never had a friend and questions if even her family truly loves her. Then she meets an old woman who tells her she has a destiny. Could Cara's destiny have anything to do with the beautiful valley she sees in her dreams, a place where the people of that valley accept and like her? This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it to fans of Neal Shusterman's Dark Fusion series.

This is an excellent book for junior high readers. Shusterman shows how the shallowness associated with physical appearance can destroy a young adult, a family, and even a community. For teenages caught up in the whirlwind of cliques and "coolness," this book can be a revelation. This is also an excellent book for literature circles. The text lends itself to self examination, something every teacher (me included) strives to initiate in teenagers.

Cara is ugly. Not just unattractive, but ugly to the point that her face can, and will, break cameras and mirrors. Cara has come to terms with this even if the rest of the town has not. But things are changing. Her social status improves ever so slightly (someone will actually talk to her) and she receives a mysterious message. The message seems to tie into a strange pull she has had to somewhere far away. Cara manages to figure out the messages clues and things really change. Cara finds a hidden Shangra-La-like valley. There, beautiful and peaceful people live simple lives. They want Cara to join them. Usually people her age are not asked to come but another resident knew of her and managed the invitation. No one seems to care about Cara's looks but she is still not completely happy. But when her mysterious benefactor shows her the secret of the valley her life is turned completely around. Cara is beautiful. But while her outward appearance may have changes she is still the same person on the inside. This is most evident in her insistence at sneaking out of the valley to show off her beauty. But petty revenge is also part of her deeper thoughts and it is not long before she feels like an outcast again. The tale of the ugly duckling has been merged with some ancient mythology to create the best story in the Dark Fusion series to date. Following Cara's rise and fall was quite a ride for me. The author does not go along expected paths but forges new ones. I really did not expect the ending (no Lost Horizons here) but it worked and worked well. I really hope there will be more books in this series as they just keep getting better. Check it out.

Neal Shusterman's latest `Dark Fusion' fantasy Duckling Ugly continues his series which takes a classic fairy tale's fantasy and provides a contemporary twist. Cara is ugly - even her own parents can't deny it - and her schoolmates are cruel. When she receives a mysterious note suggesting she's destined for greater things, even the wise woman of the town warns her destiny may be extraordinary. Does it have anything to do with the handsome boy she's been dreaming of? A fine leisure choice.