by Justina Chen Headley
Headley, J. (2009). North of Beautiful. New York: Little, Brown.
Terra is a typical high school student, beautiful in every way but one, she has a port wine birthmark on her cheek, which she feels ruins her looks. After several failed removals, she is ready to give up, graduate high school, and get away from home and her abusive father. When Terra meets Jacob, a goth boy with a cleft pallete scar, her mother and her decide to head to China. In China she learns so much about herself, her mother, and life.
Critical evaluation: This is a beautifully written book. The geographical references give it an edge that other books don’t have. I really like the character she creates in both Terra and her mother, you actually feel their pain from the verbal abuse, and you actually love to hate Terra’s father. I also like Jacob’s character. What an eye opening book.
Reader’s annotation: Terra has to conquer not only a birthmark but a verbally abusive father, but will China make things better or just be more of the same pain?
Booktalk ideas: look through magazines for words and pictures that describe the book.
Genre: multicultural, Realistic fiction
Reading level: 14 & up
I chose this book because it looked good and I was not disapointed.
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