Such A Pretty Face by (Various Authors) | Rating: ★★★★☆

"What’s a frickin’ enormous chin hair between friends?"

When I was in my early teens, I needed a book like this.

By the time I purchased it, however, I was nearing the end of my high school career. But even so… there’s something about each short story featured in Such a Pretty Face that touches my heart and makes me smile. It certainly made me feel like less of an idiot, and it made the memories of my early teenage days bug me less and less.

(Even the introduction lends a hand at creating a sweet atmosphere for the stories that follow.)

Inside this novel, is a collection of short stories meant to inspire you to embrace all forms of beauty, by varied authors you may already know: Lauren Myracle, Mary Ann Rodman, Chris Lynch, Louise Hawes, Jacqueline Woodson, Norma Fox Mazer, Tim Wynne-Jones, Jamie Pittel, J. James Keels, Ron Koertge, Ellen Wittlinger and Anita Riggio. If you don’t know some of them at the start, you will remember them by the tales they tell within.


Lauren Myracle’s “Bad Hair Day” is a comedic standout for me. We meet a young girl who seems to find a rather large obstacle standing in her way of feeling beautiful in time for Homecoming. But this isn’t any ordinary hair day, readers. It’s a real kicker what follows, and though the stories featured in this novel may not be your cup of tea at all times — this one is bound to make you laugh out loud!

Another standout was the story in which we find the collections title. Ron Koertge brings our minds to “Such a Pretty Face” where we meet the character Melissa. Her tale is told in such a simple way, but Koertge’s writing style is something that is very appealing. And the ending has a particularly satisfying endnote.

You know, it’s honestly so difficult to pick a favorite short story from this lovely book. And it’s with even more difficulty when writing a review that doesn’t spoil each of these enjoyable stories.

If you’re having a bad day and could use a simple read, this book is for you. Each author has a different way of portraying certain worlds to us, and that’s what makes each story unique and worth the read. Though the message throughout each page is similar, the stories each hold something special.