Big Mouth & Ugly Girl

Reader reviewed by Lenore

Big Mouth and Ugly Girl is a foray into teen fiction by prolific adult writer Joyce Carol Oates. Big Mouth is Matt who is accused of threatening to blow up his high school. Ugly girl is Ursula, a loner and star of the girls basketball team who doesnt feel at home in her skin. Even though she barely knows Matt, she steps in to defend him when everyone else is against him and they form a genuine and affecting friendship.

The novel explores the hot topic of school shootings, though there is not an actual shooting, just the supposed threat of one. And it also explores the whole culture of suspicion and paranoia and how tough people have it when they are accused of crimes even though they are innocent (and in our justice system supposedly innocent until proven guilty). Though all this may sound like pretty heavy reading, the focus is really on Ursulas and Matts characters, their personal and family struggles as well as their growing friendship.

Though not as high concept as most of the books I read, I very much enjoy the authors writing style, character development and storytelling abilities. Despite the heavy themes, it is a quick, satisfying read.

Reprinted here with the author's permission

Reader reviewed by sara

There is a guy named matt donaghy and he has a big mouth.he always has and it never seems to get him in troube until one day.he is accused of wanting to blow up rocky river high school.there is only one person who knows matt is innocent but she is an ugly girl who is able to scare people with her piercing glare.

Reader reviewed by Lauren

Matt Donaghy has always been a big mouth but it's never gotten him in trouble. Until one day during class two detectives take him in for questioning. He has been accused of threatening to blow up Rocky River High School.

Ursula Riggs has always been an ugly girl. She was pretty much a loner, who could scare anyone with her piercing eyes.

Ursula knows that Matt is innocent and is the only one who can help him.

Reader reviewed by Kristen Danielle

This book was so awesome. I was litereally reading it all day (and it's fairly hard to have a book get that much of my attention...) It made me sad, then happy, then sad and happy again, but it was great, and i would tell everyone whose ever known or thought they were a Big Mouth, or Ugly Girl to read this, it's great.

~ Kristen Danielle