Shug

By Jenny Han

Review by Casey

The opening paragraph grabs the reader’s attention.

·Put reader right into the action

·Make reader imagine the unimaginable (ie. It’s not everyday that a 13 year old girl is accused of murder…)

·Don’t start with “the book I read was…” That’s way too BORING! Hook us into the plot!

Here is a great book for all of the girls in the world that want to know that they aren't alone in how they are feeling. Shug is a story of a young girl named Annemarie who can't seem to find her self. She goes through many things that I and everyone else can relate to heart break jealousy guilt and becoming a woman.

The title and author are worked in naturally

·Don’t say, “My book was The Giver” when you can say, “Jonas, a twelve year old boy and the main character of Lois Lowry’s Newbery Award winning novel The Giver, must make decisions that impact his entire society.”

Annemarie is a 12 year old girl starting Junior high must face what it is like to grow up with fighting parent's a dad who is never home and a mom who doesn’t play the part of a normal mom. She must be strong and deal with her problems on her own.

The overall idea and plot are discussed, without giving away the ending

·Keep it short and sweet, even if it’s a long book

·Just give the reader the gist of the book. Be clear, make sense, don’t give away the ending

One day Annemarie realizes that she has feeling for her best friend (a male) that she had never felt before. She likes him but she doesn't know if he likes her in that way and they are going to start Junior High so will everything be different? Her other best friend Elaine is a beautiful girl who the popular girls seem to like a little better maybe because she is different being the only Asian American in there school or because she is from New York. As the school year goes on everyone seems to have found there match except her. Her mother is an alcoholic and can't seem to keep it together. Her sister Celie is beautiful and Annemarie is always jealous of that.

Describe one exciting incident in detail

·Again, don’t give away the ending

·Be clear enough so that someone who HAS NOT read the book can follow

My favorite part of this book was when she is getting ready to go to a school dance and her sister puts makeup on her and she looks beautiful. And Annemarie knows it she finally sees that she is beautiful. She wears her mom's old dress that is in perfect condition. When she gets there for a second everything is perfect Elaine is with her everyone isn't paired off.

End the review with your opinion and recommendation

·Who might like this type of book? (Sports fans? People that love to laugh? History buffs? Late night readers that like to be freaked out?

·What did you think? Is it worth reading? If it won an award, is it worth the hype?

Every girl in the world should read this book. If you are going through some tough times and want to get away and enjoy a place where you can see that another girl is going through the same thing this is the book for you. Jenny Han is still young and I think that is why she is able to capture the moment and make it real. This is a great book I hope you read it if you don’t you are truly missing out.