Review: Pretty Ugly

Pretty Ugly
Written by David Sedaris
Illustrated by Ian Falconer

New York: TOON Books, 2024. Picture Book.

Bad manners and nails for dinner are welcome in the von Ogre house. Anna loves making faces for her family, especially "scary" faces like a bunny or a beautiful little girl. Thing soon go wrong though when her mother's warnings come true and Anna is stuck with a cute human face from which there is no cure. Dejected, Anna faces the mockery of all her peers, until she finds her own unconventional solution.

With its healthy dose of dark humor, this take on the old adage that "real beauty is on the inside" will shock and amuse. The muted greens used throughout the illustrations soothe, before a sharp contrast of the neon pink used to illustrate an inside-out Anna. This delightfully disturbing picture book will appeal to readers who enjoy a unique twist and a dose of disgusting.

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