Ellis,Leanne Statland.  THE UGLY ONE.  Illus. by Becca Stadtlander.  New York: Clarion Books, 2013.  243p. ISBN: 978-0-547-64023-5; hb. $16.99.     Gr. 4-7   JUV

I can't say enough about how good this book is.  Although recommended for grades 4-7, this book is written for teens and adults as well.  It applies to similar situations we all have gone in life, just like Micay.  Through this beautiful story, you will learn some of the lifestyle and landscape of the Incan Empire.  Every girl believes they have something physically wrong with them and "The Ugly
One" may help them understand this universal doubt.  The story is reminiscent of "The Rough Faced Girl" by Rafe Martin, where the main character need to pull from her own inner strength rather than rely on good looks. I look forward to more books written by Leanne Statland Ellis in the future, as well as "Tree Huggers" from 2010. 
Mary - Spies Public Library, Menominee, MI