Shug- Jenny Han

Title: Shug
Author: Han, Jennifer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006
ISBN-13: 9781416909422

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 680 Lexile
Interest Level: 9+

Readers Annotation: My name is Annemarie, but everyone calls me Shug after Shug in The Color Purple. She is beautiful and strong, like I want to be.

Plot:
Shug is a vibrant twelve year old girl who has freckles and is tall for her age. She lives with her mother, who is an alcoholic, father, who travels often, and sister who is extremely popular. As she goes through the seventh grade, the reader sees the different sides of this girl. Her family is not in a good space, and yet Shug finds happiness in the world around her. Mark is a boy she has a crush on but he does not feel the same. There is a new friend who sparks Shug's interest. There is so much to the life of a 12 year old that could be stressful.

Review:
This is a lighthearted and yet deep book about growing up. Things are not bad in Shug's life, but they are not perfect either. This book depicts real life which is why people will enjoy reading it. Shug's mother is beautiful but has a drinking problem. Her father travels often and there is infidelity between the two of them. There are problems with feeling like the ugly sister and feelings of inferiority in the family. The realness of this book could help children who are going through similar struggles.

Similar Materials:

It's Not Summer Without You- Jenny Han
The Secret Life of Girls- Francis Dowell