1. The List by Siobhan Vivian
IT'S A TRADITION THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AS LONG AS ANYONE AT MOUNT WASHINGTON HIGH CAN REMEMBER. NO ONE KNOWS WHO WRITES THE LIST, IF IT'S CREATED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR A GROUP, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE LIST JUST SAYS WHAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS THINKING. AT THE START OF HOMECOMING WEEK, THE LIST GOES UP: ON LOCKERS, TAPPED ON THE WALLS, LITTERING THE CAFETERIA. IT FEATURES A ROW FOR EACH GRADE AND TWO CATEGORIES: PRETTIEST AND UGLIEST.
SOME OF THE GIRLS KNOW IT’S COMING. FOR JENNIFER, BEING NAMED THE UGLIEST SENIOR MEANS SHE'S BEEN ON THE UGLY SIDE OF THE LIST FOR FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS, A SCHOOL RECORD. UGLIEST JUNIOR SARAH ISN'T SURPRISED. SHE DRESSES AND ACTS HOWEVER SHE WANTS, AND HATES THOSE AT THE SCHOOL WHO JUST WANT TO CONFORM AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE LIST. CANDACE, THE SOPHOMORE ON THE UGLY SIDE OF THE LIST, IS CERTAIN THERE'S BEEN A MISTAKE. POPULAR, WELL DRESSED AND OBVIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL, SHE THOUGHT SHE'D LAND ON THE PRETTY SIDE FOR SURE. THE DECISION OF THE LIST MAKER IS EXPLAINED IN A NOTE NEXT TO HER NAME THAT READS “UGLY ON THE INSIDE.” AND DANIELLE, THE FRESHMAN DEEMED UGLIEST WHO NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE LIST, IS COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED. SHE NEVER THOUGHT THAT HER MUSCLY ATHLETIC BUILD MADE HER LOOK UGLY, BUT HER BOYFRIEND'S FRIENDS SEEM TO AGREE WITH THE LIST'S ASSESSMENT, AND HE'S NOT STICKING UP FOR HER.
AT FIRST, THE PRETTY GIRLS SEEM TO BE NOTHING BUT EXCITED BY THE NEWS THAT THEY'VE BEEN JUDGED MOST ATTRACTIVE IN THEIR CLASS, BUT THE ATTENTION BEGINS TO BRING OUT ALL THEIR INSECURITIES. FRESHMAN ABBY IS HAPPY ABOUT THE HONOR, BUT KNOWS EVEN IF SHE'S BEAUTIFUL, SHE'LL NEVER BE SMART LIKE HER SISTER. SOPHOMORE LAUREN STARTS TO GAIN FRIENDS AFTER THE LIST COMES OUT, BUT REALIZES THAT HER OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER WILL NEVER LET HER ENJOY THEM. JUNIOR BRIDGET IS BATTLING AN EATING DISORDER THAT MAKES HER FEEL ANYTHING BUT PRETTY. AND MARGO WATCHES HER DREAMS OF GETTING HOMECOMING QUEEN DEFLATE AS A SIN FROM HER PAST COMES BACK TO HAUNT HER.
"THE LIST DOESN'T HAVE THE HAPPY ENDING SOME READERS MIGHT WANT, BUT IT DOES LEAVE THE CHARACTERS IN PLACES AND MINDSETS THAT RING TRUE. THEIR PAIN IS SO RAW THAT THIS CAN BE A TOUGH BOOK TO GET THROUGH, BUT IT NEVER STOPS SURPRISING YOU AND NEVER SEEMS FAKE OR FORCED."