Pretties

December 1, 2005
Gr 9 Up -This sequel to "Uglies" (S & S, 2005) continues to provide a gripping look at a dystopian future, but does not stand on its own. Tally, the protagonist of the first book, has forgotten all that she did as an Ugly and has completely embraced the mindless life of a New Pretty, going to parties, drinking heavily, and thinking of nothing more than the next bit of entertainment. It is not until one of the Uglies from New Smoke comes and delivers a message for her that leads her to two pills, that she begins to remember the real reason she is Pretty: to see if the cure will work. Tally and her new boyfriend, Zane, each take one of the pills and both begin to stay focused for longer periods of time. Then he has a bad reaction to the pill, and Tally has to make a desperate attempt to get him to the only doctors who can help him -the ones outside the city. Westerfeld has built a masterfully complex and vivid civilization. His characters are multidimensional, especially Tally, who wrestles with what she has done in the past and what she will be forced to do in the future. "Uglies" and "Pretties" are both nearly impossible to put down. If you don't have the first one, make sure to purchase them both." -Tasha Saecker, Caestecker Public Library, Green Lake, WI"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2005
Gr. 8-11. In this highly anticipated sequel to the hit " Uglies "2005), Tally Youngblood struggles to retain her mental acuity after undergoing the operation that transformed her into a Pretty. While in the renegade Ugly community, Tally learned that along with cosmetic enhancements, new Pretties are given brain lesions that leave them in a perpetual state of lazy vanity. Tally volunteered to take a drug developed to cure the lesions, but now that she is a Pretty, she has forgotten her promise. A coded message leads her to some pills and a letter that she wrote to herself before her transformation, and after swallowing the cure, she is catapulted into a dangerous new adventure, in which she discovers that the peace and happiness of Pretty society come with a terrible price. Riveting and compulsively readable, this action-packed sequel does not disappoint. Just as good as its predecessor, it will leave fans breathlessly waiting for the trilogy's final volume.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2009
Grades 9-12 One month after her arrival at Pretty Town (called Nueva Belleza), Tally, a former Ugly, is still impressed with her new popularity. But to be admitted to Nueva Bellezas inner circle, she still needs to win the approval of the gorgeous leader, Zane. Constant action in a futuristic, alternate world makes this sequel to 2008's Traicin (Uglies) as compelling as its predecessor. Spanish-speaking adolescents will note that the smooth Spanish rendition appropriately includes the parlance of contemporary teens (pillas, juerguistas, chispeante, genial), which adds zest to Tallys precarious adventures.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2011
Westerfeld's unique dystopian "trilogy plus one" receives a full redesign (in hardcover, no less), from covers to trim size and page design, in an apparent attempt to market the books to a crossover audience.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)