Such a Pretty Girl

Such a Pretty Girl, by Laura Wiess, is also on the 2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list. It tells the story of Meredith, a brave fifteen-year-old girl who was molested by her father. The court promised her nine years of safety but only gave her three. She had expected her father to stay in prison until she was at least eighteen so that she could feel safe. After his early release from jail, she had to live with her memories of what he did to her and her fear that he might try something again. Her mother had forgiven him, so she had to see him every day. She was also afraid that he might hurt other children in the neighborhood, so she began watching out for the neighbor kids and planning how she could get her Dad put back in prison for good. She discovered that she was much stronger than she thought she was and that she did have the power to stop her father. I enjoyed this story very much, and was struck by the potential for bravery in all of us.