Sunday, October 28, 2012

Book Blurb #10: The D.U.F.F. (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger


          The D.U.F.F. (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) is a fun and light-hearted story about a teenage girl named, Bianca.  Like most teenage girls, she is a bit self-conscious, and has some issues with boys.  One boy in particular, Wesley, is a total jerk to Bianca, giving her the nickname D.U.F.F., which stands for Designated, Ugly, Fat, Friend.  But despite the friction between these two characters, they develop a relationship with each other and also begin to develop genuine feelings for one another.  It is revealed that both characters are struggling with issues in their home life and turn to one another as a distraction.  With witty comedic banter and awkward teenage interactions, The D.U.F.F. is a relatable story for adolescents. 

          For some reason this book was the book that I was looking forward to reading more than any other. Though I did enjoy the book, I felt like I had got myself all excited and my idea of the book was better than what it actually ended up being.  Regardless, I thought it was a decent story, considering it was the author’s first novel.  Additionally, I could see a lot of teenage girls relating to Bianca’s experiences. 

            I feel that this book would be best for students who are in high school, because there are some inappropriate scenes that deal with sex and alcoholism/abuse.  With that said, it would make a good book for girls to read as part of a unit on friendship and respect.  One of the lessons presented in the book deals with name-calling.  The main character realizes that her name-calling is just as bad as calling someone a D.U.F.F. 

          Students could get together to reflect on issues stemmed from name-calling and/or bullying. 

          Based on what they read in D.U.F.F. and their own personal experiences, students could also write poetry expressing how being bullied felt and ways in which they coped.

          Additionally, students could use this book as a platform to promote anti-bullying initiatives.  


          Here is Kody Keplinger talking about the meaning of D.U.F.F. and her experience as being "the D.U.F.F." in her group of friends.





Thanks for stopping by!

Jamie

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