Synopsis: Big Mouth Ugly Girl and Godless

Big Mouth Ugly Girl.  ISBN 978-0-06-447347-7.  Joyce Carol Oates.  2002.  Ages 13-18.  Contemporary Realistic Fiction.  Caucasian youth.  Middle-class. Suburban.


Synopsis-Big Mouth Ugly Girl
Big Mouth Ugly Girl is about two teenagers from the same high school who become friends under demanding circumstances.  Matt Donaghy is accused of threatening to blow up the school and he finds an ally in a strange girl in his class named Ursula Riggs.  They both have alter egos that they use as an excuse for their actions and to hide their emotions; Matt's being "Big Mouth" and Ursula's being "Ugly Girl."  Ursula helps Matt deal with the false accusation, and eventually they both learn how to let go of their alter egos and they help find the real person responsible for the threats.

Students could watch movies and documentaries about Columbine and other school shootings and violence that have taken place.  This book would lead to lots of interesting discussions on violence and threats in school and what students and teachers can do to prevent those situations.  Students could also examine popularity and cliques and how that affects individuals as well as groups, and just the topic of friendships in general.



Godless.  ISBN1-4169-0816-1.  Pete Hautman.  Ages 13-18.  Contemporary Realistic Fiction.  Caucasion youth.  Middle-class.  Suburban.

Synopsis-Godless
Godless is about a teenage boy, Jason Bock, who one day decides to create his own religion that worships the water tower in his town.  He converts four of his friends and classmates to his new religion, however they each have their own motives for being there and their own ideas as to where they see this religion going.  Things turn deadly when they climb the water tower one night and one of them almost falls to his death.  Eventually, Jason has to accept his actions for getting his friends in trouble and endangering their lives, and he must deal with the fallout of where each of them takes their devoutness to this made-up religion.

A fun activity with students would be to have them create their own religion focused on something in their town.  It could lead to questions about religion and what it is and who makes the rules and where do the stories come from. It would also be a good book to examine how we are influenced by our friends and how we may react according to how we think they see us.