YA Fiction: Zitface by Emily Howse

Thirteen-year-old Olivia Hughes thinks she has her life figured out - even though she's only in eighth grade, she's an actress who's just landed a national ad campaign. Olivia's life is going well, even with her parents' recent divorce; the cute new guy at school seems to be noticing her, and she has some great friends. But all of this might change with one little thing: a zit that morphs into a full-blown case of acne and threatens her career, self-esteem, and relationships.

Despite the seemingly trivial nature of the book (come on, all of this drama over acne?!), I found Zitface to be an enjoyable read. Acne isn't the only issue covered in the novel; it's joined by puberty, first dates, middle school gossip, divorce, parent-child relationships, and a bit of bullying. Olivia's voice matches that of your typical thirteen-year-old, and while those of us who are older may underestimate the importance of what eighth-graders consider major drama, this book is perfect for middle school girls who are dealing with many of the issues being covered. To you parents still watching what your daughters read, did I also mention that this is a completely clean read?

My ARC of Zitface was received from the publisher, Marshall Cavendish. It went on sale April 1, 2011.