Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates

 High school junior Matt Donaghy is considered an okay guy. He gets good grades, writes for the school paper, is in the Drama Club, and is known for his witty, if immature, humor. Students and teachers seem to like him. But one day he says something that makes a few classmates think he's out to bomb the school. The school principal is notified, the police are called in, and rumors are abuzz. Even his buddies doubt his innocence, and none of the guys come forward in his defense. There is, however, someone else who overheard Matt's statement and understood his mocking intent. School renegade Ursula Riggs, or "Ugly Girl" as she refers to herself, doesn't know Matt very well but reveals what she heard and the context in which it was said -- even though her parents instruct her to mind her own business. But even if Ursula can help Matt clear up this misunderstanding, will life at Rocky River High School ever be the same again?
 (c) Goodreads

• 288 pages
• published in 2003

I had to read this book for school, all English teachers of the 10th grade decided that. Certainly, I was not happy with that because I had hoped to have the chance to recommend a book myself OR at least have a say in what I have to read and analyse. So my approach to this book was not that optimistic.

In the end, the book wasn't so bad though. The beginning was kind of bad, kind of boring and it really put me off. No chance to delay it though, it was homework to read it over Christmas break. Luckily, after the first fifty pages, it definitely got better and I started to really like the book. So if the first few pages put you off, hold on to it! It gets better, I promise.

The book switched between Matt's and Ursula's view in every chapter. I definitely liked Matt's view better because, and I found this strange, Ursula kept referring to herself in third person, either as Ursula Riggs or Ugly Girl. And I somehow find that not normal. It was really strong in the beginning, it really annoyed me and I didn't like her at first.
It got better though, she got more likeable and she seemed like a realistic person which at first, she didn't. And I have to say, this was a realistic view on actual 16-year olds. In many books, a high school student seems an adult and not like a teenager that is trying to find himself/herself.
I also really liked that they slowly became friends and there wasn't a real romantic relationship described in the book. They were friends and became really close friends which then lead to a romantic relationship, shortly mentioned at the end.

All in all this book wasn't as terrible as I thought it to be. The beginning isn't all that great but the rest makes up for it and if I were to rate it, I would give 3.5 stars!