Piglettes by Clementine Beauvais
Pushkin Press, 2017. ISBN 9781782691204
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. This superb YA novel deals with some
pretty gritty issues like bullying (cyber and real life), self
image, identity and family relationships and is one of the most
wickedly funny books you'll read all year.
Mireille, Astrid and Hakima are three girls at the same school and
recently voted as the first three place-winners in a Facebook 'Pig
Pageant' for the ugliest girls by their schoolmates. This event was
initiated by Mireille's erstwhile childhood friend Malo, who is one
of the most odious youths ever. Since they both started high school
Malo has made it his mission in life to humiliate Mireille at every
turn.
While the girls are all pretty crushed by this horrible bullying,
they are not going to let it get the better of them and form a
friendship that will fly them forever. Each has a particular reason
for their proposed plan to cycle to Paris for the huge Bastille Day
celebrations; Mireille, wants to confront her biological father, now
married to the President, Astrid wants to meet her idols Indochine
and Hakima wants to berate the commanding officer about to be awarded
the Legion of Honour for the debacle that resulted in her brother
Kader losing both his legs in battle.
Overcoming the opposition of parents, the girls set off on what must
be the craziest road trip ever with Kader in his super wheel chair
as their chaperone. Along the way they garner the respect and
adulation of thousands via newspapers and social media and in real
life.
Told through Mireille's witty and philosophical voice, the reader is
alongside the girls for the entire trip which is joyful, uplifting
and totally hilarious.
Proving themselves as true Mighty Girls the trio triumph over the
online bullies and even horrid Malo shows some indications of
redemption, especially when the reason for his nastiness is
revealed. Each girl learns valuable lessons about herself
particularly when they finally attain their goals and find that
something has changed about their motivations.
Definitely worthy of its achievement of winning France's biggest
award for YA/teen fiction I highly recommend this to you for your
girls from around 14 years upwards.
Sue Warren