Loukko by 
Original title: Rumuuspäiväkirja
Author: Mari Kujanpää
Published: 2023
Publisher: Otava
Genre: Young Adult (13 or 14+)
Pages: 160
A contemporary and touching YA novel about the courage to be yourself and finding your own people.
- Mari Kujanpää won the Finlandia Prize in 2009
- Deals with body image, bullying and the pressure on teenagers to always be Instagram-ready
"Everyone else has a purpose, and they always walk without looking at their surroundings. Someone’s waiting for them somewhere. I'm not going anywhere and I'm not expected anywhere. Yet my feet are moving me somewhere".
Age 14, shoe size 42, height 175 centimetres, cup size AA and a hideously ugly face, that's how Malva is defined. She knows she is ugly, and the other pupils remind her of it daily with words and looks. Malva escapes to art and nature. Then along comes Runo, who is passionate about the same things.
My Ugly Diary is a delicate story about how a bullied girl hating her own reflection slowly recovers from the anxiety of her looks. Everyone who has been insecure about their looks can relate to Malva’s experiences.
Finlandia award-winner Mari Kujanpää writes directly and sympathetically about subjects that touch young readers.
“MY UGLY DIARY breaks the well-tested mold of YA novels and doesn’t portray psychological violence as simple bullying or hidden infatuation. [The novel] does not attempt to turn embarrassing and hurtful situations into jokes or belittle them by exaggerating. [---] However, MY UGLY DIARY does not become wrapped up in misery, but turns into an empowering book. [---] MY UGLY DIARY is a book that guides instead of teaching.”
– Mari Viertola in Turun Sanomat newspaper
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