"David Is an Ugly Word" by Lily Ganser explores the complexities of identity, acceptance, and the impact of societal labels. The story follows a young protagonist grappling with the weight of their name, "David," which becomes a symbol of societal expectations and personal struggle. As they navigate relationships with family and peers, the protagonist confronts bullying and the quest for self-acceptance. With poignant moments of introspection and connection, the narrative emphasizes the importance of embracing one's true self amidst external judgments. Ultimately, it is a journey toward redefining what beauty and worth mean in a challenging world. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book has been graded for interest at 12-17 years.

This book is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed. This book was published in 2023 by Blackstone Publishing .

Clive Gifford started writing books at the age of 16 and hasn't stopped since! He has had over 150 books published, most of which are books for children. His books have been nominated for or won Royal Society, School Library Association, Blue Peter, Smithsonian and TES awards. Clive lives in Manchester. www. clivegifford. co. uk Josh Hurley is an illustrator and screen printer based in Hertforshire. He graduated from Falmouth University in 2012 with a degree in illustration and is the co-founder of The Key Print House. He has worked for a wide-range of clients, including Tesco, Jamie Oliver, Skinny Magazine and Gosling Creative and, in his spare time, teaches art classes for kids. http://joshhurley. co. uk