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Ugly Hardcover – September 6, 2016

by Robert Hoge (Author)

4.6 104 ratings

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A funny, moving, and true story of an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face that's perfect for fans of Wonder—now available in the U.S.

When Robert Hoge was born, he had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs. Surgeons removed the tumor and made him a new nose from one of his toes. Amazingly, he survived—with a face that would never be the same.

Strangers stared at him. Kids called him names, and adults could be cruel, too. Everybody seemed to agree that he was “ugly.” But Robert refused to let his face define him. He played pranks, got into trouble, had adventures with his big family, and finally found a sport that was perfect for him to play. And Robert came face to face with the biggest decision of his life, he followed his heart.

This poignant memoir about overcoming bullying and thriving with disabilities shows that what makes us “ugly” also makes us who we are. It features a reflective foil cover and black-and-white illustrations throughout.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3–6—This memoir, set in Australia, is a heartbreaking account of being born and living with severe physical deformities. As a child, Hoge was in general healthy, but his mother initially did not want to keep him because of his appearance—he was born with mangled legs and a large tumor in the middle of his face. Doctors predicted that surgery might kill him. Nevertheless, they proceeded with several operations to "fix" Hoge in the hopes they would help improve his life. As the years passed, Hoge experienced many ups and downs; he was able to make some loyal friends but was also teased by other children. Readers follow as he tries playing sports, attends summer camp, unsuccessfully auditions for a junior choir, and performs in a talent show. In the midst of all these efforts at having a more traditional childhood, Hoge underwent multiple surgeries to "improve" his face, as he understandably wished to belong. And despite wanting to look more "normal," Hoge later made a conscious decision not to have any more operations. The text is enormously accessible; Hoge draws readers in with creative language and analogies to help clarify and set the tone of his complex story. For instance, the book begins with the direction "Imagine you're in art class," with Hoge going on to detail the process of sculpting a face as a way to describe his own appearance. Pencil illustrations sprinkled throughout help set the scene for readers. VERDICT This empowering story will reach even the hardest of hearts. Recommended for its message of tolerance and acceptance.—Jess Gafkowitz, New York Public Library

Review

PRAISE FOR Ugly:

"[This] coming-of-age story [is] unique and universal. [It] testifies to the power of a loving family and a courageous soul." --Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

"Eminently readable . . . a gripping readaloud, readalone, and discussion point all on its own." --Starred Review, BCCB

"Robert Hoge writes his exceptional life story in straightforward, compelling prose that forced me to question how I often I judge what I see around me. Bravo, Mr. Hoge! Please write more books." --Holly Goldberg Sloan, bestselling author of Counting By 7s

"Ugly made me think, it made me feel both joy and sadness, but most of all, it made me laugh. This is an honest, intelligent, and descriptive story of what it's like to grow up with a disability, including the good, the bad, and the . . . ugly." --Shane Burcaw, author of Laughing at My Nightmare

"A jaw-dropping story of resilience, courage, and fierce hope." --New York Times bestselling author Joan Bauer

About the Author

Robert Hoge has done pretty much every kind of writing there is. He has worked as a journalist, a speechwriter, a science writer, and a political adviser. He's also written numerous short stories, articles, and interviews that have been published in Australia and overseas. When he's not writing, Robert enjoys photography and talking with people about looking different and being disabled. He lives in Brisbane, Australia, and is maried and has two amazing daughters.

Visit him at RobertHoge.com and follow him @RobertHoge.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

I’m the ugliest person you’ve never met.

It wasn’t supposed to be that way. No one had any idea what was coming. My parents had four children before me, and I should have been born, plain and simple. On a Friday. But July 21, 1972, came—and almost went—without much to show for it.

As midnight neared, however, my mother, Mary Hoge, went into labor. My parents didn’t own a telephone, so Mom rushed next door and asked the neighbors to call my father, Vince, home from work. Dad raced back from his job at a factory that made food for chickens. They had no time to spare. It would take them about half an hour to reach the hospital from our suburban Brisbane home.

My father arrived, jumped out of the car into the dark night and ran upstairs. He packed my mother into the car as fast as he could, and they left for the hospital.

When Mom was admitted, her contractions that signaled the baby was coming were two minutes apart. Her baby should be there very soon. But at 2 a.m. on Saturday morning the contractions stopped dead. The doctors were worried and told my parents they might have to induce labor if the contractions didn’t restart. Mom was sent to the hospital ward to wait. At 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 23, her contractions resumed. It was a long, difficult labor for a fifth baby, and I was born at 12:35 p.m.

Back then, a mother’s usual first question would have been: “Is it a boy or a girl?” But something didn’t seem quite right, so my mother had a different question for the doctors.

“Is my baby okay?” she asked.

“No, Mrs. Hoge,” the doctor said, looking up in shock. “He is not okay. He has a lump on his head, and something wrong with his legs.”

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking Books for Young Readers (September 6, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425287750
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425287750
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 890L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.81 x 0.72 x 8.56 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,936,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,907 in Children's Books on Bullying
- #2,260 in Children's Books on Disabilities
- #49,174 in Children's Activities, Crafts & Games Books (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 104 ratings

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Keith Robinson
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I'm an illustrator, mostly of books for children and young adults. I create book covers and interior illustrations and enjoy drawing fantasy, spooky, historical and animal themes.
When I was small I was desperate to get to Narnia. I had a habit of walking into other people’s wardrobes, which must have been awkward for my parents. Eventually I discovered the next best way of travelling to other worlds was to lose myself in drawing them.
I love illustrating children’s fiction. Getting lost in a good story and expressing the characters, setting and atmosphere through drawing is still the best kind of escapism I know. It also means I no longer feel the need to walk into wardrobes.
My work is informed by a love of nature, myth and history, all of which can be found in abundance where I live, on the Devon-Dorset border. The beautiful landscape of the West Country, the stunning scenery of the Jurassic Coast and the wilds of nearby Dartmoor provide a constant source of inspiration.
I've been a freelance illustrator since 2001, but I came to it the long way round. After graduating in graphics and illustration in 1992, I worked as an animator on some of the earliest digital media productions for clients around the world. In 1995 I joined the BBC and was part of the R&D team that developed the Corporation’s first website. I later founded Codename, an award winning media production company, before I finally returned to my first love and picked up my pencils in earnest again.
I live with my wife and two children, near the pretty seaside town of Lyme Regis, on the south coast of England. When I’m not working I enjoy hiking, camping, fossil-hunting, playing the guitar and rummaging through second-hand book shops.
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Robert Hoge
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

104 global ratings

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MeeMee

Delightfully crafted! Tells "BEAUTIFUL" story despite "UGLY" title!

Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2016

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A cleverly written, humor-filled, poignant and heartfelt narrative of growning up with legs that are malformed and a face that challenges the norms. I urge you to take the time to read this delightfully crafted book. Robert Hoge has experienced the raw emotions that come with facing harsh realities of having physical handicaps, the gross injustice of human bullies and painful experiences of modern medicine --through all this he has emerged an enlightened, compassionate and clearly optimistic man. More importantly, he has the talent to put his story into an immensely enjoyable read without losing one lesson! His tale weaves in lessons of acceptance, of resilience, of friendship, of fear, of empathy, of laughter, of perserverance and of love. I plan to gift this book to as many friends, teachers and children as possible. High recommend!

16 people found this helpful

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hotpants

Everything an amazing book should be.

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

Purchased for my 12 year old (and myself)... amazing book. Highly recommend. Currently making the rounds with teachers and counselors at the school as well, and hoping to get it into the library / onto reading lists. Mr. Hoge, thank you for writing serious stuff in a way that was hugely accessible and impactful for this age group. You had my kid's attention from the first 3 pages: "Mom! He's not holding anything back! I mean, listen to this!...." Everything I believe books can be, this book does.

4 people found this helpful

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MFGOE922

You gotta read this book

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2017

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I read this book from start to finish without putting it down. It was a book that definitely makes you think. There are so many life lessons in this book that we can all learn from and be more humbled people. A great read.

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SunshineRose

An inspiration to those facing similar struggles.

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2016

Robert was born July 21, 1972 with a giant tumor covering his face, underdeveloped legs, and missing toes. His mother refused to accept him, while his father left the decision of whether or not to keep him up to her. It wasn’t until many weeks later, when his four brothers and sisters were allowed to take part in the decision, that he was finally taken home.

Using simple explanations, Robert’s many operations and “aha!” moments are documented from elementary to high school. Despite being vague on the details of why he was born this way, and what happened after age 14, he clearly documents how he worked hard to live an ordinary life despite his physical limitations. He is an inspiration to those facing similar struggles.

Recommended for ages 9-14.

One person found this helpful

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Jones Family

Great Book!

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book is superb! The story is sad but teaching kids about compassion and empathy

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Cassandra

Fascinating and powerful.

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2016

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A healthy dose of healthy self-respect from someone who beat all odds. I teach a university course about diversity, and I plan to use excerpt from this book and Hoge's TedTalk in the course.

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

This was a really enjoyable book an easy read. Not at all what I expected

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

This was a really enjoyable book an easy read. Not at all what I expected. I was prepared to be depressed and wasn't. Thank you for a wonderful reading experience.

4 people found this helpful

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BK Reader

Not an Ugly book at all - full of humor and insight. A wonderful book to share with a youngster (over the age of 8 or 9).

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2016

Verified Purchase

I loved the candor and feeling in this book, and I shared it with my 11 year old grandson, who loved it as well.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Cliente Amazon

This book is a one of a kind tool to know your inner value and strength.

Reviewed in Spain on May 16, 2021

Verified Purchase

I bought the book because I myself have a challenging head disfigurement and found Robert's YouTube video really appealing. I think Robert is one of those exceptional people who show you how to have a right attitude towards life when "fair" is not how you would exactly describe your own. He actually hits on the mindset, resilience and resources to live an "unfair" life with inner strength, self-reliance and assurance that we are not alone in the process.

Caroline Cakebread

Worlds best book

Reviewed in Canada on August 14, 2017

Verified Purchase

Worlds best book! My son who is 9 read this book with me and we loved it - we learned from Robert's experience that having a disability can make us stronger and better. Thanks Robert for sharing your story with our family.

Melissa

Touching story

Reviewed in Canada on September 29, 2018

Verified Purchase

Arrived fast. Softcover book, newsprint pages. My daughter saw this at her school book fair but was cheaper on Amazon.