Ugly Mug Level 31

Ugly Mug tells the heartwarming story of Marisa, a girl adjusting to a new town where she feels alone and uncertain. During the holidays, she discovers an injured cat and sees it as just another problem. But as she nurses the cat back to health, it becomes a bridge to friendship and belonging, ultimately transforming her into a local hero. Told in the first person, the story uses bold text, italics, and punctuation effects like parentheses and ellipses to reflect Marisa's inner thoughts and emotions. The narrative explores different viewpoints and highlights how personal growth can emerge from unexpected events. With relatable themes of moving house, making friends, and helping others, Ugly Mug is a great text for building emotional literacy and self-reflection. It encourages discussion about empathy, community, and the value of caring for animals, making it perfect for social and emotional learning.

Educational Benefits:

• Supports exploration of personal change and emotional development
• Encourages analysis of text features like italics and ellipses
• Builds awareness of different character perspectives
• Enhances reading fluency and comprehension through expressive punctuation

Classroom Ideas:

• Write a letter from Marisa to the cat's previous owner
• Discuss how Marisa's actions led to new friendships
• Explore pet care responsibilities through research activities
• Create a class discussion on how to welcome new students

Safety & Information:

• Suitable for ages: 9+
• Book size: 210mm x 297mm
• Contains themes of loneliness and recovery; suitable for group reading
• Flexible binding for classroom use