THE CRUSHING WEIGHT OF UGLY

The Crushing Weight of Ugly is a middle-grade novel-in-verse narrated by Leah, a 13-year-old girl in Philadelphia who grapples with body image, bullying, and self-worth while navigating a hostile new school dominated by a mean girl named Helanie. Told entirely in free-verse poems, the story weaves Leah's painful daily experiences—being called a 'disgusting pig,' crying in bathroom corners, eating in secret—with her passionate love for American Ninja Warrior and her creative outlet as a 'Maker' who builds miniature obstacle courses for her beloved hairless cat, Cleo. The manuscript's tone balances raw emotional honesty about fatness and ugliness with moments of humor, warmth, and defiant aspiration, particularly around Leah's dream of someday conquering the Warped Wall. Supporting characters include her two online best friends from the 'Rejection Connection' and her grandmother, who got her into the elite Franklyn Academy. Comparable titles would include Dumplin' by Julie Murphy (YA), Front Desk by Kelly Yang, and novels-in-verse like The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo or Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson. The manuscript appears to be in active revision with editor Abigail Samoun.