Spectacularly Beautiful — Lisa Lucas

Spectacularly Beautiful tells the story of Shahad, a refugee who has moved to a new country and started a new school with her new teacher, Ms. Truong. Shahad comes to school every day with perfectly braided hair tied in ribbons. But her hair can't hide the scars on her face and leg that are painful reminders of the country she fled, making her feel less than beautiful, and different from her peers. Initially, Shahad finds life at her new school difficult until her teacher convinces her that she is not just beautiful...she is spectacularly beautiful. Little by little Shahad's confidence is renewed and she is able to pay the kindness back to Ms. Truong so that she too can feel spectacularly beautiful.