The Beautiful Heart of Sullivan Scott by Jennifer Powers

Such a special and encouraging book. In a society where the pressure put on young girls has become crippling, this book spreads the message that having a beautiful heart is the most important quality a girl can have.

Sully was born with NF, a hereditary condition that has caused a large, droopy tumor to grow along her cheek. Most teenagers worry about whether their eye liner is waterproof and yet Sully has to face everyday knowing that she is different and there is absolutely nothing she can do to hide it. At first, we see a girl who wants desperately to remain invisible. Because if she is invisible, then she can avoid the painful ridicule of her classmates. However, as the story progresses, we see Sully start to wrestle with her identity. Several circumstances lead her to a crossroad where she has to decide who she is, who she wants to be and if NF is going to be the determining factor in either of those. There are tough choices to make and even tougher truths to be told. But Sully has a beautiful heart, and once she finds the courage to show it to the world, she shines brighter than the brightest star, encouraging so many others who feel alone in their struggles.

This is a story of inspiration and empowerment, of acceptance and transformation. It’s sweet and brave and humorous and honest. Also just a fun read. I definitely recommend for YAs.

As much as I love supporting local, independent, women-owned, and BIPOC bookstores, The Beautiful Heart of Sullivan Scott is currently available only on Amazon. Even still, please know that every purchase of this book is supporting a wonderful independent author and the NF community.