My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters

"tayo'y mga pinoy, tayo'y hindi kano.. wag kang mahihiya kung ang ilong mo ay pango!"

above are lyrics to a filipino folk song which basically says that filipinos shouldn't be ashamed of being snub-nosed. for a while back, i hated hearing this song because i felt it brought attention to my flat, pug nose in all it's glory. it's like when the heavens gave out nose cartilage, i was sleeping in. now the song just makes me smile. i've long grown to accept and love my nose just the way it is.

i saw this book at a bargain bookstore and i chuckled. i just had to read it. the story is about jory and what happens during the summer before her senior year. she's ok-looking except that her nose is too big that she calls it the super schnozz. to add insult to injury, her younger freshman brother is gorgeous, talented and is more popular in their school than she is. also, she feels that she doesn't meet her mother's standards - she's not pretty enough, she's not smart enough, too clumsy for sports.

i liked this book except for the fact that it's too boy-centric. jory has major self esteem issues and it seemed as if all she wanted to do was to snag a boy, any boy to feel good about herself. in the end she did learn to have confidence in herself. she realized that she can have a super schnozz and still be awesome just the way she is. ( )

It’s the end of junior year, and summer is about to begin. The Summer of Passion, to be exact, when Jory Michaels plans to explore all the possibilities of the future--and, with any luck, score a boyfriend in the process. But Jory has a problem. A big problem. A curvy, honking, bumpy, problem in the form of her Super Schnozz, the one thing standing between Jory and happiness. And now, with the Summer of Passion stretched before her like an open road, she's determined for Super Schnozz to disappear. Jory takes a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer; she even keeps a book filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor. But nothing is ever easy for accident-prone Jory--and before she knows it, her Summer of Passion falls apart faster than the delivery van she crashes. In her hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel, Sydney Salter delivers a story about broadening your horizons, accepting yourself, and finding love right under your nose. From Amazon UK

This is such a brilliant book! I really loved it! Such a sweet novel! I really loved it!

Jory has two goals for the summer. Find her passion, and get a job so she can save her money for a nose job, so she can nab the gorgeous Tyler Briggs. Her passion goal is half-hearted, as that's what her friends are doing, but she is obsessed with the rest; nose jobs and Tyler - or any other cute guys who happen to be around at the time.

It's really quite sad how badly she thinks about her nose. She keeps a Nice Nose Notebook, where she keeps pictures of models with nice noses to show to the surgeon when she gets her nose job. Everything that goes wrong in her life, is down to her big nose. Her mother is constantly on a diet, and trying to get Jory to wear beauty enhancing make-up. It's just really sad.

But there is more to this book than just Jory's nose. There's friendship, family, and boy issues that go a lot deepers than a squabble and an unrequited crush. But they're all dealt with in such a brilliant way.

I don't know what else I can say about this book. So much goes on in it, and I don't want to spoil it. It really is a brilliant book, one that is right up there with my favourites! I absolutely loved it, and can't recommend it enough! I will definitely be checking out more of Sydney Salter's novels.

From Once Upon A Bookcase - YA book blog. ( )

What a fun read! For Body Image & Self Perception Month, I have been reading some wonderful stories, but they have had heavy subjects that are sometimes difficult to read. My Big Nose and Other Natural Distasters was such a refreshing change. It has an important subject matter, but it is told in a fun and enjoyable voice that makes it impossible not to crack a smile.

It was easy for me to click with Jory. She is highly self conscious about her "Super Schnozz". She thinks that if it wasn't for her nose, her life would be perfect. I think we have all felt the same thing, in one way or the other. But it's not only that with Jory. She also feels just "average" in everything she does. She feels she has no talent that would stand out in a crowd. I know I have felt this way in the past, especially as a teen. Some of my favorite parts to read about were Jory's big blunders that happens when she is working. I felt terrible for her, but they were completely hilarious.

I couldn't stand Jory's mom and her friends. Jory definitely had a poor choice in friends. Her mom was the type that only cared about what the outside world saw. As long as the neighbors think everything is perfect, everything is okay. So for Jory's mom, her nose doesn't fit the cookie cutter image of perfection. I sympathized with Jory about her mom. You can't replace your mom, but I really wish she would have dumped those crappy friends! I was so happy when Gideon came into the picture. He is exactly the kind of person Jory needs in her life, and I was rooting for these two to get together.

I was really satisfied with the ending. By the end of the book, I was so proud of Jory for how far she came. My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters was a heartwarming story with a sense of humor. I loved Salter's charming writing style, and am looking forward to reading more from her. ( )

So I heard several different takes on this book. Was okay, was not that good, was amazing! I happen to be in the latter class. Sydney Salter made me laugh, cry, and smile throughout the entire process.

Jory was relatable in the sense that every teen has self-confidence issues. I know I do. So it was a relief to find one that a problem with herself that was not so outlandish. A nose. Simple, but effective. What she does she solve this problem made me cry my freaking eyes out. She has this entire notebook titled “Nice Nose Notebook”, an ideal process where after having a plastic surgery she’ll be more loved. Self-confidence issues. Every teens and/or adults have them. Unloved. A flaw.

Gideon was the comic relief. He made me laugh (out loud). Smile. Sigh. And cross my fingers that he and Jory will end up together. The perfect Yin to her Yang (cheesy I know), that helped her realize that she is fine the way she is.

The friends that Jory has were pitiful though at times. Non-empathic, selfish, and hateful. To be mindful of the different scenarios, the ups and downs of each of the girls lives, I will let it slide. Some parts are more touching then others. ( )

Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

Jory Michaels is going to transform herself before school starts. This is going to be the Summer of Passion; the summer before senior year.

The big obstacle to making it perfect, of course, is her nose. Jory is obsessed about her big nose...she's just sure that the key to making her life perfect is getting it fixed. She plans to earn enough money for a nose job, then she will be one of the popular kids, and maybe attract the guy she has a mad crush on.

Everyone around Jory seems perfect. Her little brother, Finn, is a soccer star who managed to score a date to the senior prom when he was still a freshman. Her mom is perfectly proportioned and does everything right. Her dad is a workaholic and a great guy, and all her friends seem to know where they are going in life.

Jory finds a job delivering wedding cakes, and, oh boy....the van is a stick shift. Never mind that...she can learn quickly...she is sure that the stick shift and parallel parking will be a snap to figure out. But Jory is accident-prone and her hilarious escapades keep the action going.

Then, when her best friend begins hanging out with the guy that Jory has a crush on, emotions shift into high gear. Nothing turns out the way Jory plans.

MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS is about learning to improve what you can and accept what you can't change, while still broadening your horizons. It's told with a great sense of humor, is a bit predictable, but still great fun. Teen girls will see themselves in Jory's desire to be prettier than she perceives herself. The characters are unique and likable, the dialogue witty and fresh, there is plenty of action to keep even reluctant readers interested, and it rushes to a very satisfying ending. ( )