J.W.'s freshman cousin, Theo, who has rheumatoid arthritis, helps her find perspective and self-acceptance. At first blaming the acne on a spider bite and then allergic reactions, Olivia must not only learn to admit that she has acne but that her career could be over forever. Her agent is pushy, her workaholic dad has relocated after her parents' divorce, her regretful mother tries to relive missed opportunities through Olivia's acting and Olivia has regular tiffs with her once-best friends. Her dermatologist suggests reducing stress, but that's not likely.

She's just sealed the deal on a national advertising campaign to be the next Wacky Water Girl, and J.W., the hottest eighth-grader, has finally noticed her. She's finally started her period, and her face begins to erupt at the worst possible time. Severe acne can be painful and embarrassing to any teen, but the situation is especially calamitous for 13-year-old TV-commercial actress Olivia Hughes. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title. The author is a licensed mental health counselor who has worked in California and Texas schools. The book includes an author’s note about the psychological and medical issues involved for teens dealing with significant acne. And maybe what she finds isn’t so bad after all. What do you do when you’ve lost control of everything in your life? Olivia has to find out the hard way. She goes from being the girl at school who everyone wants to be to Zitface, a girl who is teased, dumped, and even fired. Now all she wants to do is hide, but she can’t.

A little pimple turns into a full-blown case of acne, with serious side effects for her career, her relationships, and her self-esteem. She just landed a national ad campaign that should get her noticed. She knows what she wants to do with her life-be an actress. Thirteen-year-old Olivia Hughes has always considered herself a lucky girl.

Zitface by Emily Howse