The January issue of Teen Ink was extremely well done. I especially loved “The Pageant” by Maddie Crain. Her piece was descriptive, intriguing, and relatable.

The protagonist, Aurora, was gorgeous without being conceited, which is always a good quality. I loved how kind she was to her little sister (something I, as an older sister, sometimes struggle with!) I was actually moved when Abby covered her hands and Aurora hummed with her to tune out Angelina’s screams. I think Maddie, clearly a gifted writer, could very well turn this into a full-length novel.

The only thing? I worry about how “The Pageant” compares to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. There seem to be some similarities between the two: the competition, the deaths, and the demanding government. That aside, the story was ­interesting, the characters were real, and I enjoyed it very much.