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4.5 AVERAGE
4.5 AVERAGE
Holy smokes! This is one powerhouse of a novel. Must read!
fast-paced
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I shall use the verb "to starfish" more from now on.
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
“No matter what others say or do, embrace what makes you, you.”
Genre: MG Realistic Fiction/ Novel in Verse
Synopsis:
Ever since her sister called her Splash after doing a cannonball at a pool party, Ellie has struggled with bullying over her weight. Not only is she getting it from people at school and her siblings but also her mother, who might be the most toxic.
This book follows Ellie along as she learns to love herself even though those around her make it so hard. She also learns how to stand up for herself without lashing out at those who are hurting her the most.
Rating:
5/5 ⭐️s
As a person that has struggled with her weight and often feels judged because of it, this book was very triggering but also what I needed to hear. People often don’t realize how much weight can affect someone and this book put it into perspective even for those middle grade readers.
In the first 30 pages I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks because I understood what the protagonist was going through. Weight is such a big thing that often people don’t talk about it. Whether you’re too big or too small, it just seems like women can’t fit the standards.
To have this book in middle school or even high school would if have made me feel not as alone. Even though I was blessed with a supportive family and friends weight is often a battle that people fight with inside of themselves. This book is definitely one that I can relate to on many levels and know that students will fill scene with.
I will definitely be adding this to my class library but also as an option for our next unit.
Genre: MG Realistic Fiction/ Novel in Verse
Synopsis:
Ever since her sister called her Splash after doing a cannonball at a pool party, Ellie has struggled with bullying over her weight. Not only is she getting it from people at school and her siblings but also her mother, who might be the most toxic.
This book follows Ellie along as she learns to love herself even though those around her make it so hard. She also learns how to stand up for herself without lashing out at those who are hurting her the most.
Rating:
5/5 ⭐️s
As a person that has struggled with her weight and often feels judged because of it, this book was very triggering but also what I needed to hear. People often don’t realize how much weight can affect someone and this book put it into perspective even for those middle grade readers.
In the first 30 pages I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks because I understood what the protagonist was going through. Weight is such a big thing that often people don’t talk about it. Whether you’re too big or too small, it just seems like women can’t fit the standards.
To have this book in middle school or even high school would if have made me feel not as alone. Even though I was blessed with a supportive family and friends weight is often a battle that people fight with inside of themselves. This book is definitely one that I can relate to on many levels and know that students will fill scene with.
I will definitely be adding this to my class library but also as an option for our next unit.
An inspiring book that had beautiful meanings and words that would touch our hearts. Sad but it really happens to some. Beautifully written.
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a middle grade novel in verse about a fat preteen, navigating bullies at school and at home. I found it so powerful and moving, especially in this condensed format. It may be geared towards a younger reader, but caregivers and childcare professionals should absolutely read this. I’ve always peppered in a few middle grade books here and there, but it feels especially more important to do so as I raise my own kid. This was so so so good, and I’m emotional all over again just thinking about it.
Definitely an issue-driven book about the experience of being a fat kid, with a mother who has always had you on a diet, indifferent siblings and a hostile school situation. The talk about learning to "take up space" felt much older than the child in the book and there wasn't a ton of other plot--she's bullied at school but makes a new friend next door and practices speaking up for herself--but I appreciate the effort to get inside the mind of a kid this age, and also that there is no "why" she's fat. Nor is there an easy solution to her problems with her mom.
This. Book. Was. Everything.
I've been a fat girl my whole life, and even though I was never tormented like poor Ellie, I've heard all of these things. I've had my own fat girl rules, as I'm sure most of us have, and I've tried to make myself smaller in a world not made for me. And that she owned her truth at such a young age was as beautiful as it is heartbreaking that she had to.
I've been a fat girl my whole life, and even though I was never tormented like poor Ellie, I've heard all of these things. I've had my own fat girl rules, as I'm sure most of us have, and I've tried to make myself smaller in a world not made for me. And that she owned her truth at such a young age was as beautiful as it is heartbreaking that she had to.