You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by angiebayne
Nice Girls Endure by Chris Struyk-Bonn
2.0
So Chelsea is fat and bullied at school. Because of this she is very withdrawn and anxious. She doesn't have friends or talk in school and she breaks out in hives during stressful social situations. Her mom and doctor would like for her to lose weight, but Chelsea just wants to actually be more comfortable with who she is. She makes a friend and that helps her start accepting herself.
My first problem with this book is the fact that Chelsea is not fat. She might not be the tiny size two society wants her to be, but at 5'6 and 170 pounds she is not obese. I think it is a horrible message for young girls who are that size or bigger to hear that 170 pounds is so fat you are fat shamed daily and bullied excessively. Chelsea is probably an average size and most girls her size would probably consider themselves normal and not obese. Just because someone is not stick thin does not mean you can't be happy and healthy.
My second issue is how excessive the bullying is and how no one in authority seems to notice. Chelsea is physically assaulted and nothing happens. She is publicly shamed over social media and nothing happens. She is teased and made fun of every day at school to the extent that she needs anti-anxiety medication and nothing happens. I am sure this is pretty realistic, but I wish there would have been a bit more resolve to the issue.
Chelsea was a bit hard to get to like and appreciate at first. She takes issue with everyone judging her, yet judges others to the same extent. I liked her a lot more after she started coming out of her shell, but I still wish that would not have necessitated medication. I know anxiety is a real thing, but I think Chelsea would have benefited from more counseling and less reliance on medication. Then there is a her obsession with feet (or the author's obsession with feet). There is a crazy amount of references to feet, both pretty and ugly throughout the book. I am not sure it is exactly healthy.
I think fat shaming and positive body image is a real issue and should be addressed for this age group. Teens can behave horribly to each other and self-esteem is a real issue for most kids at that age. I just wish this book would have done a better job with the issue.
I received this book from netgalley.
My first problem with this book is the fact that Chelsea is not fat. She might not be the tiny size two society wants her to be, but at 5'6 and 170 pounds she is not obese. I think it is a horrible message for young girls who are that size or bigger to hear that 170 pounds is so fat you are fat shamed daily and bullied excessively. Chelsea is probably an average size and most girls her size would probably consider themselves normal and not obese. Just because someone is not stick thin does not mean you can't be happy and healthy.
My second issue is how excessive the bullying is and how no one in authority seems to notice. Chelsea is physically assaulted and nothing happens. She is publicly shamed over social media and nothing happens. She is teased and made fun of every day at school to the extent that she needs anti-anxiety medication and nothing happens. I am sure this is pretty realistic, but I wish there would have been a bit more resolve to the issue.
Chelsea was a bit hard to get to like and appreciate at first. She takes issue with everyone judging her, yet judges others to the same extent. I liked her a lot more after she started coming out of her shell, but I still wish that would not have necessitated medication. I know anxiety is a real thing, but I think Chelsea would have benefited from more counseling and less reliance on medication. Then there is a her obsession with feet (or the author's obsession with feet). There is a crazy amount of references to feet, both pretty and ugly throughout the book. I am not sure it is exactly healthy.
I think fat shaming and positive body image is a real issue and should be addressed for this age group. Teens can behave horribly to each other and self-esteem is a real issue for most kids at that age. I just wish this book would have done a better job with the issue.
I received this book from netgalley.