Starfish

I got Starfish by Lisa Fipps from the library after reading and enjoying another book by the author. The book description says, "Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like 'no making waves,' 'avoid eating in public,' and 'don't move so fast that your body jiggles.' And she's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life--by unapologetically being her own fabulous self."

This was such a good book, one I'll definitely recommend to my 14-year-old. It was an engaging read, and Ellie was a lovable character who carried a heavy load due to bullying from peers at school but also her siblings and mom. But I loved her dad, her two best friends, and her therapist--so much! I also loved the author's note at the end where the author explained that while some people may think this book wasn't realistic since people would never be that cruel, "a variation of every single mean thing people said or did to Ellie happened to [her] when [she] was a child." I also loved how the author explained that she wrote the book as a middle grade book so it could reach kids who are struggling and being bullied and help them realize their worth. This one is going down as a "liked it," but I really liked it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)