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Weight loss
8 Reviews
(3)
YA
When overweight but body-confident Jess Jones receives an invite to a party from her crush Matt, the British year-eleven student begins a strict diet and exercise regimen hoping to win him over. Debut novelist Mainwaring's heartwarming, hilarious story about wanting to fit in but ultimately choosing to stand out is bolstered by Jess's snarky yet accurate observations about women's place in society.
Reviewer: Lana Barnes
(4)
YA
Every year, Ashley's grandmother bribes her to lose weight. This year, she offers to pay Ashley's full tuition to Harvard if Ashley agrees to undergo weight-loss surgery. Ashley's turmoil over this decision, as well as the struggles of her friends (one is transgender), are convincing, but some superfluous plot points (e.g., a strange trip to San Francisco) detract from the narrative's emotional impact.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
(3)
YA
Aboard a star-studded cruise ship, Laurel's seasickness prevents her from trying Solu, a new weight-loss wonder drug. As its side effects turn the passengers, including best friend Vivika, into violent monsters, Laurel and hot celebrity Tom try to warn others before the drug's widespread release. Through alternating narrators, Laybourne addresses issues of body image and self-acceptance amidst a bloody survival story.
Reviewer: Andrea Curtis
(3)
YA
Holcombe describes her journey to fitness and health, which she began at age fourteen, when she weighed 230 pounds. Teens looking to lose weight slowly, safely, and permanently will be inspired by this story of one girl's determination to come to peace with her body. The information on exercise, nutrition, and motivation (plus a list of resources at the back) is solid and should prove helpful.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
(2)
YA
When Ann's aunt Jackie asks her to be a bridesmaid in her (lesbian) wedding, Ann resolves to lose forty-five pounds in two months. Her journey is funny and relatable--if also difficult and depressing. Barson writes with a light touch but unflinchingly confronts stereotypes about overweight people. Ann finally understands that she isn't defined by her weight--an inspiring realization for all readers.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2013
(3)
4-6
Running cross-country becomes a way for Bennett to make new friends and begin to get into shape--both desirable objectives after his morbidly obese father suffers a stroke. On this journey of reinvention, however, he finds himself estranged from his best friend. The well-written story is realistic and inspiring; readers will root for Bennett.
Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin
(3)
YA
Anna, who spent three weeks in a mental hospital being treated for depression in Get Well Soon, is headed back to her "real" life of high school, friendships, and an increasingly uneasy family situation. Negotiating her pre- and post-treatment selves proves to be a challenge Anna is entirely up to. Anna's snarky voice offsets serious subject matter in this humorous recovery tale.
Reviewer: Norah Piehl
(3)
YA
Sixteen-year-old Ellie Morgan is determined to win the blue ribbon at the Rock River Pumpkin Weigh-In, but coaxing her potentially prize-winning pumpkin, Max, to gain another two hundred pounds proves no easy task. Ellie copes with inclement weather, pumpkin thieves, and stiff competition in this reissue of a breezy, appealing novel.
Reviewer: Carolyn Shute
8 reviews
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