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thereadingcountess's review
4.0
Strong debut-definitely YA, not my usual MG fare. Thoughtfully written. This is a story about body image told from a guy’s viewpoint; it felt necessary, real and heartfelt. Growing up is hard, but when you are an overweight Jewish boy with parents who are divorcing, well, all bets are off. The characters were honestly written. Highly recommend!
holyoaksm's review against another edition
5.0
I love Ari and his journey to self-acceptance. Everything about this story worried it’s way into my heart—the beautiful setting, the touching friendships with authentic kid characters, the dysfunctional but loving family relationships. I will be cheering for Ari’s personal triumphs for weeks to come.
fernthepanda's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book that a great many kids need in their lives.
tr1x21's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
eh.
libwinnie's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to love this book since I am a sucker for body positive books. But this one just didn't sit right with me. I appreciated that the author made issues around weight and size complex and multifaceted, and the deeply felt pain around the bullying Ari experienced was a truly visceral experience. But, I hate when books tie losing weight to a better life experience and I thought this book really walked that line a little too closely.
jaij7's review against another edition
4.0
Great book for middle schoolers. Not sure there are any books like this and it is definitely needed. Many kids could use this book as I am sure they would identify with the main character's body image issues.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
“The life in my head seems/so different from the life outside,/where I am so big/that everyone stares,/but no one sees the real me.”
earlybirdie94's review against another edition
2.0
Pretty boring. Nothing really happens and it’s a story that’s been told over and over. It reads between YA and middle grade. The diet he follows isn’t good at all and worrying, instead of learning a healthy way to lose weight it was a crash diet. Which don’t last long for weight loss. Kids today have obesity issues and should be taught that it’s okay to love yourself but should be a healthy weight for your body type.
thenextgenlib's review against another edition
4.0
“The life in my head seems/so different from the life outside,/where I am so big/that everyone stares,/but no one sees the real me.”