A Heartwarming 6th Grader Teaches Life's Heartbreaking Weight "Rules"

A starfish is a treasured find at the beach. A "whale" is something good in casino gambling lingo. So what doe those two words have to do with sixth grader Ellie? Readers will find themselves pulled right in to the world of overweight Ellie. Sixth grade is often a tough transition year, but first-person narrator Ellie is having a worse year than most students that age. Her best friend Viv is moving to another state with her mom—in Mom's post-divorce, let-me-outta-here mode. Some stereotypical mean girls in school delight in making fun of Ellie's weight. New friend Catalina seems like a lot of fun, but Ellie's life experiences have already made her skeptical of friendly people. After all, someone like Catalina could simply be setting up Ellie for a cruel prank. Even Ellie's father becomes a Judas in Ellie's eyes when he sides with her mother in the plans to send Ellie for therapy, to analyze that fat right off her frame. Most of all, however, this book's strength lies in the identification of an undeniably true, number one rule for overweight pre-teens or teens: do not make a splash. Not just in the pool, but in the classroom, in one's family...and even in life. This is sure to be a book that will help make the world a slightly more loving place.