For those on the plus side who need a hero (or two or three), I think you've found them in Starfish. For those needing to see acceptance in action, I think you, too, have found them in this book.
What I really love about this book is the characters. El's dad, even though she accuses him of being a traitor, is on her side as she battles the forces of a mom who has trouble accepting El's weight and cruel school kids. Enter Catalina, the new neighbor, who doesn't have weight issues, but befriends El anyway. And then there's the ever-so-inspiring Diana, the store clerk in the plus-sized boutique, who shows off her curves instead of hiding them, displays confidence instead of self-consciousness, and wants to be seen instead of hidden. These people have her back, but is it enough to give El the boost she needs to face her mom and the mean kids at school?
What I really love about this book is the characters. El's dad, even though she accuses him of being a traitor, is on her side as she battles the forces of a mom who has trouble accepting El's weight and cruel school kids. Enter Catalina, the new neighbor, who doesn't have weight issues, but befriends El anyway. And then there's the ever-so-inspiring Diana, the store clerk in the plus-sized boutique, who shows off her curves instead of hiding them, displays confidence instead of self-consciousness, and wants to be seen instead of hidden. These people have her back, but is it enough to give El the boost she needs to face her mom and the mean kids at school?