This is a wonderful book in verse about a 12-year-old's struggles to accept herself for who she is, on the inside, and not judge herself by her weight, even when her mother and society do so all the time.
Ellie spends most of her days swimming in the backyard pool, and she's super careful about the things she'll do in front of others, because she's afraid her actions will remind others that she's fat. Her main goal is to just fade into the background, not be noticed, as much as possible, whenever possible.
It doesn't help that fellow students have mocked her in the past, and she's about to start 6th grade, which can be brutal. Her mother, also, is relentless in making Ellie's weight take the stage, front and center, all the time.
So she's super cautious when a new neighbor catches her dancing and doesn't judge and -- wants to be friends! Catalina doesn't go to Ellie's school, unfortunately, but after school, with her new friend's acceptance, and a new therapist, Ellie learns to stick up for herself and she finally confronts her mother.
This is an excellent book that highlights the idea that all most kids really want to do is please their parents, live up to their expectations, and how absolutely soul-crushing it can be to know they can never do that. So parents, it's a wake-up call for us, too.
Enjoy!
