I don't know why, but I love YA body image books. All of them. I guess they just appeal to my inner teenager. One trend I'm following, erm, hungrily is that of body image books that don't focus on eating disorders or extreme athleticism. Lately, I'm seeing more books that focus on ideas of beauty and health, topics I think teens relate to, without being gloom and doom. (Of course, there's a place for gloom and doom, these books just don't happen to be it.) Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults is doing a "Bodies" list this year, too, which makes me insanely happy. Today, I want to recommend two very enjoyable novels about bodies and health that show exactly what YA can do with body image plots.
Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have is Allen Zadoff's first YA novel, coming in September, 2009, from Egmont USA. Andrew Zansky (semi-autobiographical novel, perhaps?) is sure of his place in his school's social strata. He's a Model UN geek, the second-fattest kid in school, and a genius at figuring out how to get out of gym class. He's also got a mad crush on the new girl, April, who knows him as the son of the locally famous caterer. Andrew figures he's in for a year of the same-old, same-old, scratching the 48 off the size tag on his Levis and praying he'll fit into the new desks in homeroom, until he's recruited to play center for the football team. Now he's part of the jock clique, and more importantly, a member of a team. He's finally got the chance not only to prove to April that he's alive, but to do something other than what everyone else expects of him. Strangely, Andrew finds himself enjoying football for both the physical and friendship benefits. His size is an asset and having a brain doesn't hurt, either. Everything doesn't go perfectly, of course, because this is a novel and not a half-hour sitcom, but Andrew's problems are resolved without the author resorting to trite life lessons. The word I like to use to describe this book is tragicomedy. Andrew is smart and funny, but he doesn't pretend that all in his life is fine and dandy, either. He acknowledges that he is the cause of many of his weight problems but he also has things to think about other than weight. The mix of football scenes plus the humor make this a book that should be fairly popular.
Fat Cat is the latest offering from Robin Brande, author of one of my favorite 2007 books, Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature. As in Evolution, there's a big plot point revolving around science. Catherine, a.k.a. Cat, is enrolled in an advanced science class with a year-long individual study requirement. Inspired by a picture of hunting hominids, Cat decides to engage in a 200-day return to the way olden times of living. That means no cell phone, no internet (which is sort of a pattern in Robin Brande's books, yes?), no driving anywhere she doesn't absolutely have to be, no hair dryer, makeup, and no processed food, including Cat's beloved daily Diet Cokes. The first days of the experiment are sheer hell, but as the year progresses, Cat finds herself in a new relationship with food and exercise. Cat's main source of support is her awesome best friend, the creative Amanda. No frenemies here; Amanda is the true best friend we all want. With Amanda's help, Cat rediscovers her love of cooking and transforms it into a part-time business. And of course, there's a love story. Or more appropriately, a love-hate story. The great thing about Fat Cat is the focus on healthy eating and exercise as science with side benefits, rather than a front-and-center body issues book. Yes, Cat does lose weight, but let's be fair, most people would if they made the changes to her life that she does. Though Cat has her pages of angst, overall this is a "happy" book that really makes readers think about food and physical well-being.
Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have is Allen Zadoff's first YA novel, coming in September, 2009, from Egmont USA. Andrew Zansky (semi-autobiographical novel, perhaps?) is sure of his place in his school's social strata. He's a Model UN geek, the second-fattest kid in school, and a genius at figuring out how to get out of gym class. He's also got a mad crush on the new girl, April, who knows him as the son of the locally famous caterer. Andrew figures he's in for a year of the same-old, same-old, scratching the 48 off the size tag on his Levis and praying he'll fit into the new desks in homeroom, until he's recruited to play center for the football team. Now he's part of the jock clique, and more importantly, a member of a team. He's finally got the chance not only to prove to April that he's alive, but to do something other than what everyone else expects of him. Strangely, Andrew finds himself enjoying football for both the physical and friendship benefits. His size is an asset and having a brain doesn't hurt, either. Everything doesn't go perfectly, of course, because this is a novel and not a half-hour sitcom, but Andrew's problems are resolved without the author resorting to trite life lessons. The word I like to use to describe this book is tragicomedy. Andrew is smart and funny, but he doesn't pretend that all in his life is fine and dandy, either. He acknowledges that he is the cause of many of his weight problems but he also has things to think about other than weight. The mix of football scenes plus the humor make this a book that should be fairly popular.Fat Cat is the latest offering from Robin Brande, author of one of my favorite 2007 books, Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature. As in Evolution, there's a big plot point revolving around science. Catherine, a.k.a. Cat, is enrolled in an advanced science class with a year-long individual study requirement. Inspired by a picture of hunting hominids, Cat decides to engage in a 200-day return to the way olden times of living. That means no cell phone, no internet (which is sort of a pattern in Robin Brande's books, yes?), no driving anywhere she doesn't absolutely have to be, no hair dryer, makeup, and no processed food, including Cat's beloved daily Diet Cokes. The first days of the experiment are sheer hell, but as the year progresses, Cat finds herself in a new relationship with food and exercise. Cat's main source of support is her awesome best friend, the creative Amanda. No frenemies here; Amanda is the true best friend we all want. With Amanda's help, Cat rediscovers her love of cooking and transforms it into a part-time business. And of course, there's a love story. Or more appropriately, a love-hate story. The great thing about Fat Cat is the focus on healthy eating and exercise as science with side benefits, rather than a front-and-center body issues book. Yes, Cat does lose weight, but let's be fair, most people would if they made the changes to her life that she does. Though Cat has her pages of angst, overall this is a "happy" book that really makes readers think about food and physical well-being.
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1 comment:
I always thought Blubber was the quintessential book about body image because it was really about prejudice and being yourself in the face of it. Color me nostalgic!
Have you read This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous by Nina Beck? I haven't, but I saw it on my boss' shelf.
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