Virginia Reeves, a NYC sophomore, has never been comfortable in her own skin. As the only blonde, round, and non-fluent-in-French member of the Reeves, she feels like an outcast in her own family. She isn't as thin, as smart, as popular, or as perfect as her older brother (who is a star rugby player at Colombia) or her older sister (who just joined the Peace Corps). Mom and Dad are rarely around, and Virginia's best friend has been relocated to Walla Walla, Washington. Left on her lonesome, Virginia strives to live by the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." But after tragedy descends on the Shreve family--in the form of Virginia's big brother being accused of date rape--Virginia finds the courage to stand up to her parents and reexamine her own rules.
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by
Carolyn Mackler was selected as a Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book in 2004. It is a witty and boldly honest breakthrough novel. Virginia's first-person narrative, journal entries, and emails reflect upon hard-hitting issues (eating disorders, self-injury, rape, sexuality) with moving insight.
The
audio is narrated by Johanna Parker, who does a stellar job.
In a nutshell: I loved this.
~Tracie
3 COMMENTS!:
I'll add this to my TBR pile. Thanks for the great review.
I really appreciate novels that face true experiences of everyday people. Issues such as sexuality, weight, self confidence and acceptance always (usually, depending on the ending) leave me feeling good about MYSELF. They emotionally connect to the reader and that's exactly what a book should do. Great review, Tracie.
Thanks for mentioning the audio, Tracie! I read this book just a couple months ago, and I can see why this was such a groundbreaking book. It feels very honest and has fantastic characterization. Plus, I love the catchy title!
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