STARFISH: A Teen Review of a Middle-Grade Book

My teen blogger Elliott Kurta is now busy being a freshman in high school and doing his volunteer job at the library. So, we'll enjoy his book reviews whenever he has time to get them to me.

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REVIEW

           Young Elle is constantly shamed for being overweight; at school, in public, and even at home. To make matters worse, her mother obsessively monitors what she eats and her brother and sister poke fun at her. It’s no wonder the only place Elle feels safe is in her pool, where her weight doesn’t matter, and she can take up as much space as she wants. In this middle-grade novel, Elle finally decides to fight back with the support of her father, a new friend, and her therapist.

            Bringing a rarely seen viewpoint to a young audience, Starfish does a commendable job of not only approaching a sensitive topic but relating the perspective of a young, overweight girl to middle-schoolers. Elle’s bullies are painfully realistic, and so is the fatphobia she experiences every day. Additionally, the book is primarily presented in verse, which forces readers to slow down in order to absorb the cadence and message of each sentence. The poetic format also allows for certain dramatic flourishes in word placement which leaves a lasting impact on readers.

            At times, Elle’s narrative style can lead to confusion while reading. For a pre-teen, Elle uses uncharacteristically sophisticated terms to describe her own emotions and has an unusually mature awareness of her feelings. In her afterword, Lisa Fipps mentions that Starfish was originally going to be a YA novel, which explains why the book reads like one. This instance, found on page 34, highlights the discrepancy in Elle’s age and maturity present throughout the book:

 

            The first Fat Girl Rule

            you learn hurts the most,

            a startling, scorpion-stinging soul slap.

             Aside from the inconsistencies in Elle’s narration, there’s a subtler flaw in the book. Starfish focuses entirely on Elle’s body, her perception of it, and how it affects her life. Each of the one- or two-page long chapters either shows Elle being bullied at school, talking with her friend about her body, or fighting with her mom over her weight. In fact, one of the major sources of tension in the book is that Elle’s mother wants her to undergo bariatric surgery, a reference that would fly over the heads of most middle schoolers. The singular focus of the book is overwhelming and could even be considered in contrast with the novel’s message. By focusing entirely on one aspect of Elle, her weight, Lisa Fipps undermines the idea that Elle is more than her body.

            Regardless, there’s a reason that Starfish won a Printz award. Line for line, Lisa Fipps’ debut novel is nothing short of extraordinary, bringing the issues of a tween who’s more than her body weight front and center. For middle-schoolers everywhere, Starfish will make them reconsider how they see their friends, family, and most importantly, themselves.

A QUESTION FOR OUR READERS

Have you read this book? Elliott and I would like to know what you thought of it.

ALL ABOUT ELLIOTT

Elliott is a prolific reader of various genres who is more than happy to share his opinions on books. In his free time, he enjoys writing, reading, and running. He is a 9th-grade student in Charlotte, NC.                                                

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Congratulations to Kathy Wiechman who won TEDDY, LET'S GO! from last week's blog.

Don't forget to check out the other wonderful middle-grade books on Greg Pattridge's MMGM site.