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Teenage Waistland

by Lynn Biederman (Goodreads Author), Lisa Pazer (Goodreads Author)

3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 · rating details · 164 ratings · 47 reviews

Told in the voices of patients Marcie Mandlebaum, Bobby Konopka, and Annie "East" Itou, Teenage Waistland is a story of betrayal, intervention, a life-altering operation, and how a long-buried truth can prove far more devastating than the layers of fat that protect it.

Paperback, 336 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by Ember (first published November 9th 2010)

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Feb 19, 2012 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I met the two authors of this book last year at a RI Library Association conference. I thought their intent was strong: to write a book that a did a good job of presenting the stories of teenagers who really work struggling with their weight issues in a realistic manner. This novel does just that. Written from the perspective of three obese teenagers who have joined a study to explore the potential use of lap-band surgery, this novel looks at the fact that weight issues are usually tied to other...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Rachel Robins rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lisa Pazer and Lyn Biederman exceeded my expectations in this fun, sassy, clever and Enormously revealing narrative about what can be lost and gained in the world of fat teenagers. I found myself laughing out loud to the defensive, self-deprecating humor and less than tame conversations among this group of overweight teens particiating in a trial lapband surgery program. Together, these characters are struggling to come to terms with the emotional weight padding their fears, traumas, and insecur...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Stargazer5 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book for my daughter, Jackie, and decided it would be a good idea to read it before giving it to her in order to make sure she wouldn't take the gesture as an affront or criticism. While reading it I soon became very certain that it wouldn't offend her, and in fact, would (and did) do just the opposite.

My daughter has been struggling with her weight for practically her whole life. Now that she's a teenager, it's harder than ever. I'm so glad my friend recommended this book, and I'...more

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Feb 28, 2011 Julia Driscoll rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: appropriate-for-high-school, death-grief, families, friendship-school, realistic-fiction, romance-dating, eating-disorders

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was a tough one for me, because I too was a severely overweight teen, despite not being quite at the level of these characters physically, I could personally identify with most of the emotional stuff. So going into it, I was sceptical, but I ended up being really impressed.

First off, they got the emotional stuff dead on. I've been through dramatic weight loss too, and it really is just as hard and scary to lose it - no matter how much one wants to - as it is to be overweight in the fir...more This book was a tough one for me, because I too was a severely overweight teen, despite not being quite at the level of these characters physically, I could personally identify with most of the emotional stuff. So going into it, I was sceptical, but I ended up being really impressed.

First off, they got the emotional stuff dead on. I've been through dramatic weight loss too, and it really is just as hard and scary to lose it - no matter how much one wants to - as it is to be overweight in the first place. Having not had surgery such as was done here, I can't specificially relate to those issues, but I do know well the world of eating buddies & sneak eating and the many other issues that come with being abnormally overweight.

The authors throw alot of issues in here besides just those directly related to food. This book has all the drama a person could want or handle. And yet, the drama in this book all has a point. It shows how overeating and being overweight is a much more complex issue than mere calorie intate/output. I like how it discussed the importance of support when making big changes such as these. I do think the method by which it achieved this realization in the characters was a bit over the top, but I guess sometimes such messages might be necessary.

My biggest beef with the book was that the clinical trial that these teens participated in only required 1 year of group counseling. It seemed to almost suggest that after that time, people would be just fine. Since many of the characters had to have that one cathartic moment or shocking realization, it also seemed to suggest that after that moment, all was smooth sailing. It wouldn't be. Also, I would think that most people with eating disorders - which these teens so clearly have - would require more help after the 1 year mark.

I didn't know how to feel about the final reveal about 1 character's weight loss success after her surgery. In many ways it seemed a little too "happy shiny people" given the nature of the book. On the other hand, I liked the fact that for one teen, surgery did not prove to be the ultimate factor in her return to mental and physical health. So I'm mixed there.

Ultimately the reason I gave this a 5 star review is that while I really did like the book, it is truely amazing to me that the authors could pull it off with as many issues and as much drama as they did. It could have been a disaster if handled with less skill and sensitivity. Kudos on a job well done. (less)

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Nov 02, 2010 Chelsea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Marcie Mandlebaum knows she is grossly overweight, and can't help feeling as though her mother would love her more if only she was thinner. Bobby is a mediocre football player with dreams of being a star, but he has his "moobies" and his father's expectations to hurdle first. Annie "East" Itou feels sad all the time since her brother moved away and her mother refuses to leave her bedroom. The only time she feels half normal is when she is pigging out with Char. Char is East's best friend who is...more Marcie Mandlebaum knows she is grossly overweight, and can't help feeling as though her mother would love her more if only she was thinner. Bobby is a mediocre football player with dreams of being a star, but he has his "moobies" and his father's expectations to hurdle first. Annie "East" Itou feels sad all the time since her brother moved away and her mother refuses to leave her bedroom. The only time she feels half normal is when she is pigging out with Char. Char is East's best friend who is also hiding a huge secret, one that could unravel East's entire life. On the inside, these four teens are seemingly very different. On the outside, however, they are all morbidly obese. After going through a series of tests and interviews, they all qualify for a controversial Lap-Band clinical trial, a surgery that will help them lose large amounts of weight. It also means drastically changing their lifestyles, though, and the four friends will get to know themselves and each other better than they ever have before.

Teenage Waistland is a surprisingly good book. I was snagged right at the beginning from the incredibly raw voices each character had. But be warned: this book is not full of happy scenes and feel-good moments. On the contrary, the stories are all quite tragic and sad, each in their own unique way. I admit I got a little squeamish over some of the details, but it was fascinating to read about the Lap-Band. Who hasn't seen those ads and wondered what it was? I thought there wasn't enough about the eating habits or requirements after the surgery though, as it was mainly about the emotional impact of the weight and the baggage each teen had in their life. This almost glorified the surgery, showing the teens losing a ton of weight and overcoming their emotional baggage, without paying tribute to the intense eating lifestyle changes. Lynn Bierderman and Lisa Pazer are fantastic writers, creating some really touching moments and a few downright hilarious ones. Buying a certain item for Marcie's sister's party CRACKED me up! And though it felt rushed, the ending wrap-up for all of the characters was rewarding. (less)

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Feb 08, 2011 Brandy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

*Very mature issues

Teenage Waistland centers on 4 morbidly obese teens that are in a clinical trial for Lap-Bands in teenagers.

Marcie - a girl who feels out-of-place with her new stepfamily and being taken away from her old home and father.
Char and East - a set of best friends that both have a horrifying event in their past that has left emotional scars
Bobby - a linebacker who is struggling with his dad's expectations for his future.

Throughout the trial, the teens are part of a support group t...more

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Mar 26, 2011 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book alot!! This book was different then I thought it was going to be about...

It follows about 5 overweight teenagers that go through (well, four really) lap-band surgery to help them with their weight loss. At first look I thought this book was strictly about their losing weight and what they go through pertaining to that, but I was wrong...

This does talk about their surgery and their weight loss progress, but there is more to this story then that. It talks about the under...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Wendolyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Teens

Recommended to Wendolyn by: Abby

Shelves: young-adult

Pleasantly surprised.

Dates don't seem to match? Page 103 has 7/10/09 surgery day, and page 108 has 7/12/09 as birthday party.

I learned that "trouper" is the correct spelling when a person is loyal, dependable (page 160).

Good quotes:
"...if,..you can start focusing more on other people, even when you're in pain yourself, it will help you heal from this. I promise. And the next time someone you care about is in pain, you will be there for them." Page 246

"Okay - food is often used as an expression...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Ellen Keim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own

This book was unsparing in its look at the ways our society deals with childhood obesity. She covers just about every approach possible, from fat camps to parents' support groups, and ends up admitting that there is no one approach that is effective for all children and that fighting childhood obesity is a complicated, frustrating endeavor, especially for parents.

The author herself was never terribly overweight, but grew up obsessed about getting fat. This is actually a sub-theme of the book: th...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Krissie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As someone who has struggled with their weight, I really appreciated the it-isn't-that-easy perspective. I remember one book I read in junior high where the MC was a little chubby and didn't want to be, so she joined Weight Watchers and then everything was perfect. I also appreciated how this book got me thinking about my own eating habits and analyzing the possibility of an emotional factor to my snackitude. (Conclusion: If my hands aren't doing something, I eat.) I'm always appreciative of boo...more

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Dec 14, 2010 Lori Cullen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book. It was original in that it was about a subject that you can't find much background on. There is a lot of medical jargon on the internet but no real stories about lap band surgery and I am really interested to know more about it. The story is about four teenagers trying to get into the FDA trail and it really intrigued me to understand why they were so sure this would work for them.

Even though I am not sure if I will get the surgery, this book gave me food for thought. E...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Xiu Ling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Most people think that obese people are depressed. That is why they eat and eat until their weight puts their lives in danger. That is proven to be wrong in Teenage Waistland. Obese people have real feelings. They experience love, friendship, hate, betrayal, insecurities just like normal people. Fat people's lives are not necessarily depressed. Their happiness are there until they decide to lose weight. The process of losing weight pays a price. The obese characters have to go through emotional...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Alexei rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Teenage Waistland is the story of 3 patients in a clinical trial for the Lap- Band program. Marcie is 16, 288 lbs, and stuck with her size zero mom. Bobby is a star football player with "moobies'' (Man-boobies) and still a virgin at 16. His mom and dad want him to lose weight, but his dad doesn't want him to get "girl surgery". Annie "East" is 278 lbs and living with her depressed mom who won't get out of bed. The book is about the journey each character takes in the program.

If there's one thing...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Kimmy Oh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The best part of this book is the character East. And I say this because I am so much like her it's scary. I don't know if that's a good thing, but I was amazed at the way she was portrayed and how true to life a girl like her is. Her dark, shy, painful way of experiencing the world in contrast to her best friend Char who is bubbly and full of life reminds me of me and my best friend in high school. Although I have never struggles with being overweight, I do know what it feels like to have a con...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Coffeeaddict rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm getting lapband surgery in a couple of months and finding this book was fated. I had so much fun reading it and it brought to life the experience of the lapband process that was swimming around as a personal dialogue in my head. Reading Teenage Waistland enhanced my journey toward getting skinny. I felt like I was sharing in this journey with the characters. I don't have enough drama in my life anymore (things are pretty predictable), so I relished in the drama between the characters in this...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Liz Cee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The biggest problem I found with this book is that each patient had a huge 'AHA' moment in their lives that led to weight gain. As each "uncovered" their moment, they were able to deal with their weight issues.

I do believe for some people that there is one moment, however for most of us there is not. Perhaps there is a genetic predisposition coupled with many little moments. The solution to maintaining a healthy weight is not that simple.

Anyway, I found that part of the book unrealistic. I was a...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is great! I have to commend Lisa Pazer and Lynn Beiderman on their quick, witty, fresh prose style. Well-crafted, dynamic, relevant. Being an eighth-grade English teacher and a parent of a 12 and 16 year-old, I've read many YA lit pieces. I think this one fits into the must-read for 2011 category due to its "chic" and dare I say risky subject matter. Pazer and Beiderman took the battle of the bulge to the limits with this one, while steering clear of any type of prescriptive or "preach...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Izzy G. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Teenage Waistland is a support group for obese teens undergoing the Lap Band weight loss surgery. Marcie struggles not just with a big body size, but a big mouth, ultra-thin remarried mother, and super-skinny stepsister. Bobbie wants to lose the weight, but it means he won't be able to play football anymore, which will disappoint his dad. And East has the toughest situation of all - dark and morbid herself, she lives by herself with her depressed mom who refuses to leave her bed. These three tee...more Teenage Waistland is a support group for obese teens undergoing the Lap Band weight loss surgery. Marcie struggles not just with a big body size, but a big mouth, ultra-thin remarried mother, and super-skinny stepsister. Bobbie wants to lose the weight, but it means he won't be able to play football anymore, which will disappoint his dad. And East has the toughest situation of all - dark and morbid herself, she lives by herself with her depressed mom who refuses to leave her bed. These three teens become friends, but through a fourth girl in their support group - energetic, enthusiastic Char. Except Char's hiding a secret, one that could change everything.

This book was written from three perspectives, Marcie, Bobbie, and East. Each was raw and honest, sucking me in with their no-holds-barred stories. The cover may look fluffy and cute, but this is in no way the case for the actual content. The three teens have their own emotional tales to tell, and I found myself enraptured by every one.

Marcie had a biting wit that led to one-liners that could crack me up and a certain scene that left me in hysterics, but beneath her cynicism was a lot of pain that made me feel for her. Bobbie seemed like a typical jock on the outside, proving through his budding romance with Char that he was actually sweet and gentle. It was easy to relate to him, what with the pressure he felt from everyone to continue playing football but his own disgust for his body. East had the most heart-rending story of the group. Her voice could be somewhat overly dark and depressing in places, but it was understandable given her struggles with her shell of a mother.

TEENAGE WAISTLAND was initially slow going for me, but the deeper in the story I sunk, the more addicted I became. By the end, I found myself completely immersed in the world of Marcie, Bobbie, East, and Char every time I cracked the book open, especially as twists showed up to bend everything around. This was a book I didn't expect to like as much as I did, and provided a pleasant surprise. Although it could be heavy on the emotions, I wouldn't call this a particularly dark book - there were several scenes that lightened things up, and the ending, while on the too-perfect side, wraps everything up nicely. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a read that's not fluffy while straying away from depressing.(less)

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Nov 28, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Eating for comfort is just the tip of the iceberg for this group of obese teens. They've each qualified for a weight loss trial surgery - the Land-Band procedure is currently available only for adults. With this trial, the teens are required to keep a journal, write down a truthful account of their food intake, and attend weekly group therapy sessions, as the surgery is only a tool and not a solution.

Told in alternative perspectives, Marcie, East,...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Caitlin Trepp rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bestseller-popular, fat-fiction, suburbia, young-adult, read-2011

Not without merit; some of the backgrounds (of the characters) are more complex than they (at first) appear, and the way the book switches from POV to POV helps to make them appear pretty "straightforward". There is significant character growth, and an interesting way that the characters end up interacting. Teenage Waistland is not a perfect book, and is a bit of a slow start due to how privileged most of the characters are. I got something out of it though, and there were definitely parts that...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Connie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: eating-disorders, teen, 2011

If you are considering reading this book, you can skip it. The writing is totally off (something just doesn't feel right) and the dialog completely inauthentic. I'm actually surprised I finished it, but since I did I guess there was something to the plot that kept me going.

The teens of Teenage Waistland are all part of a support group for lap band surgery patients; the actual procedure and the why-you-eat support group parts were interesting. So I guess there's that.

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Nov 05, 2012 Cecelia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Ok well i just want to say that when i first started this book i thought that it was going to be funny and non-serious (and some parts were...and a little bit innapropriate). But as it went on, i found myself being sucked into the characters journeys. There were parts that made me cry and others that had me cracking up. I definitely think this was a good read.

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Jan 13, 2011 Zelda Aquarius rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Couldn't put it down. My daughter brought it home from her school's book fair. I snuck it away from her to read it because I was enticed by the topic. I've never seen a book about lapband surgery...especially YA literature. I'm glad I picked it up. My daughter's reading it now. Haha... I got to it first!

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Jan 10, 2011 Akilah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really 2.5 stars. I liked the beginning and the premise, but once the secrets are revealed, there is a bounty of exclamation points and loads of crying, and I wasn't moved by any of it. So half of the book I liked, the other half was just okay. Also, I kind of had to force myself to finish reading it, so.

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Jan 06, 2011 Ginag rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thank you Stargazer for recommending this to my mom. She gave it to me for Christmas and I just finished it. It rocked my world! There's not nearly enough fiction with overweight protagonists who are actually cool and have typical teen issues. It's a giant step forward for young adult literature.

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Apr 15, 2012 Jenie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, good-reads-for-teens, lifestyles, solid-reads, teen-reads

Solid look at teen obesity and the emotional causes of overeating. I think it oversimplifies a bit and did not fully realistically handle a few things, or I would give it 4 stars. Still, I think it's well-written and deals responsibly with all its subject matter. I would recommend this book for any teen or young adult struggling with weight, eating disorders or emotionally-motivated issues or addictions.

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Feb 25, 2013 Amy! rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fat, friendship, realistic-not-fantasy-ya

The story got a little sappy/touchy feely, especially towards the end with everyone crying all the time, but it also sucked me in right from the start. My husband had to literally pry it from my fingers so I'd go do some homework.

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Jan 16, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Decent book, although it gets a little melodramatic in the end. Deals honestly with the struggles overweight teens have to deal with and the desire to be skinny but not wanting to deal with the issues that lead to the weight.

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Jan 28, 2011 Penelope rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an excellent read. Marcie, Char, East and Bobby are so believable and I got really attached to their stories. I think teen obesity is a sensitive subject to tackle, but the authors did a really good job.

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Feb 16, 2012 Rakisha rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I tried to read this book as I'm wont to read all young adult titles that feature fat kids either overcoming their weight (by losing weight) or fat kids accepting themselves as is. There have a been a slew of these over the past few years, and I've been chomping through them all. Most of them, I can't stand. I understand that I'm not the target audience but I don't like the over use of snark, slang, brand names or text language in my books. It takes me completely out of the story. Also, unlikabl...more

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About Lynn Biederman

I’ve worked as a waitress (best job ever), an insurance broker (worst), a Macy’s department manager (the discounts!), a child abuse litigator (heartbreaking), an adoption lawyer (most rewarding), a journalist for a nationally syndicated sounds-of-nature radio show (very cool), and an elementary and high school librarian (biggest inspiration for writing). The opening line of my co-authored Young Ad...more

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