How often do you find yourself looking in the mirror? And smiling at what you see? More likely, you're thinking what you see is: Fat, Ugl...
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Feb 24, 2009
K
rated it: 
Very hit and miss. What's with the red, white, and blue? I liked the Sara Zarr and Daniel Pinkwater stories. He seems fun like an old fashioned wit. I would've preferred short memoirs instead or short boring stories.
The Supplementary section is awful.
The Supplementary section is awful.
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Dec 30, 2008
Jennifer
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Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com
With fourteen stories and personal essays written by popular authors such as Sara Zarr, Carolyn Mackler, Ellen Hopkins, and more, this book is quite amazing. The stories all focus on the weight and body image issues that most everyone has at one point in their life.
Whether it's feeling overweight or thinking you're too skinny, how you feel that your breasts are either way too small or way too big, everyone has issues with their More...
With fourteen stories and personal essays written by popular authors such as Sara Zarr, Carolyn Mackler, Ellen Hopkins, and more, this book is quite amazing. The stories all focus on the weight and body image issues that most everyone has at one point in their life.
Whether it's feeling overweight or thinking you're too skinny, how you feel that your breasts are either way too small or way too big, everyone has issues with their More...
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Sep 01, 2011
Laurie
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Loved it. I was very big from about 3rd grade until the end of 8th grade. My sister called me beached whale. You get the picture. It's a tough thing to live with, and it stays with you even if you get thin. I liked all the perspectives shown though the short stories in this book. Some of my favorite authors contributed.
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Mar 01, 2010
From my 2009 books LJ:
Finally, The Best-Intentioned Book that Manages To Be Much Less Than Its Highlights Suggest It Should Be:
- Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? ed. by Marissa Walsh. Also possibly winner of worst title ever. The highlights for me were Daniel Pinkwater's cheerful and self-accepting essay about being the F-word. Fat. Indeed he writes 10 'fat's in a row, in the midst of explaining that it's the one word you can't say. The other was Sara Zarr's 'It Is Good', More...
Finally, The Best-Intentioned Book that Manages To Be Much Less Than Its Highlights Suggest It Should Be:
- Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? ed. by Marissa Walsh. Also possibly winner of worst title ever. The highlights for me were Daniel Pinkwater's cheerful and self-accepting essay about being the F-word. Fat. Indeed he writes 10 'fat's in a row, in the midst of explaining that it's the one word you can't say. The other was Sara Zarr's 'It Is Good', More...
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Dec 27, 2008
CJ
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I liked many of the essays in this book. Some of them were a little too fantasy-world, but most of them made me think. When I finished it, I went to my mother and put the book in her hands. She's had body image issues her whole life - thinking she isn't thin enough - so I told her to put down anything else she was reading and read this. It goes to my teenage daughter next.
May 31, 2009
Glenda
rated it:
Again, I'm a big fan of the short story genre, and I think that all teen girls should be required to read this one. We lose them. They think that they are too fat, too skinny, too stupid, too shy, pick your adjective. And these beautiful, funny, clever and wonderful girls get lost. Oh, honey! You are so much better than what you know.
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Mar 27, 2009
Thinking a lot about body image lately, especially in the health at any size/self acceptance sort of way. This book of short stories traverses all the uncomfortable bits and arrives in various self accepting places. A good one for teens, probably mostly girls, though there are stories about boys here, too.
Nov 14, 2009
Maria
rated it:
A lot of the stories in the book are very well written. Some really got me thinking about how people actually sometimes see their body. All of the stories are very grabbing and all different in so many ways! This book is something everyone should read or atleast try. There's a story in the book for everyone!
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Jun 30, 2009
Kelli
rated it:
The school librarian asked me to read this book to preview if it's appropriate for our middle school library. I'd say no, but there are some good stories in it. My favorite story from the book is "Circumferentially Challenged" by Daniel Pinkwater.
Sep 26, 2009
Julie (julie37619)
rated it:
Not phenomenal or life-changing or anything, but a fun, quick read. Cute short stories, maybe they would have seemed deeper to me as a teenager, but for the most part they seemed to be fun, lighthearted looks at body issues faced by teenagers. I'd give more stars, but it's only been a week since I read it and I have no good memory of any of the stories.
Nov 05, 2011
Valerie
rated it: 
I really like this book.
Ellen Hopkins, Sara Zarr, Carolyn Mackler, and the title quickly drew me to this book. While some of the essays and short stories seemed ...blah, most of them were AMAZING.
Ellen Hopkins, Sara Zarr, Carolyn Mackler, and the title quickly drew me to this book. While some of the essays and short stories seemed ...blah, most of them were AMAZING.
Jun 19, 2009
Stephanie
rated it:
This is a collection of short stories about body image. Some are fictional and some are personal accounts. There's even a poem and a comic. It is consistently checked out from the book display.
May 27, 2011
Jenny
rated it:
The awesome author of this sent a copy to me before it even came out and I somewhat just realized over 2 years later that I haven't reviewed the book yet. Oops! I apologize. I did read it shortly after receiving it. One of the best (if not the best) title of all time. Body image is one of the main topics of this book but I have to admit that I actually did feel fat while reading this b/c to me all of the authors sounded very skinny (they listed their shirt sizes). I don't have the book handy but
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Jul 02, 2009
Chris
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Book of short stories about weight and body image. A lot of thought provoking stuff. A good YA book. Lots of different styles-comic strip, verse, author memoirs, fiction.
Mar 27, 2009
Elizabeth
rated it:
A collection of essays and stories from authors like Ellen Hopkins, Sarra Manning, and Barry Lyga. This book is sad and funny and smart and wise--in short--So. Good.
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Aug 04, 2011
Rachael
rated it:
Funny, dark, intelligent writing by people who know what it's like to be unhappy with their bodies and how to grow into them. Includes boss recommended reading, viewing and listening. Totally worth the time.
Jun 25, 2009
Lisa
rated it:
Such fluffy mind candy! The title was so funny I couldn't resist it at the library. Complete chic-lit, but the message was soothing and good. I enjoyed it.
Sep 04, 2009
Suzi
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I didn't read all the essays/stories, but the ones I did were great, esp. the one by Sara Zarr, called "It is Good."
Sep 01, 2010
Karen
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Not the book for me. It had that mix of fiction and non-fiction stories which I don't appreciate, and almost all were aimed at a younger audience than I am.
Mar 26, 2009
Amber
rated it:
Very good book. I think every women should read this book. It doesn't matter how old you are. It brings up issues that every women deal with body image.
Jan 15, 2011
Annie
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Terrific short pieces by many well-known authors about body image and self-esteem issues.
Apr 09, 2009
Anina
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Just typical, but if I were a teenage girl with fatness issues though, this would be nice comedic read. The Daniel Pinkwater one was amusing.
Nov 01, 2009
Kristi
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I enjoyed the last story by Coe Booth. Ellen Hopkins didn't live up to her full lenght novels, but I did enjoy it.
Aug 28, 2008
Eva
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These 14 contributions by various writers, mostly YA, vary wildly in tone and length. Some are short stories, some are essays, and some are semiautobiographical. Coe Booth's How to Tame a Wild Booty is fabulous, but most of the others I found only mildly entertaining to slightly dull. Fatness (or perceived fatness) seemed to be the predominating body image problem, although some contributions (such as Jaclyn Moriarty's surreal The Day Before Waterlily Arrived) explore other issues. All in al
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Jan 13, 2010
Tara
rated it:
I enjoyed this book. It was nice to see life from different perspectives on different body types. It is sad in a sense. I think teenage girl would enjoy this book
