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Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 6,395 ratings · 608 reviews

Sarah Byrnes and Eric have been friends for years. When they were children, his fat and her terrible scars made them both outcasts. Later, although swimming slimmed Eric, she stayed his closest friend.

Now Sarah Byrnes -- the smartest, toughest person Eric has ever known -- sits silent in a hospital. Eric must uncover the terrible secret she's hiding, before its dark curren...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published March 18th 2003 by Greenwillow Books (first published March 1st 1993)

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Oct 29, 2011 Jess Michaelangelo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, own

This was such an excellent read! I'm honestly surprised that Chris Crutcher is not a more prominent name in YA literature because he's one of the better ones that I've ever read. He is really an amazing writer, and I'm glad that my professor had us read this book.

Crutcher knows how to craft a very good line, and he uses his words effectively. There were some really gut-wrenching lines in this book. He gets in the heart of his character and stays there, creating the distinctive voice of the witt...more

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Oct 01, 2007 Echo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult

I read Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes when I was taking a young adult literature class in college. I'd just finished reading Chinese Handcuffs, also by Crutcher, and even though I'm not interested in sports at all, I really enjoyed it. Feeling in the mood for some more angst, but wary of the emphasis on sports in a lot of his books, I decided swimming would be an interesting sport to read about and picked up Staying Fat. It wasn't bad. In fact, it was very similar to other books of Crutcher's I've...more

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Aug 11, 2008 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel is a heart-wrenching, very real novel of two best friends that stayed close for so long due to their alienated qualities. Makes me think twice about how I treat people in all settings. Chris Crutcher is definitely worth while.

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Jun 19, 2007 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I believe I read this book while in high school, but picked it up at Borders again.

This Crutcher story focuses on Eric Calhoun, a high school student who was formerly "the fat kid," and his friend Sarah Byrnes. Sarah is a special person - Eric knows this immediately. To everyone else, though, she's the girl with the scars on her face - allegedly from pulling a pot of boiling water on herself at a young age.

When Eric joins the swim team and begins to slim down, he attempts to eat twice as much, j...more

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Apr 14, 2008 Jon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Engaging, heart-wrenching, and not my favorite Crutcher book. Sarah's plight, illustrated by her terrifying burn scars, coupled with her dad's evil nature, make me want to run the other way at times. Not that the characters are melodramatic--Crutcher's constant deftness with elucidating the human psyche prevents that--just too much pathos all at once. And then you have the sub-plot involving ultra-irritating Mark Brittain's emotional abuse of his girlfriend. Jeez, Crutch, were you, like, a thera...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Alexis rated it 5 of 5 stars

I rate Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes by Chris Crutcher a 5 out of 5 stars.

Eric Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes are different from others and they both know that, through Sarah’s scarred face, and Eric being overweight life wasn’t easy, but they made a promise to remain close friends. Sarah has to be a strong, independent person because of her past, but ends up folding under pressure. Yet she must remain quiet from the beast who scares her the most, her dad. It’s up to Eric to find a way to get her awa...more I rate Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes by Chris Crutcher a 5 out of 5 stars.

Eric Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes are different from others and they both know that, through Sarah’s scarred face, and Eric being overweight life wasn’t easy, but they made a promise to remain close friends. Sarah has to be a strong, independent person because of her past, but ends up folding under pressure. Yet she must remain quiet from the beast who scares her the most, her dad. It’s up to Eric to find a way to get her away from Sarah’s dad, keep her safe, but there are always obstacles that stand in the way from safety.

The thing I loved the most about Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes was how Chris Crutcher made it seem so real, and easily seen in your head what was going on in the text. Like for instance, when she writes how the CAT class talks about abortion and suicide, you can just hear the thoughts and reactions being based on real knowledge or on the what the Bible say toward those real topics. She makes it clear that the kids emotions toward abortions are serious things to think about, because there many different takes on what is right and what is wrong. When I read that I even reacted in my head what I thought what was being said absurd, or agreeable to me. Also going along with how Chris makes it clear that Eric deeply cares for Sarah Brynes in an unbelievable manner. I could see how she wrote that Eric grabs her hip, and holds her close, or Eric pulls Sarah close hugging each other, crying. I can feel the emotions he has for Sarah, and they are deeply in love for a friend.

I think this book would interest really any reader looking for a good book, with a thrill, friendly love, and personal views on widely common topics. Crutcher can make it from a man’s perspective, a biblical perspective, and even a woman’s perspective on things. Like the thoughts coming from Eric and how he would react, what the bible says on suicide, and abortions, and even a the girl’s point of view having to get an abortion. The book comes with a thrill of not knowing what to expect next, or even thinking that would happen, but I will not give anything away in that sense. (less)

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May 16, 2013 Baxtejon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes Book Review
My rating for the book Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes written by Chris Crutcher is a four out of five stars.

This book is about an overweight high school senior named Eric whose best friend is a girl named Sarah Byrnes. When they were both young, they became friends because Sarah had terrible scars on her face because of an accident and Eric was overweight so the thing they had in common was that they were both outcasts. Sarah is now silent in a hospital and...more

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May 16, 2013 MiQuel Woody rated it 4 of 5 stars

I rated this book four stars because I really liked this book. I liked the story because it wasn't a very traditional plot, but because it was a fresh one. I would say that my favorite is Eric because how he was dealing with his life and how he as a character evolves throughout the story. He was so sincere in helping out Sarah, who is the co-main character in this story.

I enjoy the flashbacks because it helps me find out some background information to help put the story together for a better un...more

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May 15, 2013 Rebecca Clausing rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I picked up this book by Chris Crutcher I thought it was going to be a cheesy novel that was a quick read. It wasn’t as cheesy as I thought it could have been, but it was still an easy read that didn’t have a ton of depth. However I did enjoy reading this novel. It had some scary situations that I would never want to encounter. The characters were brave and fought for what they wanted which is one thing that I liked. I also liked the fact that it was told by a guy and it still showed emotio...more When I picked up this book by Chris Crutcher I thought it was going to be a cheesy novel that was a quick read. It wasn’t as cheesy as I thought it could have been, but it was still an easy read that didn’t have a ton of depth. However I did enjoy reading this novel. It had some scary situations that I would never want to encounter. The characters were brave and fought for what they wanted which is one thing that I liked. I also liked the fact that it was told by a guy and it still showed emotion. I wouldn’t normally expect that out of a male narrator, so I wasn’t pleasantly surprised. I also liked how the characters always had something bigger that motivated them to do what they did.

This book has plenty of opportunities for the reader to feel scared. I won’t share the details because that might ruin the story for you. There is lots of pain and worry that goes on through this story. When there was something that went wrong, the characters always felt strongly about the actions happening in the book. They were also willing to take some risks to get what they believed was right. Even if that meant putting themselves in harm’s way. The main characters trusted each other and got through the scary times together. That is something that I really admire, because there are times that I don’t trust my closest friends with the latest gossip, so I don’t know if I would be able to trust them with my deepest darkest secrets.

The person who leads us through this story is a male, yet they show more emotion than guys do at least when talking to me. Maybe that’s just me, but this guy seemed to have that extra something that makes guys great. Yes he was once an outcast too, but he stood by the schools ugliest person even when she showed nothing towards him. He even stuck by her when she showed hatred towards him. Now that can take some dedication. This guy also was willing to stand up for what he believed in, in a way that didn’t get in everyone’s faces, yet still got the point across. I personally think this is the best method when it comes to having opinions, so that made me like this guy. I also liked how he put emotion into his actions.

These emotions made him a much more realistic. They made him seem like a real person that acted on their feelings rather than only using rational thinking. And it wasn’t just the main character that acted on their emotions. Pretty much every character showed that they had something bigger motivating them to do the things they were doing. I thought that this was the best part of the book. The plot could become a bit over the top and unrealistic, but the fact that every character had some motivation to do what they were doing made it me like it.

I did enjoy reading this somewhat cheesy novel that was a bit predictable. However since I was not expecting anything too different from this book when I picked it up, that didn’t really effect my opinion of the book. I would recommend this to someone who wants a light and easy read and is not expecting something that will make them contemplate their life meaning before the end of the book.
(less)

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May 15, 2013 Luke Cobbs rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I first started reading this book I did not like it because it was kind of confusing. It kept switching from Eric's middle school year to his senior year. So it was hard to tell what was going on, and because of that I didn't really want to keep reading since I didn't even really know what i was reading. But I did read on and it got less confusing and a lot better.

There were a couple things in this book that really suprised because i did not expect them at all. For example Sarah's dad turne...more

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May 14, 2013 Paigeg rated it 4 of 5 stars

I gave the book Chris Crutcher's Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes a 4 out of 5 star rating. The reason I gave the book its rating was, because of the way its written. It’s unique, because it makes you think differently. There were certain parts in the book that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. The places of the story that doesn't make sense in the beginning slowly started to slide into place. In chapters 14-19 in my opinion are better in a sense. These chapters show more action and are easier to un...more

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May 09, 2013 Katy Graham rated it 3 of 5 stars

In this book it talked about how Eric being best friends with Sarah Byrnes and how they stuck together by there ugly fetures. With Sarah having scares all over her face an Eric being very overweight is what kept there friendship together. That is until one day in class Sarah stops talking and won't say one word to anybody. She is put in a hospital and Eric comes to vists her almost everyday and he is the only person Sarah will talk to. Later on Eric finds out that Sarahs burns are really from he...more

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May 07, 2013 Nixtjac rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, young-adult

My overall rating for Chris Crutcher’s Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes is a 4 out of 5 stars.

Sarah Byrnes and Eric have been friends for a long time. So when Sarah Byrnes is in the hospital, Eric naturally is at her side. But while visiting her every day Eric notices that she is carrying a secret, and he is determined to find out what it is. Although finding this secret out might put him in danger.

What I found most enjoyable about this novel is Crutcher’s ability to show how tough Sarah Byrnes is....more

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Apr 29, 2013 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

My rating for the book, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher, is 4 out of 5 stars.

Eric has been friends with Sarah Byrnes since grade school. Both being social outcasts, him for his large exterior and her for her terrible burn scars, they band together and take on all the obstacles of adultance. But once Eric begins to swim and slim down he gains more and more attention which threatens his odd relationship with Sarah. Now that Sarah Byrnes is placed in the hospital for strange psycholo...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I give Chris Crutcher’s Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes 5 out of 5 rating. Sarah Byrnes tragic accident that happened 15 years before her 18th birthday had left her in quite the struggle with fitting in. Eric, Sarah Byrnes only friend, is trying to uncover the dark secret she is hiding that had left her sitting silent in a hospital. To uncover this secret Sarah Byrnes had been hiding for so long, Eric must get her to trust other people, which is hard for Sarah Byrnes to do after what her father did...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Eric and Sarah have been friends for years. They made the perfect team of outcasts, since Eric was fat and Sarah has horrible burn scars on her face and hands because of a childhood accident. In high school, Eric starts swimming competitively and slimming down, but Sarah can’t change her appearance. Now she’s in a psychiatric ward in a catatonic state, and Eric desperately wants to help her get better, but he still has to deal with all the high school drama he faces every day and pursue the girl...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Rae rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have to start with my librarian perspective: I picked this off of my middle school library shelves and I have to say that I can't imagine any of my middle school students getting through this book. The vocabulary is dense, the word play is frequent, and the idioms are obscure.

Now, my perspective as a lover of good books: This was an enjoyable book and I could definitely see myself loving it as a high school student. It covers a breadth of issues, from religion and abortion to bullying and chil...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Cassie Sonnenberg rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is a slow starter, and at first, I thought it was going to be a pretty typical story of high school outcasts: the fat kid and the badly scarred girl who are best friends provide each other a sanctuary from the rest of the world. Midway through, though, the book gets into some pretty heady issues: suicide, abortion, religion, child abuse. The characters' experiences and the way Crutcher tells them definitely make the reader think -- especially the in=class argument about abortion and re...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Carhyne rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was sad and depressing but it also made me think about my beliefs as a citizen and about wether or not I am going to project my beliefs unto other’s around me. Within this book they juggled some serious topics such as religion, abortion, suicide and shame. While reading this book it sort of made me think about these everyday things that may pass us by or things we don’t really think about happening to us. Religion came up a lot within this book and it kept coming up because it seemed...more This book was sad and depressing but it also made me think about my beliefs as a citizen and about wether or not I am going to project my beliefs unto other’s around me. Within this book they juggled some serious topics such as religion, abortion, suicide and shame. While reading this book it sort of made me think about these everyday things that may pass us by or things we don’t really think about happening to us. Religion came up a lot within this book and it kept coming up because it seemed that every opinion came back to wether or not you believe that god is a fair person or if everyone is equal. In this book a great question was asked. “..., do you know why our constitution advocates a division between and state?” I contemplated that question a lot before I continued to read and then I realized that the 2 have to be separated or else things just aren’t right. What if while at school you have people pushing their religion down your throat. Then the whole system would be off because then you would spend more time debating about what’s right and what’s wrong and nothing would get done and then things would get physical and things would just get out of hand, it would be terrible and the 2 just don’t go together.
This book was just about two friends that met when they were younger. The girl was named Sarah Byrnes (a name of irony seeing that her face and hands were completely burned). Her “best friend’s” name was Eric Calhoune. When they met he was being bullied and she had no problem sticking up for the fat kid. But as they got older Eric learned to swim and started losing the weight and everything changed but he doesn't want it to change. Then his best friend ended up a nut house and he has to try to figure out why she is in there and why she no longer talks but him trying to figure that out means going into her past finding out why she looks the way she looks and acts the way she acts. It wasn't easy for eric though because Sarah Brynes’ crazy father is out to stop Eric from finding out the truth; at any costs.

My favorite part of the book... I think it would have to be the part when Sarah Byrnes basically cuts into the super religious kid in their class when he decides to say that all people are equal. But she doesn’t believe that because if all people were equal then she wouldn't look like that and people wouldn't ignore her because of the way she looks. The whole scene was very intellectually challenging because as you’re reading you’re also thinking about what this is saying about religious people and about the flaws in people’s belief’s and whether or not there are flaws in my beliefs and beliefs being taught to me . (less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Mrs. Reed rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kidbooks

I was intrigued by the premise of this story: two kids base their friendship around their shared outcast status, Eric's because of his weight, Sarah's because of her severely scarred skin. I knew that Eric was going to "stay fat" in order to make Sarah feel like she had someone who was her friend, and I expected that to be the main struggle of the story.

Instead, this book is much more than that. The part about Eric wanting to "stay fat" happens only in flashback. By the time the main part of thi...more

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May 15, 2012 Matthew Baum rated it 5 of 5 stars

Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes was one of the best books I have ever read. The constant conflict, cliff hangers, and and jaw dropping moments keep this book exciting. I also loved the characters in this book. Every character is so unique and so realistic, I almost became attached to some of the character during this book. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is about the story of two teenage misfits, Eric and Sarah, who work their way through middle and high school. Sarah has a burnt face which leads to l...more

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May 02, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: swimming, relationships, ya-lit, male-protagonist, lis-722, high-school, fiction, coming-of-age

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes follows a character with the nickname "Moby" (as in the whale). Moby's best friend, Sarah Byrnes, is in a psych ward and he doesn't know why or how to help her. He does know that she's got horrible burned on her face from an accident as a child, that she's got a horribly mean father who scares the living daylights out of him, that Jody Mueller just might decide to date him if she would ever break up with his nemesis Mark Brittain, that Contemporary American Thought c...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Michelle Merritt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Summary:

Eric Calhoune. Stereotype: loser. Bestfriend? Sarah Byrnes. Her stereotype: scarred. An unlikely story of two friends facing the world and the dangers that it holds. Eric was fat, Sarah was burned. Boom, friendship. But as they grew older, Eric wasn't so fat anymore, but Sarah was still burned. He was on the swim team. She lived with her horrible father. One day, Sarah shut down. No talking, hardly moving, and she was sent to a psychiatric hospital. Eric came and visited her everyday. Tu...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Wing Kit rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 11th-grade-books

Friends stay true for each other and this can be more shown through this book. Sarah and Eric have been segregated from others because of their physical features. Eric is fat and Sara doesn't look too appealing. Things start to get complicated when Eric joins the swim team and starts to lose weight. One problem of losing weight would be that Sara and him would no longer share the same thing that made them friends. It is either losing weight or staying fat for Eric now.

I found this book interest...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Libby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, for-my-boys, young-adult-fiction

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a profound story about loyalty and adversity. With his experience as a family therapist, Chris Crutcher knows and reveals the ugliness of cruelty, prejudice, and human suffering. He writes about issues like child abuse, abortion, depression and suicide with raw honesty. However, his books also show the beauty of personal strength, true compassion, and loyal friendship. His stories aren’t for readers who want a fairy tale version of the world, but his reality shows...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

If anyone is looking for a new hero I think it should be Sarah Byrnes. She has had a tough life and does something drastic to avoid more horror! I loved how Eric stood by her and did what he could to help her, even when things started to get dicey. I also loved that when Eric realized he was in over his head he went to a respected adult for help and she was able to do what was right and help Sarah instead of following the rules.

The other drama in the book was interesting. At times it seemed over...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Kayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is about a guy named Eric and his best friend Sarah Byrnes. Sarah was burned as a little girl so she makes everyone she meets call her Sarah Byrnes. One day Sarah goes nuts and ends up in the hopital. Eric visits her everyday trying to return her to normal. He discovers things from her past that might help. He searches for answers where they least expect it.
People who love suspense and mystery would like this book. Throughout the book, mystery overtakes you. You won't be able to put...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Riley Conway rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ve long been a fan of Chris Crutcher. Deadline, Whale Talk, and his collection of short stories Athletic Shorts, are among my favorites. I decided this week to reread an oldie, but a goodie, one of his better-known novels, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. Originally published almost two decades ago, the novel has aged remarkably well and is as relevant and readable now as it was in 1993, managing to touch on such complex issues as adolescent obesity, bullying, conformity, pressure for perfection,...more I’ve long been a fan of Chris Crutcher. Deadline, Whale Talk, and his collection of short stories Athletic Shorts, are among my favorites. I decided this week to reread an oldie, but a goodie, one of his better-known novels, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. Originally published almost two decades ago, the novel has aged remarkably well and is as relevant and readable now as it was in 1993, managing to touch on such complex issues as adolescent obesity, bullying, conformity, pressure for perfection, abortion, religion, teen suicide, and child abuse (just to name a few) without 1) getting bogged down in too many ideas, and 2) seeming preachy, or even suggesting that there’s a perfect solution to any of these issues (or any solution at all).

The story, set in Spokane, Washington, is narrated by protagonist Eric Calhoune, a formerly obese teen who slims considerably after joining the school swim team (earning him, of course, the moniker Moby). Only catch, he’s concerned that his newfound slenderness and skill (and subsequent boost in popularity) will estrange him from his best friend Sarah Byrnes, who 1) is burned at age three when she (allegedly) pulls a pot of boiling spaghetti onto her face, and 2) insists on being called by her first and last name at all times because of the way her last name is pronounced (Byrnes=burns), hoping to forgo the latent potential for even more jokes at her expense when people make the ironic connection between her name and her face. So for a time, Eric eats extra, trying to stay fat. Sarah Byrnes tells him to knock it off, which he does, and they’re able to maintain their friendship, although in a slightly diminished capacity, if just for the fact that Eric spends a lot of time swimming.

But when Sarah Byrnes stops talking one day, stops communicating altogether, and she ends up in a juvenile psyche ward at the hospital, Eric is the only one to visit her. Well, Eric and Sarah Byrnes’s dad, but Eric is the only welcome visitor. Eric is sure she’s faking her stupor, but he doesn’t know why. She won’t talk, even to him. Dale, an enemy turned friend, indicates that the boiling pot of spaghetti story might not be entirely true—or true at all. Eric investigates, and when he discovers the truth, he faces some very difficult and dangerous decisions--and circumstances--to keep his friend safe.

Crutcher does many things well in this novel, but one of my favorite elements is how he weaves together the sublpots, which carry with them such emotional weight on their own but also make the punch—the climax and resolution—of the overall story so much stronger. Many of the subplots grow out of Eric’s experiences in his Contemporary American Thought (CAT) class with Ms. Lemry, his ally and swim coach. For instance, Eric has several run-ins with Mark Brittain, a teenage religious zealot, both in the pool and in the class, including a battle over Mark’s (ex-)girlfriend, who leaves him for Eric. Also, Mark has the vice-principal (who goes to his church) on his side, a man who’s been on Eric’s case since junior high.

With the exception of vice-principal Mautz, who’s a tad one-dimensional, Crutcher gives us real, living, breathing, complicated characters, wholly authentic and unpredictable. The bully. The religious zealot. The preacher. The single mother. The boyfriend of the single mother. All different than we expect them to be, either at first glance, or at last. Even the terrifying Mr. Byrnes, Sarah Byrnes’s father, is captivating. Trying to figure out what makes him tick is the scariest part of the novel.

And everything holds together so well (remember what I said about all of the subplots?). Eric (and we) are antagonized by Brittain, and his father, and Mautz just enough that Eric (and we) have the strength to get through what’s coming. And what’s coming is really bad. I even understand why Crutcher draws Mautz the way that he does. His pig-headedness allows the other characters to act in interesting and inspired ways, revealing their nuances, including Mark, Brittain, whose arc is among the most poignant elements of the novel.

Thematically, and even plot-wise, Sarah Byrnes reminds me of Until They Bring the Streetcars Back by Stanley Gordon West, a sort-of historical YA thriller that’s set in St. Paul. Although Streetcars is much darker, and has less comic relief. But I think Sarah Byrnes is emotionally heftier, and more satisfying, especially for male readers. It’s themes of friendship, shame, and courage, are subtle, but unmistakable.

And chapter five of this book absolutely breaks my heart. Ellerby, the son of an open-minded preacher, and a friend of Eric’s, brings a recording of the song "From a Distance" with him to class. They listen to it, and the class generally thinks it’s a nice, inspiring song. But Ellerby explains that what the song makes him think about his how far away God really is, and what He, She, or It actually thinks about us, sees of us. His belief is that God put things into motion, but doesn’t regularly interact with us, and that explains why “bad things” happen (to good or bad people) better than “God has a plan” or “it was meant to be” does. He uses Sarah Byrnes as an example. Did God do that to her? Allow it to happen to her? No. He says it’s out of God’s jurisdiction. How Sarah Byrnes is treated, though, that's firmly within the jurisdiction of humans. Ellerby talks about how, although he doesn’t recall ever being mean to Sarah Byrnes, he never, unlike Eric, ever gave her the time of day. And he could have.

So Ms. Lemry asks Ellerby, given the song and his speech, if his CAT project with be the juxtaposition of God and man in the universe.

He indicates it won’t. He says, "My subject will be shame.”

Recommended for boys ages 15-18. (less)

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Aug 24, 2011 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, teen

Wow, Chris Crutcher is a pretty awesome writer. The depths that he gets to in his books and how he is in touch with human feeling, particularly teen feelings is rather amazing when you think of it. At the same time he provides and engaging and action-packed story that doesn't overwhelm you with the brutality that the characters suffer but rather lets you deal with it because they can and do. While I have to say that this book contains some horrific things, it is not gratuitous and doesn't focus...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Cassandra Barboza rated it 4 of 5 stars

I value this book for many of it's ways of handling the big issues in a classroom. It shows that people take issues too far when there is extreme fanaticism. Some may say that the book has an agenda but I believe that it accurately portrays what goes on in some high school classrooms.It shows that many people are unable to accept or handle and opposing opinion.

The characters of Moby (Eric Calhoune) and Sarah burns are ideals of friendhip that should be promoted. Eric was a fat kid all of his li...more

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About Chris Crutcher

Chris Crutcher's writing is controversial, and has been frequently challenged and even banned by individuals who want to censor his books by removing them from libraries and classrooms. Running Loose and Athletic Shorts were on the ALA's top 100 list of most frequently challenged books for 1990-2000. His books generally feature teens coping with serious problems, including abusive parents, racial...more

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“From a distance,' he says, 'my car looks just like every other car on the freeway, and Sarah Byrnes looks just like the rest of us. And if she's going to get help, she'll get it from herself or she'll get it from us. Let me tell you why I brought this up. Because the other day when I saw how hard it was for Mobe to go to the hospital to see her, I was embarrassed that I didn't know her better, that I ever laughed at one joke about her. I was embarrassed that I let some kid go to school with me for twelve years and turned my back on pain that must be unbearable. I was embarrassed that I haven't found a way to include her somehow the way Mobe has.'

Jesus. I feel tears welling up, and I see them running down Ellerby's cheeks. Lemry better get a handle on this class before it turns into some kind of therapy group.

So,' Lemry says quietly, 'your subject will be the juxtaposition of man and God in the universe?'

Ellerby shakes his head. 'My subject will be shame.” — 24 people liked it

“It's a scary thing; moving on. Part of me wishes life were more predictable and part of me is excited that it's not. I think it's impossible to tell the good things from the bad things while they're happening.” — 6 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51740.Staying_Fat_for_Sarah_Byrnes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348264665l/51740.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51740.Staying_Fat_for_Sarah_Byrnes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher[/url]

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

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