What do you think?
Rate this book
Not Fat Because I Wanna Be
In her debut book "Not FAT Because I Wanna Be" 6-year-old, author/youth advocate, LaNiyah Bailey, details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates.
42 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2011
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 11, 2011
Jessica is a young girl who is what the kids call “different.” Can you guess why? One day, she is watching television with her mom. They see the President’s wife, Michelle Obama, who says that if kids eat healthy they won’t get obese. That makes Jessica sad because she eats healthy food but she’s still overweight. She has a medical condition which is causing her problem. At preschool, the other kids tease her about being fat. Even some of her teachers poke fun. One said, “Guess you have French fries every night for dinner.” Her mom and dad try to encourage her by reminding her that everyone is special and that she needs to value what’s on the inside of her while ignoring what she can’t change on the outside. Will Jessica learn how to handle the taunting and bullying? Will the other kids ever change their attitudes towards her? And will that new doctor be able to do anything to help?
Author LaNiyah Bailey is a six-year-old Kindergarten student who, due to various medical problems, has had to deal with being made fun of because she’s “different” and doesn’t look “normal,” just like the fictional Jessica. However, with the love and support of her family, she has overcome many obstacles and wants to share her story to let the world know that words can hurt and that people should look beyond what shows on the outside to see the true worth of those who may look different. This is a wonderful accomplishment for LaNiyah and a great reminder to both kids and adults not to judge others based on how they look. LaNiyah’s pledge is, “I am beautiful. I am loved. I will not let what others say define me. Bullying is not cool!!!” There is a Parent-Teacher Guide in the back of the book that has tips on the prevention of both obesity and bullying, questions and answers to spark discussion, some helpful links, and an invitation for children to e-mail LaNiyah their own stories. The copy of the book sent for me to review was a hardback edition, but a new paperback edition was published by CreateSpace in 2011. A Kindle edition is also available for download from Amazon.
Author LaNiyah Bailey is a six-year-old Kindergarten student who, due to various medical problems, has had to deal with being made fun of because she’s “different” and doesn’t look “normal,” just like the fictional Jessica. However, with the love and support of her family, she has overcome many obstacles and wants to share her story to let the world know that words can hurt and that people should look beyond what shows on the outside to see the true worth of those who may look different. This is a wonderful accomplishment for LaNiyah and a great reminder to both kids and adults not to judge others based on how they look. LaNiyah’s pledge is, “I am beautiful. I am loved. I will not let what others say define me. Bullying is not cool!!!” There is a Parent-Teacher Guide in the back of the book that has tips on the prevention of both obesity and bullying, questions and answers to spark discussion, some helpful links, and an invitation for children to e-mail LaNiyah their own stories. The copy of the book sent for me to review was a hardback edition, but a new paperback edition was published by CreateSpace in 2011. A Kindle edition is also available for download from Amazon.
August 22, 2011
Six-year-old LaNiyah is tired of being picked on by her classmates just because she’s different. Even though she eats a healthy diet, she’s still a big girl. She doesn’t know why until her new doctor runs some tests. With the love and support of her family, LaNiyah is able to share her story with her classmates, so they understand the “inside her.”
Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is a truly inspiring story that captures the importance of family love and support in tackling the issue of bullying and helping bullied kids to feel good about themselves. Six-year-old Bailey tells her story in the first person, which helps the reader connect with her and feel the emotions she feels as the book moves along. Your heart aches when you read the names she is called; just as much as it leaps for joy when her new doctor helps her understand what is going on with her body. You cheer for her when she courageously answers a mean classmate who asks why she is so fat. And you can’t help but smile when the same girl becomes her best friend.
The artwork is provided by Laura Perez Ricaud. She did a superb job in telling LaNiyah’s story in a visual way. From the cover to the very last page, her illustrations will captivate young readers and encourage questions and discussion points.
Not Fat Because I Wanna Be by LaNiyah Bailey needs to be in all our elementary schools and shared often. This book can help parents and educators open the door for discussions on tolerance and diversity. I highly recommend Not Fat Because I Wanna Be!
Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is a truly inspiring story that captures the importance of family love and support in tackling the issue of bullying and helping bullied kids to feel good about themselves. Six-year-old Bailey tells her story in the first person, which helps the reader connect with her and feel the emotions she feels as the book moves along. Your heart aches when you read the names she is called; just as much as it leaps for joy when her new doctor helps her understand what is going on with her body. You cheer for her when she courageously answers a mean classmate who asks why she is so fat. And you can’t help but smile when the same girl becomes her best friend.
The artwork is provided by Laura Perez Ricaud. She did a superb job in telling LaNiyah’s story in a visual way. From the cover to the very last page, her illustrations will captivate young readers and encourage questions and discussion points.
Not Fat Because I Wanna Be by LaNiyah Bailey needs to be in all our elementary schools and shared often. This book can help parents and educators open the door for discussions on tolerance and diversity. I highly recommend Not Fat Because I Wanna Be!
October 12, 2011
Not Fat Because I Wanna Be deals with a tough social issue that is plaguing our young people today. The issue is bullying. The main character, Jessica, is picked on because of her weight. In this story she learns to stand up for herself and how to educate others about her health issue. This book will be helpful for children who are victims of bullying and also give insight to those who bully others.
This book is a great educational tool that teaches a valuable lesson about treating others with dignity and not judging others by their looks. Parents and anyone that works with children should share this book with them. The Parent-Teacher Guide in the back of the book will encourage questions and discussions. There are also tips on how to prevent bullying and obesity.
My favorite part of the book is LaNiyah’s pledge. “I am beautiful. I am loved. I will not let what others say define me. Bullying is not cool!!!” The book is a little long so if being used for younger children it should be read in parts. What an awesome book written by an awesome girl!
This book is a great educational tool that teaches a valuable lesson about treating others with dignity and not judging others by their looks. Parents and anyone that works with children should share this book with them. The Parent-Teacher Guide in the back of the book will encourage questions and discussions. There are also tips on how to prevent bullying and obesity.
My favorite part of the book is LaNiyah’s pledge. “I am beautiful. I am loved. I will not let what others say define me. Bullying is not cool!!!” The book is a little long so if being used for younger children it should be read in parts. What an awesome book written by an awesome girl!
March 12, 2012
Young author LaNiyah Bailey writes a very moving story. In a courageous manner she addresses the issues of bullying and childhood obesity. She is an overweight child and both kids and adults at her school tease her about her weight. She learns the hard way that the saying "Sticks and Stones..." is not true.
LaNiyah is afflicted with a medical condition that causes her weight to be elevated. She eats healthy foods and despite this she is bloated. She sees a doctor who does tests and xrays. He is able to help her. As she explains this to the other children, they slowly begin to accept her for who she is, not what she looks like. An important lesson for all of us.
LaNiyah is a beautiful and courageous child. To utilize her pain and suffering and create such a wonderful educational tool is an act to be commended.
LaNiyah writes a pledge at the end of the book, I think it is important enough to copy here:
"I AM BEAUTIFUL, I AM LOVED
I WILL NOT LET WHAT OTHERS SAY DEFINE ME
BULLYING IS NOT COOL!!!"
LaNiyah is afflicted with a medical condition that causes her weight to be elevated. She eats healthy foods and despite this she is bloated. She sees a doctor who does tests and xrays. He is able to help her. As she explains this to the other children, they slowly begin to accept her for who she is, not what she looks like. An important lesson for all of us.
LaNiyah is a beautiful and courageous child. To utilize her pain and suffering and create such a wonderful educational tool is an act to be commended.
LaNiyah writes a pledge at the end of the book, I think it is important enough to copy here:
"I AM BEAUTIFUL, I AM LOVED
I WILL NOT LET WHAT OTHERS SAY DEFINE ME
BULLYING IS NOT COOL!!!"
August 21, 2011
Product Description
In her debut book "Not FAT Because I Wanna Be" 6 year old, author/youth advocate, LaNiyah Bailey, details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates.
My Review: It's important to take bullying seriously and not just brush it off as something that kids. Looking different do not give anyone the right to be picked on. If you or someone you know is bothered by a bully, talk to someone you trust. This is a great book for parents to read to their children and for teachers to share with their students, to educate them about bullies and the signs of bullying. Highly recommend this book.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
In her debut book "Not FAT Because I Wanna Be" 6 year old, author/youth advocate, LaNiyah Bailey, details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates.
My Review: It's important to take bullying seriously and not just brush it off as something that kids. Looking different do not give anyone the right to be picked on. If you or someone you know is bothered by a bully, talk to someone you trust. This is a great book for parents to read to their children and for teachers to share with their students, to educate them about bullies and the signs of bullying. Highly recommend this book.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews