Shannon's Mirror

by Luisa M. Perkins

15 yr old Shannon and her best friend Tracey have always done everything together - seminary, orchestra, book club, gymnastics. Before entering their sophomore year in high school, they decide to try something new, a diet from a fashion magazine. As the pounds come off, the girls are greeted with compliments from everyone around them, including guys.

But after a perfect run through of the floor routine she has prepared for a Statewide Gymnastics Championship, Shannon collapses and is rushed to the hospital. The diagnosis of cardiac arrest brough on by anorexia nervosa shocks her family, friends and most of all Shannon herself.

Obsessed with the belief that anything less than perfection is failure, Shannon Jensen strives to run faster than she is able. Shannon's Mirror explores a young girl's heartbreaking struggle with anorexia, its insidious causes, and its drastic consequences.

86 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Luisa M. Perkins is the author of Dispirited, published by Zarahemla Books in March 2012, and co-author of the novel The Book of Jer3miah, forthcoming from Shadow Mountain in August 2012.
Past publications include the cookbook Comfortably Yum and the LDS YA novel Shannon's Mirror. She has had numerous short stories and essays published in print and online. She has been a member of the Whitney Awards Committee for the past two years. She and her husband Patrick live with their six children in New York's Hudson Highlands.

Reviews

[OnTaya Acedo]

Shannon has everything going for her. She is smart, pretty, and an amazing gymnast. The summer before she enters high school, Shannon and her best friend decide to go on a diet. What starts out as a healthy diet soon spirals out of control as Shannon begins obsessing over her weight to the point where she becomes anorexic. Shannon never feels thin enough so she is constantly exercising and watching every little thing she eats. Eventually, Shannon isn't able to complete her daily tasks and ends up in the hospital where she begins her long road to recovery.

After hearing this story it really gave me a new perspective on anorexia. It's a sad disease and this book goes through her journey battling this disease. This book is written from a religious perspective and it is also very realistic. I love how it realistically portrays the battle against this disease. Shannon's recovery is not easy and it will be a life long battle for her. One thing I loved about the book is the ending is very unexpected. This book is a tearjerker, but I loved every minute of it!

There is no warning content for this book.

[Rachel Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is (if you couldn't guess by the books name) about a girl named Shannon. She is a Latter-day Saint and about to turn 16. She has everything going for her, the perfect body, perfect gymnest, and always gets good grades. However when her friend says that they should diet before the start of school she agrees. When her friend stops dieting Shannon doesn't. She is soon tumbling down a hill of anorexia.

I actually thought this book was pretty good. I was a little hesitant at first because it does get a little "mormony" it talks about her going to seminary, church, talking to the bishop etc. However, I think it shows that everyone goes through struggles and can be captured by the threat of anorexia without realizing. I think I would pass this book on to help girls out there who try to be too perfect.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 86 page slip of a book ambitiously covers eighteen months in an anorexic girl's life. The story is believable, for the most part, although a little rushed due to space constraints, and the characters, while consistent, are a little too perfect to seem like more than placeholders. The main character seems victimized by her anorexia from the beginning, which was a little off putting as well. Also, dialogue does a lot of heavy lifting to the detriment of narrative at times. I think more than anything, I'm not sure what the author wanted to say with the conversion of Chris to Mormonism juxtaposed by Shannon's desire to "be ye therefore perfect" which seems to drive her anorexia.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow.

This ending has always been a reason why this book has been remembered by me. Its heartbreaking and raw and IMPORTANT. Its real. Not many books end this way but im so glad that this one does. Its an important message and I reckon more people should read this. I remember the first time I read this about 17 years ago and how much it hit me emotionally and I will always remember it for that powerful impact.

[MaryKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at the pitfalls of perfectionism and the need for awareness of what's going on with the people in our lives.