For every person told they would be 'beautiful, if only they weren't big.' Realistic middle grade novel about learning to not only love yourself but also how to stand up for yourself.

Ellie is constantly being bullied at home and at school for being overweight. Her father is her ally and sets her up with a therapist. During these sessions and with the help of a new friend, Ellie learns to defend herself at school and stand up to her biggest critic, her mother. My heart broke for Ellie as she dealt with bullying but I rejoiced as she found her voice and her worth. Excellent!!

This was an engrossing read; I was even stealthily reading it while traversing between hiking trails. It is also a very hard read; bullying can take many forms and come from many different people, including those who should be closet to you such as a parent or sibling. When you hear words (even out of hurtful ignorance) from someone who should love and support you, those words can stick with you for a very, very long time. Definitely would hand to a middle grader, but also to parents as a way to discuss issues related to weight, childhood, and obesity that are very much a part of our (United States at least) society.

Everyone should read this book. The things we put others through, put ourselves through, are so heavy. This is a book I needed as a child. So many points that made me stop and think. I am going to need a class set of this one!

I absolutely adored this. I think it can offer up so much hope to young people trying to find space for themselves in this world. What is so different about Starfish is how much is focused on self image and worth and not offering up this magical scenario in the end when everyone is friends, damage erased. That used to be the easy out in middle grade and a reality so many kids never got to enjoy. But Ellie is learning to demand her respect, to value her own opinions of herself above those who belittle her, her growth is the triumph of the story. It's a story I wished I had when I was younger. An absolutely beautiful debut that belongs in every classroom.