Citation:
Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big
Round Things. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2003. Print.
Annotation:
Virginia is stuck surrounded by family and classmates who
all seem perfect and skinny while she sees herself as fat and ugly.
Things change when her brother gets in trouble and she finds new strength.
Nomination Justification:
I thought this book was clever and brutally honest in how YA
often see themselves when they start the comparing game. It can be so hard to
feel you measure up and quite a freeing shock to finally see how no one else
has got it all right either. Virginia has very common body issues that many
other teens have no matter what they look like. This is such a big problem
considering the saturation level of photoshopped “perfect” bodies splashed
across every available surface. Virginia does come off as a depressing
character but it’s done with such rich humor it’s bearable. I personally would
like to believe that her mother, a child psychologist, would be more in tune to
how harmful her comments were to her daughter but the force is strong in that
one in regards to denial. I’m not sold on the need for the brother’s trouble as
a catalyst for some book events though. I think there were enough family
dynamics already in play without bringing that plot in to it. Still, I think YA
can find solace in how Virginia finally did see she was in control of her body
and self. The message of independence from family and old idea plays out well
in this book and thus earns my nod.
Genre:
Printz, Humor, Coming of Age, Realisitic/Edgy
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