The book Looks by Madeleine George is Realistic Fiction (from list on pg. 55 of class text) and was on the YALSA 2009 Best Books for Young Adults list.
The book is a story of two girls whose paths intertwine throughout the course of a school year. We are first introduced to Meghan Ball, a sophomore whom is over weight (obese) and exists as a shadow amongst her peers. She is regularly being exposed to all of the doings within the walls of the school due to her invisible stature. Next, we meet Aimee Zorn, a freshman who is extremely thin (anorexic), lonely and a very talented poet. Both girls take the reader through their journey of low self esteem, isolation and harsh realities.
Meghan is able to spend most of her day going unnoticed, unless she is being tormented by a group of boys. She is able to move through the halls never being detected as if she is invisible; it is due to this extremely observant behavior that everyone shares secrets right in front of her.
Aimee is able to put her feelings into words that flow off the page and draw on the readers emotions, making them feel as if they are the object of the poem. She spends her days hiding from food by developing fake allergic reactions.
It is the first day of school when Meghan first notices Aimee's talents of moving throughout the day without being noticed. She begins to build a desire to befriend Aimee and spends much of her energy learning all she can about the new thin mystery girl. In the end it is a mutual acquaintance,for better or worse, that brings the two of them together.
I really liked the book. I thought it demonstrates the insecurities with body image that high school girls are faced with at varying levels. The descriptions of the characters makes it easy for the reader to develop a connection. I think everyone, whether they are currently in high school or have already graduated, can relate to Meghan and Aimee. This relation is either personal or through observations of peers. I would recommend this book to students getting ready to move into high school or to students feeling as though they are struggling to belong. Although it touches on binge eating and anorexia it is much more than a book about eating disorders. It is a book that can make the transparent feel as though they do have a fighting chance. The book is recommended for eighth graders and up and would be great for girls, reluctant readers, or to use as part of a social awareness lesson. There are lesson plans and activities that relate to this book, which could be used in small group or whole group settings. The features of the book that would quickly appeal to teen girls is the underlying focus of eating disorders and the feelings of isolation and loneliness that Meghan and Aimee' characters portray.
6 comments:
This book sounds like it does something that books on this topic don't often do. It takes a look at both sides of the spectrum of physical differences since it focuses on an overweight girl and a underweight girl. I think it is good to show how the "skinny" girl sometimes suffers too so that students can learn to recognize that there is more to people than meets the eye. I also like that there are class activities and lesson plans associated with this novel.
I haven't read this book and am glad to learn about it. I think the theme of being invisible in high school is right on.
How specifically would you introduce this book to students? What would you say?
Ashley, it was really a good book. The author really makes the reader think of how often this sort of isolation and loneliness is taking place and even as educators how we are overlooking it.
Dr. Berg,
I would introduce this book to students in a couple of ways.
One way would be as a Book Talk - I would begin by saying - "How many of you feel like you are unnoticeable, lonely or misunderstood (even if it is occasionally)? If no one answers I would say - "I know that each of you has felt that way at some point in your life, that everyone does from time to time". I would then say - "Sometimes these feelings of loneliness and invisibility occur daily for some individuals even possibly someone sitting right here in the same room". I would tell them I have great book about two girls that seem like unlikely friends finding that they share these feelings of loneliness and invisibility. That the author creates the characters in such a way that as you read the book you feel you personally know the characters, that it is as though you are in the hallway or classroom being witness to the daily turmoil they are personally facing. I would tell them if they want a great story that will make them think about what really goes on in their own school then this is a book they must read.
The other way is to suggest that a teacher uses it for teaching a lesson on self acceptance and understanding of others differences. The extra resources would make this very easy to do.
I never heard of this book. I'd definately recommend this to girls in middle school and high school because that's when most kids are pressured into being and looking a certain way, otherwise they're ignored.
That is awesome that have lesson plans to go along with the book for young women that are dealing with the unfortunately common problem of having an eating disorder and or body image.
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