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Reviewed by:
  • Skinny
  • Karen Coats
Cooner, Donna. Skinny. Point/Scholastic, 2012. 260p. Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-545-42763-0 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-545-46997-5 $17.99 Ad Gr. 7–10.

Shortly after her mother’s death, a new voice entered Ever’s head, a voice she calls Skinny, that constantly taunts Ever for her attempts to fill her emotional emptiness with food. Ever weighs 302 pounds, and every move she makes is scrutinized by Skinny’s relentless assault. Even Ever’s faithful and encouraging best friend, Rat, is no match for Skinny’s negative hold on Ever’s sense of self-worth. Ever alternates between accepting Skinny’s valuations and blaming herself for overeating, and rejecting Skinny by claiming she can’t help her weight, thus creating a credibly conflicted inner monologue. When Ever decides to undergo gastric-bypass surgery, Rat makes her recovery his personal project, and things go well despite the risks. She even discovers an unlikely ally in her stepsister, Briella, whom she’d always kept at arm’s length with snarky comments. Ever experiences a range of emotions as her classmates suddenly take an interest in her; even the queen bee sees her as a portfolio piece for her career as stylist and makeover expert. Mostly, though, Ever grows to understand that it was Skinny who was keeping her from having friends all along, rather than her weight, as person after person asks her why she was so distant to them when she was heavy. Their reactions, and Ever’s epiphany, are unfortunately simplistic and contrived, and the romantic arc with Rat is likewise pat and predictable. Nonetheless, Ever’s battles with Skinny will strike a resounding chord with many readers whose negative self-talk is the loudest voice they hear.

Karen Coats
Reviewer
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