How I Got Skinny, Famous, And Fell Madly In Love (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
Emery Jackson doesn’t feel like she fits in with the rest of her family. Her mom and sister are cute and petite and skinny. They are obsessed with wearing stylish clothes and makeup. Her dad, a former basketball player, is never around, but when he is it’s clear that his favorite is Emery’s sister.Most of the time she’s okay with the fact that she’s overweight and the only boyfriend she could get is chunky like her. So when Emery’s mom approaches her with the idea of doing a reality show in which she will be the star as she loses weight, she wants no part of it. But once she realizes that the money from the show could save the family home, she ignores her objections and signs on.How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker combines a lot of things people seem to obsess over—weight, body image, reality TV, celebrity, and love—and puts them all under the microscope. Emery is quick witted, funny, smart and down to earth. But a lot of people don’t see past the pounds she carries on her body. To lose weight for the show she has to diet, exercise, see a counselor, and learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. That would all be great, except little things in the script also expose her to public humiliation, which means she has to have a thick skin to get through it.Emery also discovers that while a lot of people support her and want her to succeed, there are others who would revel in her failure. It’s a lot of pressure for a high school senior to take on, especially when she doesn’t have trusted family members to fall back on. In the end she has to decide whether she can trust herself to do what’s best in the long run. While I would have liked to see a few issues more resolved at the end, overall I think the book provides a lot to think about and discuss in a book club. I recommend it for ages 14 and up.The publisher gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was pitched this book for review from the publisher, along with another title (Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell - you can find that review on the blog) and was kind of on the fence about it. The title sounded like something I wouldn't be drawn into and the synopsis didn't add much spark to my interest. The title sat on my TBR pile for a few weeks before I got to it this weekend- and devoured it in one sitting.Blown away.I was so impressed with this ya novel. It isn't about a vapid girl looking to shed weight and become famous - it is about a girl who is aching inside and gets on a reality tv show to help her family. Turns out, she is helping more than her family. She is helping herself become the strong, healthy, independent, happy young lady she is. She is helping innumerable amounts of young women who watch her vlog posts. She is helping others who are in need of getting fit and healthy. She is helping the world and she doesn't even realize it until she is knee-deep in the reality of reality tv.Emery is a tough kid. Putting up walls helped her survive being overweight. Now she is shedding weight and breaking down those walls. As a main character, I found her incredibly real and inspiring. So much so that I honestly think this needs to be required reading for teenage girls. She promotes self-love, growth, fighting stereotypes, and building each other up instead of breaking each other down. It is impressive. I can guarantee that young girls will relate to her character, without a doubt. The characters that Baker has developed are genuine and easy to understand. They grow as they story moves forward.In addition to the great character development, I was wholly impressed with the way the story was portrayed. It easily could have been a Mean Girls or Clueless style tale, but what Baker really did was write a book about the struggles of overweight teenagers (specifically girls) and make it as honest as possible. It shows the inner workings of the teenage mind, the inner workings of family and sibling rivalry, the drama of high school, and of course the reality of "reality" television. The morals of the story are plenty. Get healthy for you (not anyone else), trust your gut, challenge the norm, stand up for yourself and others, be kind, and treat every day like gold. Baker crafted a moving story that I think is very powerful, especially for teenage girls. I think this will remind them that what they feel about their bodies ins't abnormal, but that it also isn't healthy. It will shed some light on all the things us adults tell the kids about society, but they refuse to hear. I really want young girls to read this book, it is a wonderful story and one with so much power to change the reader.
What do You think about How I Got Skinny, Famous, And Fell Madly In Love (2014)?
HOLY CRAP.This isn't your typical YA read, I think everyone should read this book, FANTASTIC!!
—kallioc
My friend recommended this book because "it was better than it looked." She was right.
—piyer
This book was alright, I didn't really like it all that much.
—ceuceueaea
