45 Pounds (More or Less)
Pages: 256
Publication Date: July 11, 2013
For sixteen year old Ann Galardi weight has always been a topic that she would rather avoid. Her perfect size six mother is always commenting on her size, her food choices, her lack of exercise and it is tough for Ann to hear. She knows she is fat. She knows that she shouldn't eat at Mondo Burgers, but the fast food joint has been the one constant in her rather chaotic childhood. Her parents split up when she was young, they have both remarried and had "new" families with their new spouses. It is a lot for any kid to take.
Ann's favorite aunt, Jackie has announced that she is getting married and wants Ann to be a bridesmaid. Ann has only two months to lose 45 pounds (more or less) and she embarks on a journey that has her doing everything from a fad diet that costs so much money Ann gets a part time job to pay for it to trying to dance the weight away while learning how to dance the Thriller. At the same she is trying to navigate life as an overweight teen and it is not easy. Will Ann be able to lose the weight and deal with the food issues that have plagued her her whole life? Or will she just give up and hide the rest of her life?
45 Pounds (more or less) deals with some pretty heavyweight topics, but it was handled in such an eye opening way that it is a definitely must read. As most teens do, Ann was just living in this bubble that was her world. She was pretty "me, me me" and it wasn't until she overheard her four year old sister calling her teddy bear fat at a make-believe tea party that Ann came out of her bubble and started to realize what her insecurities (and her mother's) was doing to a four year old girl. It was pretty powerful to read and was a bit of an "aha" for me as well. I enjoyed seeing Ann blossom and make new friends and the fact that she deserved to be treated better than the way some of her friends were treating her. The end was pretty satisfying too, especially for any girl who has felt like they need to change in order to "get the guy".
Bottom line,
45 Pounds (More or Less) is a little book that has a big message. Being insecure over your body is not a new concept, women have been dealing with these issues since the beginning of time and I think K.A Barson has done a fabulous job at addressing those issues with Ann and her family. Definitely worth the read and quite possibly one you should share with your daughters.
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