Welcome to Litsy!

Beautiful, sad, and inspiring novel in verse centering on a young teen with an eating disorder that surfaced after being bullied.

To go along with this book, I would have students write in their daily journal responding to self-appreciation prompts. This will encourage students to be open about their feelings, recognize if they need to reach out for help, and encourage creative writing.

This book would be an excellent pick for a middle or high school ELA classroom. I would just make it abundantly clear, that if the book does have triggering content, and it's okay to opt out of reading it. Meaning, there would be an alternative assignment/book available to students who are uncomfortable. For students who are eager to read the book, they would gain valuable knowledge about eating disorders, and further, empathy.

“Me: I love when teachers read aloud.
Ms. Burns: Reading aloud is love.
Ms. Burns: May I hold your hand while you read to me?
Me: Yes, Ms. Burns.
Ms. Burns: Jake, are you OK?
Me: Yes.
Mrs. Burns: I can feel something is wrong. I can sense it. Teachers know these things, Jake“ (pg.s 60, 61).
This... really hits. One of my teachers was one of my saving graces while I was in recovery. We aren't just teachers to teach; we are here to support kids.

While I read this book, I keep on circling quotes that resonate with me over and over. As someone who experienced anorexia, I appreciate and treasure this book. Schu is speaking for those who are often too timid to speak on their trauma. Bringing attention to a very real, and all too common, issue that teens and adults suffer. This could be the most important book I keep in my class, it could save a life.

What is louder than hunger? The voice in his head telling him he is a loser who shouldn‘t eat, doesn‘t deserve to eat. This portrait of a young boy suffering from anorexia and those determined to help him is inspiring. The voice feels genuine and telling the story in verse was genius.

This novel is aimed at middle grade readers, but held me captive for sure. Jake charts his challenges with anorexia and OCD in this heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful novel in verse. Jake and his grandmother share a love of musical theatre and reading. But he struggles to connect with friends his own age and fights off a very controlling voice in his head that is causing him great suffering. This beautiful book shares Jake's journey to healing.

A story of a thirteen year old boy that gets bullied at school and develops an eating disorder. It becomes so severe he gets sent to an inpatient facility . He struggles with opening up to his doctors & peers, trying different foods ,and dealing with his beloved but sick grandmother.

When I was ten years old my then fifteen-year-old cousin was admitted to a lock-down facility for non-compliant youth because she would not treat her type 1 diabetes and seemed to be literally wasting away. I have no idea if her experience was anything like Jake‘s, but his story painfully illustrates how lonely and difficult that healing process must have been. I‘m grateful for this look into the psyche of someone living with anorexia nervosa.

John Schu‘s YA novel told in verse form is an incredibly moving book based on his own experiences of having an eating disorder. I felt desperately sympathetic to the vulnerable Jake whose relationship with his grandmother is clearly very important to him but more could have been made of his relationship with his parents, which is much too lightly sketched and should have been explored given his mum‘s anxiety issues seem to feed into Jake‘s.

A raw, honest, and emotional novel in verse that ultimately feels like a triumph while shedding light on a painful journey towards self-acceptance.

Sometimes, it's only through books that we (kids) can find this.

Take care of your heart! 💗
Do what brings you joy! 💖