Starfish by Lisa Fipps Published by Penguin on March 9, 2021
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Adolescence & Coming of Age, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Bullying, Juvenile Fiction / Stories in Verse
Pages: 256
Format: Audiobook
Source: Libby, Library
A Printz Honor winner!
Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant debut novel-in-verse.
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life--by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.
I first heard about this book from Charley Ann on Book Tube when she was talking about all the books that she has read so far this year. This is a middle-grade book, and I took it out from Libby on audio. The book was three hours long, and I thought the narrator did a great job. I want to say upfront that this book includes a lot of bullying from classmates, siblings, and the mother. All of the bullying revolves around Ellie’s weight and looks. So, Reader, if this sounds as though it will trigger you, maybe stay away from this read. This review will most likely be brief due to the length of the book and not wanting to reveal any spoilers. With all that being said, I am going to jump right in with my review.
In this story, we follow Ellie as she ends her summer break and begins the new school year. She loves to swim, and this is where she feels her best because she can take up as much room as she wishes. Ellie also uses swimming to get away from her mother, who is constantly bullying her about her weight. Ellie is young (I think preteen) and has sadly discovered rules that she feels she needs to live by. She calls them her fat girl rules and believes that everyone who is plus size must know these rules. Ellie believes that by knowing the rules, you cut down on the amount of bullying that you receive. She learned these so-called rules at an early age. She was five years old when her sister poked fun at her during her birthday pool party. The comments that her older sister made stuck, and kids began saying the same things to her throughout the years.
The Fat Girl Rules:
- No cannonballs
- No making waves
- No splashing
- You don’t deserve to be seen or heard
- You don’t deserve to take up space or to be noticed
- Make yourself small
Seriously, how awful are these rules, and even more, how many of us have followed them throughout our lives? I know I have. Ellie, like many of us, has experienced some vicious bullying. The author does not hold anything back in her descriptions of the scenes and the language used. The kid’s behavior made me angry; the classroom teacher, I do not think, did enough to stop the bullying and protect Ellie from her abusers in the classroom or even in the school. The principal tried to step in, which was good, but again, maybe not enough. Ellie’s father got me because he was always on Ellie’s side, which is great, but as a psychologist, I would think that he would have done more about what was being said in the home. Ellie’s mother was something else. I absolutely loathed her and wanted to reach through the pages of the book and just…well, I probably shouldn’t say. The mother’s behavior toward Ellie only taught and allowed her other children to bully her. It taught them that it was acceptable to treat Ellie less than a person.
In the book’s acknowledgments, the author admits that many of the insults and abuse hurled at young Ellie did, in fact, happen to her. I am not going to lie, Reader, Starfish is a difficult book to read, but it is one I am glad to have read. It is sad to think that, as is the case with Ellie, many of us experience or have experienced bullying from our own homes. We receive(d) it from the people who are supposed to love us no matter what, and we also receive(d) it from the people who are supposed to guide us through childhood into adulthood. I would say, Reader, that if you are debating on picking this one up, please be aware that the bullying in this book is extreme and heartbreaking. Some reviews I have read said it was healing to read this story, while others said it was triggering. So, what I am going to say is be sure you can handle the triggers before picking this one up. As I have said above, I am glad I read it, but it was a difficult read for sure. Until Next Time, Reader, Happy Reading.
Trigger Warnings:
- Extreme Bullying
- Parental Bullying
- Sibling Bullying