The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things

Mackler, Carolyn.  2003.  The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things.  New York: Candlewick Press.  ISBN 9780763620912

Virginia Shreves is the daughter of a successful adolescent psychologist who talks about her patients more than to her own teenaged daughter. While Virginia is used to being alone most of the time in her parents’ New York penthouse, she has times when she questions the motives behind her parents’ continual absence. These feelings of inadequacy stem from Virginia’s weight problems, as she sees her entire family as perfectly thin. Add to the familial trouble the fact that her best friend, Shannon, has moved away for the year and her sometimes make-out partner, probably doesn’t want to be seen in with her in public, and real mental anguish begins.

In this coming-of-age story, Virginia is unpopular, and only mentioned as a fleeting connection to her perfect, older brother, who is now in college, and is traumatized first by a conversation overheard and then by a seemingly impossible occurrence that truly rattles her entire world. Feelings of absolute inadequacy and humiliation nest to make bad situations worse and nearly impossible for Virginia to deal with.

Through her struggles, Virginia begins to hurt herself, attempts to lose weight on a crash diet, and cuts herself off from most of those who care for her. This is an extremely powerful book that can introduce teens to the idea that no one is perfect, no matter how they seem. Mackler has provided a truthful, sometimes frightening, and, yet, hopeful novel, in which the characters are able to shed their insecurities in a healthy way. A little rebellion can go a long way.

Mackler’s easy use of common language tied in with her knowledge of emerging technologies makes this story relevant for the teens of today.

The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things is a Printz Honor Book.

"…Virginia's story will interest readers who are looking for one more book with teen angst, a bit of romance, and a kid who is a bit like them or their friends."(School Library Journal/September 2003)

"The heroine's transformation into someone who finds her own style and speaks her own mind is believable—and worthy of applause.” (Publishers Weekly/July 2003)

"...eminently accessible journey from self-hatred to confidence." (Kirkus Reviews/June 2003)

Possible Activities:
1. Initiate gender specific book clubs to dicuss body image and dealing with stress.
2. Get teens to brainstorm how they would have reacted to some of the things Virginia faced in the novel.