I have a few deeper reads hitting Bookworm for Kids this month, and today's read is one of them. First off, I enjoyed the cover on this one quite a bit and found that it not only fits the theme, anorexia, but also hints at the writing style inside. This is a story written in verse, where the author mixes artistic flow with purpose and writing. So, yes, I was excited to get my hands on this one...and that although I'm not usually a contemporary fan. And this one is making my possible favorites of the year list (although it did come out in 2022 but I'm flexible).
THIN
by Ann K Morris
Next Chapter
Young Adult Contemporary / Poetry
303 pages
The things 17-year-old Erin Post wants are drastically different from the things she needs. A junior in high school, Erin wants nothing more than to be thin.
In reality, she's a depressed girl with a serious eating disorder who needs to stop starving herself. When Erin’s mother insists that she see a psychiatrist, Erin runs away to Chicago. There, she meets Lin and Ari, two homeless teens who show her that’s there’s a lot more to the world than being thin and fitting in.
Soon after making her new friends, Erin is given a choice. She can either help her new friends and risk having to face psychiatric treatment, or continue her path toward thinness.
A 2017 Golden Pen Award Nominee, THIN is a poignant story of self-esteem, courage and redemption.
MY TIDBITS
These pages dive deep into the world of a teenage girl, who suffers from an eating disorder.
Erin wants nothing more than to be thin just like an ideal girl her age should be. She watches her food intake extremely carefully, knowing that any extra bite will mean that much more fat. When her mother is brought to the realization that Erin suffers from an eating disorder, she insists on visits to a psychiatrist. Erin hates everything about that and runs away. In Chicago, she meets to homeless teens, and it's their own troubles which might just help her switch her life around.
This book tackles the topic of anorexia, and, obviously, holds triggers in that direction. Also, this book is sold for middle graders on Amazon (ages 7 to 12), I would not recommend it for this age group and do believe the young adult audience is a much better fit.
That said, this book does a great job at diving deep into the psych of a girl, who truly believes she isn't thin enough. She isn't aware of her eating disorder, but only recognizes that if she doesn't watch what she eats, she gains weight faster than she likes. The thought consumes her, and the author does a marvelous job at bringing that across. The entire thing is written with poetic flair, always in the head of Erin as she jumps from one situation to the next. Every couple pages or so, there's a title for the next 'poem', which directly states the emotion, moment, or thought behind it. In this way, everything comes across as clear stages, which make the problems, emotions, and inner-workings clear.
The read is short and stays focused, and it never looks down on Erin but rather lets the reader understand her thoughts. Erin isn't the only one, who has issues, anyway. Everyone is struggling in their own ways with whatever life has dished to them. While Erin is only focused on herself in the beginning, her awareness grows as she learns to recognize and deal with her struggles. It's inspiring while offering more than a little food for thought.
This was enjoyable to read and well-done.
Find out more about Ann K. Morris:
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