Book Talk 1

“Perfect” – Natasha Friend

This book written with very accessible language and literary strategies, allows many readers to dive right into the story. Although written, with a primary audience of ages 10-15, I personally think, the topics and issues brought up could certainly pertain to all ages through high school. The typical high school drama and problems echo through the voice of Isabelle, our main character, and allow us into her world of being 13 years old. She is in the 8th grade and has only her mother and sister to count on. She lacks social confidence and thus has found herself without a large social surrounding. When Isabelle’s mother learns of her eating disorder, the “deal” is for her to attend group therapy sessions. With these sessions flows the realization of her problems, the discovery of a lifetime- that the most popular girl in school also has an eating disorder, and her family’s path to acceptance and dealing with her father’s death.

• Easy to read
• Accessible language (vocabulary is that of a seventh grader)
• Short chapters and overall book length
• Issue book- dealing with problems that are controversial= eating disorders, death, and peer pressure
• Relatable characters and plot
• The end leaves you dangling (wanting more)
• Mostly female characters

- This book is one I would certainly recommend. I liked this book a lot because it kept me interested throughout and with an easy vocabulary, plot, and theme, it was something most people (in my opinion- more so females) could get into. There is a lot to the story because of the multiple angles of Isabelle’s life. With not only her eating disorder being the main problem of the book, her mother and sister each have their own problems they must work out through the course of the book. As the reader, you find yourself pushing harder and harder for Isabelle and her family to connect to each other and help each other.

- But this book leads to much self discovery and entices the reader to feel the hardship, sadness, and joy of all the characters. However, the ending of the book left me somewhat frustrated. The ending left so much unanswered, and as much as that may be a part of the story, for those who want closure, this book gives none. I would recommend this book to others with the precautionary advice of, it being a “girl issue” book and may leave you wondering where the rest of the story went. I believe this is a story about finding out who you are, grabbing a hold of it, and never letting go.

- PowerPoint Presentation- To the right is my resources box, click the link for Book Talk 1, under Lizzie on that page click the file