Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes

Module 7

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

The plot is very interesting. We see this young girl who is scarred for life because of what happened to her as a child. Then we have a devoted fat friend who stands by her side and does whatever it takes to show his loyalty to her. Their problems bring them together and they deal with their problems together.
Sarah is in a Psychiatric hospital and her friend Eric tells the story about their friendship, mainly in school. Great details are given so we get the picture of what is happening as we read the story. The characters are very believable in the story. There is also rich characterization. We are exposed to the good and bad sides of the characters. There is abuse, violence, physical appearance issues and lies along with dedication and sacrifice for friendship. There is also humor.


I was drawn to the book because of the characters. I believe a child may want to read the book because of the strong characters in the book. The book also has lots of drama. I would recommend this book for ages 10 and older. I really enjoyed reading the book. I began reading and could not put it down. The characters are very believable and realistic which captured my attention throughout the book.

Bibliography

Chris Crutcher - Greenwillow Book/HarperTempest/HarperCollis Publishers - New York, N.Y. - 2003

Editorial Reviews



From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up?An obese boy and a disfigured girl suffer the emotional scars of years of mockery at the hands of their peers. They share a hard-boiled view of the world until events in their senior year hurl them in very different directions. A story about a friendship with staying power, written with pathos and pointed humor.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.



Review
“[A] transcendent story of love, loyalty and courage…Superb plotting, extraordinary characters and crackling narrative…unforgettable.” (Publishers Weekly (* Starred Review *) )

“Pulse-pounding, on both visceral and intellectual levels—a wild, brutal ride.” (Kirkus Review (Pointered Review) )

“A masterpiece.” (School Library Journal (*Starred Review*) )