Parents' Guide to

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Funny overweight girl goes through some heavy stuff.

Book Carolyn Mackler Contemporary Fiction 2004
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 13+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Extrynia Nchoziviosk
Extrynia Nchoziviosk Parent of 0-year-old
March 2, 2013
age 12+

Has such an important message

I think that every teenage girl should read this. Ive made all of my students read this, and the message is amazing. Virginia has convinced herself that she is unloveable because of her weight. Her mutter pushes her to change,and that the only reason that her mutter begins to like her. Her perfect older brother rapes a girl and Virginia's parents shrug it off. Virginia stops her diet because she is so torn apart by her brother's actions. Her parents shunn her, and Virginia realizes that she only changed her body image to make them happy; she should have done it to make herself happy is she wanted to. Virginia deals with so many resonable struggles, you cannot miss reading this book, it can be LIFE-CHANGING

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
ColoradoMama
ColoradoMama Parent of 10-year-old
October 21, 2012
age 13+

Highly Recommended

Once a fat girl, now a mom of an athletic but bigger tween girl, I found this book a breath of fresh air. The fat girl dating rules took me right back to high school (and college!), while remembering the shame of being fat, desperately trying to fit in, and constantly feeling like a failure in spite of admirable accomplishments. I look forward to my daughter reading this book in the future and discussing it with her.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Too much sex
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Overweight Virginia thinks she's a misfit in her family, with two thin, gorgeous, successful parents and two thin, gorgeous, high-achieving older siblings. Her mother pressures her to lose weight, which she tries to do. But her anxiety leads her to minor acts of self-mutilation, as she tries to live by her Fat Girl Code of Conduct, which operates on the basic assumption that she is worthless. Then her brother, Byron, whom she idolizes, is suspended from college for date rape, and Virginia begins to see both her family and herself in a different light.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (13):

Readers, especially teen girls, will likely relate to Virginia, and they will certainly respect her growing ability to stand up for herself. Though this book could use a bit more scathing humor -- and a deeper exploration of some of the more serious issues it raises -- Mackler is able to impart a message of self-acceptance through her self-deprecating narrator. Readers will appreciate the emails and journal entries that add realism to Virginia's coming-of-age story.


 

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the pressure Virginia's parents put on her to be thin. How do her feelings change throughout the book? Parents may want to check out Common Sense Media's tips for talking to girls about body image.

  • This book deals with some heavy themes, such as date rape and self mutilation. What do you think of the way the author handles these topics? Does it surprise you to see this material in a book for young adults, or is it realistic?

Book Details

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