This is a review of Starfish by Lisa Fipps. An empowering novel written in verse on a young girl’s journey of finding herself. This book will give you confidence and spark a new feeling inside of you, hope.
Ellie, dressed in a bright blue whale swimsuit, innocently cannon balled at her own 5th birthday party.
Little did she know that one incident would lead to a lifetime of bullying and a name that stuck forever. Her diary is not filled with personal thoughts or feelings, but a list of ‘Fat Girl Rules’, similar to a survival playbook.
Ellie has found a home in her swimming pool, but when her best friend moves away, Ellie thinks nothing will be the same again.
She finds comfort in her new next door neighbor, Catalina as they embark on a new friendship.
Ellie’s mother thinks the way to motivate her to lose weight is by criticizing Ellie on a daily basis. 24/7 her harsh words plunge into Ellie’s skin, no motivation in sight, only digging a hole deeper and deeper. But with a new therapist, will Ellie be able to pull herself out of the sinkhole and abandon the ‘Fat Girl Rules’ for a new way of life?
Author Lisa Fipps has written a novel about how you can find yourself. Even when the people who should be your supporters aren’t there, you have to take the responsibility of finding those who love you just for who you are. Starfish is a coming-of-age novel about the way to best love yourself and the way to shut out the negative thoughts and create a positive world where you can excel.
Title: Starfish
Author: Lisa Fipps
Illustrator: Suki Boynton
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books-Penguin Random House, $29.20
Publication Date: March 9, 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781984814500
Age Group: 10+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction
January 15, 2022 at 12:33AM DimbutNice
