Good Enough

Twelve-year-old Riley chronicles her two-month stay in the hospital, where she is being treated for anorexia. Before her hospitalization, Riley felt secondary to her perfect gymnast younger sister, and after a mean girl mocks Riley as “overweight” following a school BMI testing, a voice inside her, which Riley dubs “Ed” (short for “eating disorder”), tells her that she needs to eat less and lose weight. Riley struggles against the voice with the help of her therapist, Willow, as well as the girls in her therapy group; her roommate, Ali, meanwhile, secretly does crunches at night to stay thin and challenges Riley to join her. Riley is initially desperate not to gain weight, but she slowly faces her past and finds the strength to believe the healthy voice telling her to take care of herself. Petro-Roy (P.S. I Miss You), an eating disorder survivor, offers an intimate and realistic portrayal of Riley’s destructive thinking patterns as well as her victories and setbacks. A powerful, well-told, and authentic story. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. [em](Feb.) [/em]