cover image My Eyes Are Up Here

My Eyes Are Up Here

Laura Zimmermann. Dutton, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-984815-24-8

In Kennedy High sophomore Greer Walsh’s opinion, there are two things holding her back: Maude and Mavis, her size-30H breasts. She can’t find a bra that fits, and the tops her mother buys for her would “burst Hulk-style” if she tried to put them on. Greer hides in men’s XXL shirts, trying to avoid notice and ignore harassment from boys in her suburban Chicago school. Then Greer meets Jackson Oates, a transfer student who seems more interested in her mind than her physical attributes. She’s attracted to him, but is romance possible without Maude and Mavis getting in the way? Jackson gives her the encouragement she needs to try out for volleyball, and making the team leads to a series of life-changing experiences, including finding some creative solutions to her problem. Zimmerman’s debut has a witty, unabashedly honest voice, addressing the age-old issue of not fitting in. Employing a vibrant, often comedic first-person perspective, Zimmerman movingly depicts Greer’s low points, like not being able to find a dress that fits for winter formal, and her highs, exemplified when she’s playing volleyball. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Tina Dubois, ICM. (June) [/em]