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Starfish
Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant debut novel-in-verse by author Lisa Fipps
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules–like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” And she’s found her safe space–her swimming pool–where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world.
In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.
This is for readers 10-13
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Lady’s Blue Ribbon
She was a little girl’s dream horse—a deep golden palomino with three white socks, a diamond star on her forehead, a white strip streaming like a comet tail down her delicate face. Her mane and tail were silky white. She was so perfect—she looked like a Barbie Doll horse.
She loved to be groomed and petted and fussed over. She loved to compete in horse shows, where she always tried to be perfect—and almost always was. She practiced and trained at home and performed just that way when at shows—relaxed and confident, not a bundle of nerves (like I sometimes was).
Yep, that was my darling Lady Diamond Cut. I wasn’t a little girl anymore but I felt like one whenever I spent time with her. Which was almost always.One day at a show I discovered something very endearing about Lady.
That day, the officials changed the order in which they announced awards. Instead of starting with first place they started with the lower-place ribbons.
Lady and I were lined up with the other riders at the end of our first class. The announcer began to call out the placings—eighth, seventh, sixth. Smiling contestants rode their horses forward and accepted their ribbons.
About the time fifth place was announced, I noticed that Lady had been watching each of the horses and riders called forward, then swinging her head left and right, considering each of the horses remaining in the line-up.
At fourth place she moved a hoof restlessly, then stomped. So unlike her to do so.
I leaned forward and stroked her neck. “What’s up, Lady?”
She blew air out of her nostrils forcefully when the next rider was called forward.
Then I knew what was up.
Used to being called out first or second, Lady couldn’t understand why she was still in the line-up. When we were finally called forward to accept our first place prize and blue ribbon, she eagerly stepped forward.
Could Lady tell the difference in the color of the ribbons? I don’t know. But she sure understood what it meant when we were awarded a prize. As the day progressed Lady stood quiet and confidently in the line-up until they announced us in the higher places.
This story may seem fanciful but I assure you it’s true. There’s so much about our wonderful horses, their thoughts and their feelings and more, that we can learn about and appreciate.
Even though I’ve had some of my horses for more than fifteen years, I have no doubt they are wondering how much longer it will take for me to really know them.
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Rivals
From Tommy Greenwald, the author of the award-winning Game Changer, comes a gripping novel about two student-athletes searching for stardom, a young reporter searching for the truth, and a cross-town basketball rivalry that goes too far.
The people of Walthorne love their basketball—and one of the things they love most is the special rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. As the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he’s not good enough to live up to his father’s legacy, while across town, the brilliantly talented Carter Haswell, captain of Walthorne South, is already under pressure to get a scholarship that might ease his family’s financial stress.
While both boys do whatever they can to make sure their team wins, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports as on-the-court action. When she blows the story wide open, the whole season is jeopardized.
Told through a series of flashbacks, newspaper reports, social media posts, and interviews, Rivals will have readers tearing through the pages to see what happens next—and asking themselves if winning has become more important than doing the right thing.
For readers 10-14.
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Upside-down Drawing
I have always believed people who can draw were magical wizards with a secret power only a few had–and to be honest, I still think that. Artists look at the world in a different way. They see color and shapes and perspective and are able to transform what their eye sees onto images on a flat piece of paper or canvas.
But there are some techniques artists use that everyone can learn. One of them is upside-down drawing. Start in a quiet place where you can work. Find a picture that you would like to draw (maybe an animal or a house or a picture of a person), a piece of paper, and a pencil. Then turn the drawing upside down and try not to see “giraffe” or “cat.” Instead focus on the shapes you actually see. How do the lines fit together? Where do the lines form spaces? Start drawing these lines and shapes.
Keep concentrating on the lines and shapes and not the idea of “house” or “person.” You might find you lose yourself in the task of fitting the lines and shapes together. Only when you are satisfied you have drawn all the pieces should you turn your drawing right side up. How did you do?
This exercise helps your brain to stop seeing the “idea” of an object and seeing all the pieces of the actual object in front of you. Everything you need when you draw something is right in front of you. You only need to practice looking carefully.
Maybe you truly are one of those magical wizards—an artist!
Yep, that was my darling Lady Diamond Cut. I wasn’t a little girl anymore but I felt like one whenever I spent time with her. Which was almost always.
