Good Enough - BYU ScholarsArchive (PDF)

Children's Book and Media Review Children's Book and Media Review Volume 40 Issue 10 October 2019 Article 4 2019 Good Enough Good Enough Emma Patton Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cbmr BYU ScholarsArchive Citation BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Patton, Emma (2019) "Good Enough," Children's Book and Media Review: Vol. 40: Iss. 10, Article 4. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cbmr/vol40/iss10/4 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Children's Book and Media Review by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected]  Riley knows she has a problem, but she’s not sure whether she wants to do anything about it. Riley once loved to draw and do silly things with her friends. But, after being made fun of for her weight, Riley decided to go on a diet and start running, and now it’s the only thing she can think about. She’s not sure if she even likes running, but she continues pushing herself to be better. Her formerly carefree attitude toward food is a thing of the past. Eventually, Riley’s mom decides to send her to a residential eating disorder facility. At first, Riley is resistant to her new home. She wants to do everything she can to stay thin. But as Riley has the chance to rediscover the things she loves, she realizes that whatever her eating disorder gave her, it also took a lot of things away, and she thinks she might be ready to take her life back. One thing that distinguishes Good Enough from other stories about eating disorders is its emphasis on body diversity. Riley is in treatment with individuals who may not fit the stereotype of what an eating disorder looks like but who struggle just as much. Also, Good Enough features characters with different sexualities and varying family situations, showing that these issues affect all different kinds of people. Since the treatment facility that Riley attends is for adolescent girls, there isn’t much representation of older people with eating disorders or the increasing population of men with eating disorders, but it is otherwise very inclusive. Good Enough does not mention specific weights, sizes, or numbers of any kind, which is helpful in preventing a reader from comparing their own body journey to Riley’s. However, the book does contain scenes of Riley refusing food and exercising with the goal of burning calories. Though the book does not teach disordered habits, it does follow some of Riley’s disordered thoughts, some of which may be triggering to those struggling with food and body image. Rating Excellent Level Intermediate, Young Adult Pages 272 Publisher Felwel & Friends Year 2019 ISBN 9781250123510 Author Jen Petro-Roy Reviewer Emma Patton Good Enough Book Review 1 Patton: Good Enough Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 2019