The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler – A Book Review

“Does ‘doing exactly what I want’ mean not thinking about other people’s feelings? Because that’s just not the kind of person I am. Maybe it can mean whatever I want it to mean, like taking care of myself and not letting people walk over me.”
― Carolyn Mackler, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

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Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Virginia Shreves has a larger-than-average body and a plus-size inferiority complex, especially when she compares herself to her slim, brilliant, picture-perfect family. But that’s before a shocking phone call — and a horrifying allegation — about her rugby-star brother changes everything. With irreverent humor and surprising gravity, Carolyn Mackler creates an endearingly blunt heroine who speaks to every teen who struggles with family expectations, and proves that the most impressive achievement is to be true to yourself.

Title: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Goodreads Avg. Rating: 3.77/5 stars

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

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Review

I really, really wish I would have read this book earlier in life. This book would have been awesome for a middle school me to read. There are so many great things that in this book that would have helped me while I was going through similar struggles.

I believe that yes, this book brings about some problematic issues with Virginia’s crappy family, kids at school, and sudden happiness with herself, but I also feel like Mackler really got what would be going on in a 15 year olds head at that time. Teenagers are problematic in the way that they deal with things in life and I think Virginia as a character really felt real to me.

I enjoyed going on the journey with Virginia throughout the book and I liked seeing her go through all of the changes that she went through.

There is a good chance that I will read the second book in this series probably soon. I gave this 4.5 out of 5 stars.