Bullied and shamed her whole life for being fat, twelve-year-old Ellie finally gains the confidence to stand up for herself, with the help of some wonderful new allies.

Bullied and shamed her whole life for being fat, twelve-year-old Ellie finally gains the confidence to stand up for herself, with the help of some wonderful new allies.

Told in verse, Ellie lives by Fat Girl Rules to avoid being bullied, but with the support of her dad, her therapist and her neighbor Catalina, can Ellie set aside these rules and just be herself?

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.

Ellie está cansada de que la avergüencen por su peso y decide cambiar eso en esta conmovedora novela en verso, la primera de Lisa Flipps. Desde que Ellie usó un traje de baño de ballena y causó gran revuelo en su fiesta de cumpleaños número 5, ha sido acosada por su peso. Para sobrellevar la situación, trata de vivir según las Reglas de las Chicas Gordas, como "no hacer olas", "evitar comer en público" y "no moverse tan rápido para que su cuerpo no se mueva". Ha encontrado su espacio seguro, su piscina, donde se siente ingrávida en un mundo obsesionado con las grasas. En el agua, puede estirarse como una estrella de mar y ocupar todo el espacio que quiera. También es donde puede alejarse de su madre, quien piensa que criticar con insistencia el peso de Ellie la motivará a hacer dieta. Pero Ellie tiene aliados como su padre, su terapeuta y su nueva vecina, Catalina, que ama a Ellie por quien es. Con este apoyo, Ellie finalmente podrá dejar de lado las Reglas de las Chicas Gordas y las estrellas de mar en la vida real, sin disculparse por ser ella misma ni por ser fabulosa. Bullied and shamed her whole life for being fat, twelve-year-old Ellie finally gains the confidence to stand up for herself, with the help of some wonderful new allies.-- Ever since she wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, Ellie's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by her list of Fat Girl Rules, which are all about not standing out. And she's found a haven in her swimming pool, where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch out like a starfish and take up all the space she wants. Ellie finds an ally in her new neighbor Catalina--a girl who refreshingly doesn't judge--and in her new therapist, a woman who knows how to laugh at the right things. With these good poeple buoying Ellie up, it's a lot easier to face the bullies and starfish in real life--by unapologetically being her own fabulous self. Lisa Fipps's poignant, inspiring debut novel confronts fat-shaming and its effects head-on, and will speak to anyone who's been made to feel "less than." Readers will cheer for Ellie as she realizes her own worth and begins to move forward into a hopeful, confident future. --