Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, Chris. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. New York, NY: Greenwillow, 1993. ISBN-10: 0-688-11552-7

Summary 
Sarah Byrnes (pronounced burns) and Eric are best friends, united as outcasts. When Eric starts losing weight they re-evaluate the reasons for their friendship. One day, Sarah stops talking and is sent to the psych ward. Sarah is safe in the hospital, away from her abusive father, but she needs a permanent escape. Her father is vicious enough to have caused the burns that cover Sarah's face and Sarah thinks he's getting crazier. Eric wonders how he can help her and why no one else has ever tried to help her. Framed by Eric's contemporary issues and politics course at school, the story takes on the larger issues of responsibility and obligation.


Critical Evaluation
Every character is well developed and purposeful. Despite the disturbing depth of cruelty, this book teaches readers to distinguish between what they can and cannot control. Take responsibility for your own actions, but not for the actions of others. Thought provoking and well written. Highly recommended.

Reader's Annotation 
In the safety of the psych ward, Sarah Byrnes does not say a word. She thinks. She plans an escape.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness 
Escaping trauma, asking for and accepting help, even when others have been unable to help in the past.

Genre and Subject
Realistic fiction. Abuse at the hands of parents.

Why I read it
Unlike other abuse suffers, Sarah has to wear the physical signs of her torture. Sarah gets to decide what those burns mean.