Anderson, Laurie Halse. Wintergirls. New York, NY: Viking, 2009. ISBN: 067001110X
Summary
Lia got 33 missed calls from Cassie the night that Cassie died but Lia and Cassie weren't as close as they used to be so she didn't get the messages until it was too late. Despite Cassie's death, Lia won't admit that she is in danger. Even when Cassie begins to haunt her, Lia doesn't say anything. Lia's parents are concerned, but Lia doesn't believe that their concern is genuine. Lia is focused on her weight loss goal. At every turn, she outsmarts counselors, doctors, and parents. Even though Lia is concerned that she's hurting her little sister, she can't stop. She can't stop thinking about how much food and how disgusting it is.
Critical Evaluation
Told in stream of consciousness, Wintergirls is the story of two friends whose competitive bond keeps them on the path to weight loss. They lose so much weight that they can't keep warm. Some might criticize this title for giving girls unhealthy weight loss tips, the information is readily available on the internet. But Wintergirls gives something else—the story that happens when a girl is too weak to keep her blog friends appraised of her progress. Anderson does a marvelous job of portraying the thoughts that lead to eating disorders and the difficulties in overcoming them.
Reader's Annotation
Lia didn't answer her phone the night that Cassie died, and now Cassie is haunting her. Cassie is encouraging Lia, just get a little skinnier. Just a little skinnier. Then maybe Lia can join Cassie and they'll be friends again.
Genre and Subject
Realistic fiction. Anorexia.
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness
Overcoming mental illness, especially eating disorders.
Why I chose it
Anderson takes readers inside the mind of the disease.
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