Insane About Books: TAKING UP SPACE by Alyson Gerber tour and Giveway

Thursday, May 27, 2021

TAKING UP SPACE by Alyson Gerber tour and Giveway

Publisher : Scholastic Inc. (May 18, 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 272 pages
ISBN-10 : 1338186000
ISBN-13 : 978-1338186000

Praise for TAKING UP SPACE

"This affirming novel offers a normalizing message about discussing body image and mental health." —Publishers Weekly

"[Gerber] supplies a positive representation of constructive approaches to an often misunderstood condition...Pragmatic and valuable." —Kirkus Reviews

AWARDS
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Scholastic Summer 2021 Dewey Diva Picks — Shortlist

Sarah loves basketball more than anything. Crushing it on the court makes her feel like she matters. And it’s the only thing that helps her ignore how much it hurts when her mom forgets to feed her.

But lately Sarah can’t even play basketball right. She’s slower now and missing shots she should be able to make. Her body doesn’t feel like it’s her own anymore. She’s worried that changing herself back to how she used to be is the only way she can take control over what’s happening.

When Sarah’s crush asks her to be partners in a cooking competition, she feels pulled in a million directions. She’ll have to dig deep to stand up for what she needs at home, be honest with her best friends, and accept that she doesn’t need to change to feel good about herself.

You can purchase Taking Up Space at the following Retailers:

My Review

This story is about Sarah and her insecurities.

Sarah is in middle school, plays basketball and has a great group of friends. When her body starts to change, she decides she has to change her eating habits to try to get in better shape so she doesn't lose her basketball skills.

She has grown up in a household with strange eating routines...and this doesn't help her any.

This was an emotional read. You can feel Sarah's emotions and you just want to help her. She quickly finds out who her true friends are, while she tries to hide everything from those who care about her.

I imagine a lot of young teens go through this. Especially with social media constantly in everyone's face. I think this would be a good read for every young teen.

If you find you are experiencing an eating disorder, know you aren't alone and there are resources out there to get help.

Check out the National Eating Disorders Association

HERE

Photo Content from Alyson Gerber

Alyson Gerber is the author of the critically-acclaimed, own-voices novels Braced and Focused published by Scholastic. Her third novel Taking Up Space will be in stores on May 18, 2021. She has an MFA from The New School in Writing for Children and lives in New York City with her family. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @AlysonGerber.

Braced, Focused, and Taking Up Space are all Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. Braced received three starred reviews and has been nominated for state book awards in Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire, Virginia, South Dakota, and Georgia. Focused was picked as a best book of year by The Today Show, Kirkus Reviews, and A Mighty Girl and has been nominated for state book awards in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Michigan. Alyson’s latest novel, Taking Up Space, based on her experience with disordered eating, will be published on May 18, 2021. Taking Up Space will help readers recognize how much they matter and see that if something negative is taking up space in their minds, even if there isn’t a name for it, they should ask for help.