What We're Reading: Mary

Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee



This Young Adult novel describes a year in the life of an overweight teenage girl.


Feeling very unattractive in her changing and overweight body, what could be worse than working part-time in her Mom's beauty shop, where appearance is everything?
Near the beginning of the book, a small portion of Rosie's sad, earlier school life is presented. It includes the unfortunate sixth grade incident that led to her clinging "artichoke" nickname, issued by the "in crowd" of cool girls. Continuing into a recent time frame, many, often amusing, encounters are described between Rosie and the same teenage girls now known as the "Bluebirds." As Rosie matures, she begins to look at the Bluebirds in a different way. She realizes their shallow values, and hurtful behavior towards other classmates, not in their clique.
In the year surrounding her 16th birthday, Rosie truly begins growing up. She learns to control her eating, loses weight, finds a boyfriend, and comes to terms with her mom's illness. This is a very fitting "Sweet 16" read.