Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes

Crutcher, C. (1993). Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes. NY: Greenwillow Books.

Eric is friends with Sarah Byrnes, they form a bond because they don't fit in.  He is fat and she is scarred from being burned.  Sarah has grown quiet and is in the hospital.  She is not responsive but Eric goes to see her and talks to her anyway.  Eric makes the swim team and keeps eating so he will stay fat so that he can be friends with Sarah.  Her father is very creepy and threatens Eric if he doesn't tell him if she starts talking.  There is a class that Eric is in at school and they discuss all kinds of things, religion, abortion, Sarah, etc.  At the end Sarah runs away looking for her mother with the help of Eric's swim coach and teacher.  Sarah's dad attacks Eric and stabs him which ends him in the hospital.  They are graduating and going separate ways and realize that no matter what they look like or where they are gong they will always be friends.

The story of what Sarah's dad did so her is awful and makes me wonder why her mother could be so uncaring to leave her daughter with the man who burned her. I think this books makes you think about looking at people beyond their appearances and taking them for what they really are at heart.  Makes me think of "The Voice" and how they are judged solely on their voices instead of appearances. 

Havighurst's Theory of Developmental task and how adolescents have to adapt to their physical bodies really hit home with this story.  Eric's changing body from joining the swim team and how he had to deal with that and still try to keep his friendship with Sarah.