Taking Up Space

Twelve-year old Sarah is used to being the star on her basketball team, playing with her best friends, but suddenly she finds that her body is changing and she does not understand why she cannot keep up on the court, plus she does not understand why her mother has gotten so weird about food, binging on candy while forgetting about dinner, and she really does not understand why she told Benny, her crush, about her mother--but when Benny offers to teach her how to cook and suggests she partners with him ina cooking competition she starts to find a way to stand up for herself and change her life for the better.
A talented basketball player from a dysfunctional family begins to suffer from health issues before a crush asks her to be partners in a cooking competition, a situation that challenges her to stand up for her needs and accept herself as she is. Simultaneous eBook.
From beloved author Alyson Gerber comes another realistic contemporary novel perfect for fans of Judy Blume. 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.Booklist described Gerber's novels in starred reviews as both "highly empathetic" and "truly inspiring." Taking Up Space promises to be a realistic and compelling story about struggling with body image and learning that true self-esteem comes from within.