Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
Original ISBN 978-0-06-009489-8
HarperTempest, 1993.
295 pages

Plot Summary: Eric and Sarah are pretty much each other’s only friend.  Their “outcastness” (her horrifically scarred face and his massive girth) has bonded them in a very significant way.  When Eric begins to shed weight from competitive swimming, he gorges himself in order to “stay fat for Sarah Byrnes;” without the added weight, he’s afraid of losing her friendship.  When Sarah slips into a catatonic state, Eric does whatever he must, including enlisting the assistance of one of his bullies, to help her.  While taking a Contemporary American Thought class, Eric and his peers realize that everyone has scars of some sort – some visible, some not, but ones that must be overcome.

Critical Evaluation: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a testament to true friendship as evidenced by the lengths Eric will go to help Sarah.  The book also illustrates that many people, even those that appear perfect, have issues that they must overcome. 

The characters in the book are well-developed.  While each character has a unique issue, the issues tie the characters together with a common theme of friendship and overcoming adversity. This book would serve as an excellent exemplar to demonstrate theme and characterization.

Reader’s Annotation: Before others can see you in a different light, you must first see the light in yourself.

Author Information: Crutcher, an American writer, was born in 1946.  His experiences as a child protection advocate and as a child and family therapist have inspired his stories which are often fast-paced and told with a realistic teen voice. Crutcher actively participates in several sports; his stories often encompass some type of physical activity which allows the novels to be enjoyed by a broader teen audience.

In 1998, Crutcher was awarded the National Intellectual Freedom Award, and in 2000, he received the Margaret A Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award. Four of his novels

His website can be found at http://www.chriscrutcher.com/

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties: English Language Arts to teach characterization and theme.

Booktalking Ideas: I would ask students if they want to know a secret and at what depths they would go to keep it. I might also ask them how they would reinvent themselves if they could.

Reading Level / Interest Age:  Grades 6-12

Lexile: 920

Challenge Issues: The book has been challenged many times.  The most recent was in 2011 when a school board in Belleville, Wisconsin retained the book as required reading for ninth grade students after a parent complained it was filled with “pornography” and “pervasively vulgar” language.  Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes touches on issues of bullying, physical abuse, abortion, and religion.

Reason for Item’s Inclusion: Chris Crutcher is popular and well-known as a YA author. The premise of this novel sounded interesting. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a wonderfully written book with an excellent message.

References:

Chris Crutcher. (2012, February 27). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Crutcher