The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things Reviews

• This Book Has A Positive Body Image Message without the Sap

  
  By A3GB6RKLASF9HB on 2005-08-11
  As a former undernourished-looking child and a current plus-sized 213-lb woman, I loved The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. Don't take a look at the title and lump this book into the Teen Bridget Jones-Chick Lit category. Although it resembles one of those books of the ever fast growing genre, The Earth...is remarkably insightful, introspective, multi-layered, and well written. Carolyn creates a wonderfully multi-dimensional character in the form of Virginia Shreves.
  
  Virginia is a blond-haired and overweight 15-year old who does not fit in with her over-achieving, athletic, slim, and brown-haired family. Virginia is not only an outsider at school, but an outsider at home as well. Like her mindless eating and magazine reading, she encourages the isolation as shield. If no one can notice her, no one can criticize or tease her about her weight. Virginia even dabbles in self-mutilation to deal with the pain she feels about being a fat girl in world where being thin is in.
  
  Unlike other plus-size heroines, Virginia has a grasp of her sexuality and takes a firmer grasp of it as the novel progresses. Virginia makes out with her unofficial boyfriend, and enjoys it even when the size of her body makes her nervous. She also masturbates and is not ashamed feeling arousal towards boys. Mackler writes these scenes, there are a few but not too many, with careful wording. It is never vulgar or sappy. It is plain and unobtrusive.
  
  A tragedy in Virginia's family forces her to take charge of her mental, physical, emotional, and social health. By the end of the novel, which I read in little over a day, you're feeling as energized and as unstoppable as Virginia. The best thing about the book is that Virginia's boost in attitude has absolutely nothing to do with her weight. (I won't spoil the ending by tell you whether or not she slims down.)
  
  This is the best book featuring a plus-sized teen girl since Life in the Fat Lane by Cherie Bennett. I recommend it to all teens, regardless of size, struggling with body image and self esteem issues. I also think this book, like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, would make an excellent choice for a Mothers-Daughters Book Club.
  
  

• The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

  
  By on 2004-03-11
  Virginia Shreeves is a teenage girl with ordinary teenage problems. Virginia is an overweight teenager and is always pressured by her mother to lose weight. Her mother is like this because when she was a teenager she was also overweight but now, is skinny as can be. Her father is a slim man with a very good job. She also has a beautiful sister who is also skinny but does not live at home anymore. She is in Africa for the Peace Core. Finally, Virginia has a brother, Byron, who is very handsome and seems to be perfect. At the beginning of the book, Virginia only has one good friend. It's her best friend, Shannon. Shannon moved to Walla Walla, Washington for the whole school year. This is hard for Virginia in school because she doesn't really have any other friends. This is especially hard at lunch when she does not have a table to sit at. Ms. Crowley notices this and tells Virginia she can go to her room during lunch. Virginia goes to her room almost every day. Ms.Crowley and Virginia become really close. Another person very important in her life is Froggy Welsh the Fourth. They like each other and they hang out at her apartment sometimes but, Virginia follows her "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." It says that she can't show affection for any boy in public. They get in a fight and don't talk for a long time. Around this time, Byron date rapes a girl at a party and is suspended for the semester at Columbia. This helps Virginia realize that her brother isn't perfect. That no one in her family is perfect. Virginia has been on a diet for a while at this point but, food is her comfort and she needed it at this time. Shannon helped her get away from everything by inviting her to go to Seattle with her and her parents for thanksgiving. Virginia's parents don't want her to go so; Virginia buys a non-refundable ticket to Seattle. Her parents are upset with her, but still allow her to go. In Seattle, even though Virginia knows her mom won't like it, she gets her eyebrow pierced. When she gets back home, Virginia misses Shannon a lot. For Christmas, the family always attends a fancy party at a friend's house. For the party Virginia buys a purple dress, her Mom does not like it. She says it doesn't go with her hair. After this comment, Virginia dies her hair purple to match her dress. On the way home, even though her Mom doesn't like the things she has been doing recently, she tells her that she wishes she was as brave as Virginia. Virginia likes that her Mom admires this about her. When Virginia gets back to school she finds out one of her teachers has died from a heart attack. Virginia has made a new friend in school, her name is Alyssa. Alyssa helps Virginia start a club for a website she would like to make. It's for teens that want to speak there mind. The website is great, many people helped, as well as Froggy. This is when Froggy and Virginia become friends again. The ending to this book is fabulous. Overall, I enjoyed the book very much. I loved Virginia's emotional and physical journeys throughout the entire book.
  
  

• Great New Book

  
  By A3H82LUT1EC655 on 2003-09-27
  Virginia Shreves isn't what you would call a small girl. She's more of a round girl. She thinks that she's fairly comfortable with her size, until her best friend, Shannon, moves to Walla Walla, Washington, so her father can study onions, and she begins "fooling around" with Froggy Welsh the Fourth. The only problem, is that she can't speak to him during school hours, because she feels that she should follow the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." Now she's not only depressed and lonely, but her Psychologist mother is trying to drag her to a nutritionist, and her best friend is now running around with a new crowd in Walla Walla, and doesn't have as much time to e-mail Virginia. Now Virginia's decided to try a new method to get herself to lose weight, and become attractive to everyone, a way that could hurt her. Badly.

  After reading "Love and Other Four Letter Words," I anticipated Mackler's newest release "The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things." I wasn't disappointed. Virginia is a fresh new personality (and body-type), in a sea of book characters who are tall, thin, and flat-chested. She appeals to girls who don't fit that mold. Her imperfections make her not only funny, but extremely relatable. Her boy troubles, best friend troubles, and eating disorder will teach girls of all ages to be happy inside their own skin. Whether that skin is thick or thin, black or white. A must have book to keep treasured for years to come.<...
  
  

• Not as fresh and funny as the title suggests

  
  By A1KZO6VSL96S3O on 2004-02-21
  After reading Carolyn Mackler's "Love and Other Four Letter Words", I borrowed this book--the author's second--from a friend. From the description and the first few pages, I thought "The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things" would be a fresh, funny, and entertaining read, but I was less than satisfied.

  The novel revolves around Virginia Shreves, a teeanger in NYC who feels like an outcast because her older siblings appear to be near-perfect, she is overweight and insecure about her body, and her best friend just moved cross-country. Throughout the book, Virginia deals with all sorts of teenager-ish problems, from fitting in to coping with her parents to her first experiences with the opposite sex.

  Though I liked the premise of the book, it wasn't really an interesting read. Virgina spent so much time complaining about her weight that it made *me* feel fat. I don't know if the author was the most insecure person in the world, but the story's heroine didn't seem like the average teen to me, and most of her rants were very extreme; it was hard to laugh at certain parts, even if it was clear they were written to be funny.

  The book did have a few honest laughs and a believable plotline, but Virginia was so angsty it was more annoying than entertaining to read her "diary entries".

  Maybe I just had high expectations after I enjoyed Carolyn Mackler's "Love and Other Four-Letter Words" so much, but I didn't enjoy this book and I wouldn't reccommend it.
  
  

• True Rebelion

  
  By AUVMRDGGIL45X on 2003-08-27
  This book was just too good, it tells the story of Verginia Shreves, and her dealing with her best friends move to Walla Walla Washington, and her weird, and sometimes embarrassing first love. And while that seems like a total "Yeah-sounds-like-any-other-first-love-teenage-book-of-growing-up-and-finding-yourself" it really is much more then that. Virginia's story gets much deeper when her brother, (who also happens to be the one person in the entire world that she admires and looks up to the most) makes a huge life changing mastake that will follow him for the rest of his life. And while all this is happening Verginia decides that she is not going to take any of her mothers [stuff] anymore and stop looking the way her mother wants her to look, and starts being the person that she has always been deep down inside, and not just the fat, shy, loser girl that people once knew her as. I truly loved this book and recomend it to anyone who loves to read like I do.
  
  
• A Book We Can All Relate To
  By A2FSVHJP612Z5E on 2003-10-21
  The book The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler is truly an awesome read. The book is about an average highschooler named Virginia Shreves, the only thing not exactly average about her is her weight. Virginia is bigger then normal and knows it and lives by what she calls the fat girl code of conduct. You get to know Virginia as a character and the issues in her life, one of them being her having to realize her brother is a date raper and her mother may never accept her for who she really is big boned and all. The book is humerous but also touches on some topics that are not so funny, like eating disorders, becasue shes not happy with her weight. It also has romance in it, which i think is the perfect mix. Carolyn Mackler's book is a read worth your time and a book you will regret dearly for passing up.
  
  
• : ) Me while reading it, : ) Me while reviewing it....
  By A15TNUM2PBS6F0 on 2003-09-05
  As I was perusing Amazon one night last week, I stumbled upon Carolyn Mackler's new novel, "The Earth, my butt, and other big round things." I took a 'look inside', and feel in love with Virginia Shreves, its' main character.
  I've never related so well to a fictional character so vividly before. All those feelings of no self worth or confidence came flooding back to me, and it was very real to me.

  Chapter one has Virginia lip locked with Froggy, a boy from school who has an hour to kill before his trombone lesson. They spend an hour in her bedroom kissing every Monday. When his hands start roaming, she pretty much sends him packing.
  Being overweight, Virginia feels very uncomfortable with the idea of someone of the opposite sex seeing her body. She doesn't even look in the mirror, at least not yet.

  I am not one to give much away in my reviews. I will tell you that you will laugh alot, most likely cry(i did), smile, and just love reading it. I am very happy I bought my own copy.

  As Virginia's story progresses and the 'perfect' shell of a family shatters, she is transformed. I loved this 'coming of age story'....
  
  

• extremely overrated and not funny at all
  By on 2004-12-19
  It seems like a normal happy crappy little book, but in reality it's much darker, with date rape and anorexia and bulimia and of course the want to be popular.
  If you want a laugh avoid The earth my butt and other big round things.
  If you want a really bad book read it.
  I thought the main story (wanting to be normal and "fit in with the popular crowd") was so lame and such a cliche. This plot line has been used in HUNDREDS of other teen novels. I'm really sick of it!!! Can't authors think for themselves?
  
  
• A fun book
  By A5VBDBLXCQ6AD on 2005-03-30
  While I don't think that this book is on my "Favorites" list, it is definitely an excellent read.
  
  Meet Virginia Woolf Shreves. She is the insecure, over-weight daughter of 2 seemingly very perfect parents and 2 perfect siblings. Froggy is her crush and the boy she fools around with on Monday afternoons. Virginia tries very hard to be just like the rest of her model family, but one phone call changes how she feels about them, her life, Froggy and herself.
  
  I loved how Virginia thought and the way she was so easy to relate to. I read this in one day and I am hoping there is a sequel. I would recomend this book to any teenage girl.
  
  ~Atalanta
  
  
• Themes of "The Earth, My Butt, and Other BIG Round Things"
  By on 2005-04-09
  The book's themes:
  
  1. Weight. As you can see from the title, this book contains a lot of heartfelt info about personal weight and image. Virginia is a good example by doing the wrong thing and learning from it. I loved the scene in the book when Virginia realizes that the girl throwing up in the stall next to her is the skinny, popular girl. Very satisfying.
  
  2. Relationships. Several in particular, Virginia's romance with Froggy, her relationship with her obsessive mother, friends, and so on.
  
  3. What's perfect? My favorite and most deep theme of all. Until her brother is temporarily suspended from Columbia for date rape, Virginia and the world thinks of the Shreves (excluding her) as perfect. But clearly Byron is shallow and un-perfect, and her parents follow a similar suit.
  
  But my advice? Read the book and decide for yourself. I think you will find it is well-written and goes into a lot of issues presented to girls of Middle, High, and Upper Elementary (5th and 6th Grade)Schools all across America (and also all over the world.)
  
  
• ~*This was a really good book, I loved it*~
  By on 2005-04-23
  This book, The Earth, My Butt, and other big round things is by Carolyn Mackler. This is about a 15 year old girl named Virginia. She lives in New York city with her mom and dad. Her brother, Byron has just gone away to college, along with her sister, Anais who is in Africa studying animals. Virginia hates herself. She thinks she is dumb, ugly, and fat. She only has one friend and her name is Shannon. She had just moved to Walla Walla, Washington so her parents can study onions. Virginia's family is perfect....exept for her. She has to see a counselor, Mrs. Crowley, that has had some of the same problems as she has had. People often talk behind Virginia's back, and she thinks that she would pretend that it wasnt happening but...she ends up not agnoring it and spending her whole lunch hour inside the bathroom. This is a great book and I loved it. I would reccomend it to people that were older, becuase it was a little strong for my age, but it's still my favorite book.
  
  
• ONE OF THE BEST AUTHORS SINCE MEG CABOT
  By A3PDHDRQQRJDKF on 2003-07-31
  I picked this book up because I thought it would be funny. Little did I know I would end up balling my eyes out and relating to a lot of it. It was a wonderul book. If you liked the Princess Diaries than you will love this. I sat down to start at 10:33 p.m. I read it in one sitting and finished at 2:35. The feeling of being rejected by society and the ever evil high school "queens", the feeling of the pressure to be slim AND beautiful, the feeling of wanting to crawl in a hole or anywhere that is away from your family, and the feeling of worrying wether you will pass a class or not and all of the other feelings in this book are normal feelings every teenager that has or will exist will experience. Plus, her insicurities and panics remind me of Mia from The Princess Diaries. I cried and cried and cried and loved every page of it. READ THIS BOOK, OR SOMEDAY YOU WILL REGRET THAT YOU PASSED IT UP!
  P.S.
  I think adults who read this will see a little part of their high school selves in the main charecter Virinia Shreeves.
  
  
• A great read
  By A2XVH6IML3LP3J on 2004-03-15
  This book is a delight. The humor is wonderful, and the main character so well drawn. There aren't many novels like this-- fast-paced and very funny, yet also deep and memorable.

  I started this book last night after dinner and finished it around 2:30 a.m. this morning. I couldn't put it down.

  The story is of an overweight girl with very low self-esteem and a selfish family. Gradually, she learns to love herself and to see her family's flaws and thrive in spite of them. It's an empowering book-- for overweight people, for teens, for females, for most readers I believe.

  I reccommend it highly.
  
  

• Just Hear Me Out
  By A2C5IUGVHGPZ8G on 2005-10-31
  For all who are reading this, just finish this review before you say anything. I am not a miserable person decided to ruin everyones lives through my reviews. Really.
  First of all, I thought that this was a decent book. My only qualms with this story is that there was angst up to my neck! I expected this book to be lighthearted, yet the main character was planning her suicide every twenty pages or so.
  Another problem that I discovered with the book that the plot was so typical teenage and translucent that it was hard to pick up at times.
  On the other hand, though, it was short enough to be enjoyable without a dragging on of any sort. Also, it had a happy ending that was enjoyable.
  I recommend this for people with mostly nothing else to do. Then again, i am 16 years old, so make your own judgements &decisions.
  
  
• By Haley
  By on 2006-05-09
  Haley Cammarata
  
  The Earth my Butt and other Big Round things a book about a teenage girl, who has had social problems. She was over-weight, she never had a boyfriend, had many friends. She meets a boy who she really likes, and they start to experiment with every Monday after school. Vanessa has problems in and out of school. She experiences many different things in and out of school as she continues with her school year.
  Vanessa's brother has some problems during his school year, and has to come home for a little bit. My favorite part of the book was watching Vanessa get stronger. Watching her being able to talk to her parents more and more. Especially when she has that moment with her father, and they understand eachother.
  I would recommend this book to any girl in 7-9 grade. It is a great book, and many teenagers might be able to relate to Vanessa's problems. Read it, it's a good book. To read this book not only opens your mind about other people that surround you in and out of school, but it opens your mind about yourself.
  
  
  
• Well-rounded reading
  By A3037FATP48PHQ on 2003-09-21
  This book was wonderful. As soon as I saw the title I was hooked. I couldn't put the book down and I felt so much for Virginia. She is a strong character and the reader can look to her for inspiration when dealing with obstacles in life, and she had a lot of obstacles that she overcame. Meet Virginia. You'll fall in love with her like I did.
  
  
• .
  By A3NPYO95VGI0XM on 2005-01-02
  This book wasn;t as good as I hoped it would be. I just didn't like the fact that Virginia didn't stick to her diet - she was always going back to junk food instead of making a healthier and wiser choice. Otherwise, I thought it wwas alright...
  
  
• The Earth, Our Butts and other big round things
  By A2CLF0HUPODXSR on 2005-01-14
  I thought that this was a really good book for a person in Virginia's situation. I personally didn't like her "Fat Girl" rules list. But it's how people feel.
  
  What I particularly liked was about how when she discovered that when you get attention from your mother, it's not always good attention. When she pierced her eyebrow, when she dyed her hair, when she bought that purple dress, she was discovering herself, and she loved and understood, that she didn't have to please anyone else if she was happy.
  
  
• The Earth,My butt,and other Big round things
  By on 2005-03-15
  I thought the book was ok but it wasn't as good as people tell it out to be. The book had too many problems or conflicts going on at one time. Like her weight, her love, her parents, and her brother and his scandal. It was kinda hard to keep up. It never really finished or resolved the conflicts like her "thing" with Froggy.
  The best part of the book was when she used what she liked to do to make a web page for her school.All of the time she would pull out paper to make lists to calm her down.
  the author did a good job describing the setting and the conflicts. Weather she was in a shopping mall on on vacation with her friend, you felt like you were there.
  When her brothers scandal occured, she made it come alive and you felt like you were really there having to deal with it too.
  
  
• Angst, Whining, and other Incredibly Annoying Things
  By A1I96RAPDK1S0E on 2006-01-12
  I couldn't stand to finish this book, and put it down a little more than halfway through. The main character was just SO IRRITATING! I couldn't stand her never-ending stream of whining, complaints, and self-pity. Yes! You're fat! Your siblings are perfect and your parents are evil and shallow! Everyone hates you! We get it already!
  
  I just desperately wanted that twit to *do* something about it. I don't mean lose weight--I mean just get a grip on herself. Absolutely EVERYTHING in Virginia's pathetic life revolves around her weight--she follows a strict "Fat Girl Rules Of Conduct", which means that she can't ever have a normal relationship with anyone, because, "Oh woe is me! I am fat!" And of course, there's absolutely no possible way for a fat girl to ever have a a boyfriend, or a friend who wasn't also a social outcast, or a semi-normal life. You'd think she was Quasimodo!
  
  I put the book down once I saw the ever-so-predictable "uplifting" ending coming. Of course Virgina is going to learn to have self esteem, becoming a kick-butt gal (at a "curvy" size 12, of course!) Yawn.
  
  There is a reason for 2 stars instead of one. First of all, the writing itself it good, sometimes even funny. And in the first few chapters, before the complaining really started to get on my nerves, I actually enjoyed the book. Also, the people who would get something more out of this book than I did are overweight teenagers with very, very, *very* low self-esteem, because you'd emphasize with the main character.
  
  
• She's Done It AGAIN!
  By on 2003-07-26
  I loved this book. Being a girl who grew up chubby and dealt with a lot of the same issues - it resonated. But beyond that, it talks about the pain of feeling alone in this world and how you can reach out and find help from it.

  This book is for anyone who's felt alone, rejected, or basically gone through or is going through puberty! Plus, if you like a fast and fun read (I finished it in one sitting.).

  A must buy! This is one you'll love the second, third, and I'm betting fifthith time around.
  
  

• Buts, and other round stuff
  By on 2004-11-30
  The best!! The author connects so much to real kids. I know I'm one. Everything feels so realistic. I would recommend it to all teenage girls.
  
  
• A GREAT BOOK!!!
  By on 2005-04-03
  I read this book and few months ago and I absolutely love it! This is one of the few books that I have read that actually captures what it's like to be a teenager and what teenagers actually go through (weight issues, boyfriends, sibling rivalary, etc...). Some people said that this book was sexually explicit but it really isn't at all. Another thing that I have read in the reviews was that it encouraged to develop eating disorders. The truth is that it actually encourages teenager girls to be confortable in their own skin and not to focus on their weight, but to focus on their health. I think that this book would be great for any teenage girl that wants something to relate to. It's a must read!!!
  
  
• This book gets 5stars on my list!
  By on 2004-08-23
  Though this book might be long i think its amazing! Read it if you in Middle School or above because of some of the things in the book! Otherwise the plot was good the characters were good and everthing else was great! Read the Angus Thongs and Full Frontal snogging series if you like this book!
  
  
• Amazing Book
  By A36CX2PKQ99P4M on 2004-11-29
  I adore this book. The title was first caught my eye, but I began reading it in the book store, and before I knew it, I was 30 pages in! It is defitely a book for readers who aren't feeling very sure about themselves and where they stand in the world. Virginia is a truly funny character and by the end of the book you will love her and think of her as an actual person! Carolyn Mackler did an amazing job.
  
  
• ehh
  By on 2005-02-14
  this book wasn't that bad. and if your one of those kids who get easily inspired by books, i wouldn't read it. the part where she cuts herself with a paperclip gave this girl in my class the idea to cut herself-and this girl was definetly not the kind to cut herself.
  
  
• Sad, yet realistic view of plus-sized teen life.
  By A1SF0J1H4ILKPV on 2005-11-01
  I ordered this book because the title caught my interest and reading the synopis made the book even more appealing. I read it all in one day and loved it. 15 year old Virginia Shreves is a character most can relate to because she shows us her struggles with her weight and being a member of a family with a gym addicted mom, skinny woman lover father, slim and pretty sister, and greek god brother, as she puts it. I grew up as a "chubby" teen with a football playing brother and cheerleader sister and it was hard because I was the bookworm and internet freak, unlike my siblings and I could relate to what Virginia was going through. Her breakthrough (I too rocked the purple hair! Didn't pierce anything, though!) made me smile because I remember going through that. The characters were believable, such as her relationship with Froggy and her best friend Shannon. This is a book I would recommend to girls like me, girls that need to realize the size of our clothes does NOT make who we are. That is up to us.
  
  
• I love this book
  By on 2006-01-08
  I would probably call this my favorite book ever. Virginia Shreves thinks she is the only one in her family who is not athletic, and not `normal'. Everybody in her family is also very successful, her mom is a physiologist, her dad is a high-powered software executive, her sister is in the Peace Corps, and her brother is a muscular man doing well in college, except her, a girl in school teased about her above average figure. She thinks she is the only `un-normal' one in the family until her brother commits date rape. After that she comes out of her shell and lets everyone know who she is.
  
  
• not for twelve and under
  By on 2003-08-22
  I'm twelve years old, seventh grade, and I found this book wonderful. Even though I'm nothing like the main character, I still related to her. She was so real to me, after I read the book I wanted to email her! I loved this book and I still haven't returned it to my friend, even though I finished it awhile ago. This kind of book made me feel good about myself, made me laugh, and made me cry.This book was a little strong, definately not for your immature twelve year old. It described Virginia's "encounters" with her boyfriend, and used a few strong words, the "F" word in particular. I still thought it was a wonderfull book and I recommend it to any age (over twelve that is!)
  
  
• Fatty
  By on 2003-10-21
  This book was so good.Verginia Shreves parents want her to be a pretty goddes, but she is fat and shy.Her best friend moved from her city to Walla Walla,Washington. And she thinks her cool and popular brother is embrassed to be around her because she is a loser. Plus her boy friend's real name is Froggy! Verginia's life is pretty mess up in this book and that is what makes it so good. There is only one word to describe is book, Amazing!
  
  

• What My Mother Doesn't Know
• Love and Other Four-Letter Words
• The First Part Last
• The Truth About Forever
• Vegan, Virgin, Valentine