Starfish by Lisa Fipps – Book Review

Title: Starfish Author: Lisa Fipps Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books Release Date: March 9, 2021 Interested in teaching Starfish? Check out the LIT Lessons Starfish Novel Study.

Summary

During Ellie’s 5^th birthday party, her whale swimsuit and pool antics resulted in a cruel nickname: Splash. Since then, she – now almost 12 – has been ruthlessly bullied about her weight. Her classmates, strangers, and even her own family members criticize and belittle her every chance they get. From diet articles taped to the fridge to cruel pranks at school, Ellie copes by spending time in her pool and living by “Fat Girl Rules.” As the pressure to slim down increases and the vitriol she faces from others becomes relentless, Ellie’s ability to deal hangs in the balance. Fortunately, she finds acceptance from her new friend, Catalina, her father, and her therapist. With their unconditional love backing her, Ellie begins to stand up for herself and accept who she is.

Review

Lisa Fipps’ Starfish is a tour-de-force. This novel-in-verse is perfect. It is equal parts honest, raw, and heartbreaking while still funny, hopeful, and inspiring. Ellie’s journey to self-acceptance is powerful; the transformation unforgettable. Most importantly, Ellie’s transformation has nothing to do with changing her body. The messages inherent in this narrative will be the life preserver so many people, young and old, need as they navigate body image issues and the pressure to conform to a world obsessed with defining beauty in narrow, thin terms. Ellie, half-Jewish and half-Christian, is indicated as White, while Catalina is Mexican American.

Middle grade will reap invaluable benefits from reading Ellie’s story. Starfish provides endless discussion opportunities and a lens with which to critically think about today’s society and its standards of beauty. Readers will undoubtedly come to accept themselves just little more in the same way Ellie comes to embrace herself. Such impactful books are rare, and Fipps’ Starfish is just what the doctor ordered for 2021.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Nancy Paulsen Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Unit – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of the history of beauty standards.
• Book Pairing – Pair this book with another that explores themes of self-acceptance and body positivity.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading novels in verse.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Bullying
• History of Standards of Beauty

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Starfish. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
• Blubber by Judy Blume (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
• Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
• Jelly by Jo Cotterill (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)

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