About the book: Eric is a swimmer on the high school team. His best friend from Elementary and Middle school was Sarah Byrnes. He was a fat child who was tormented by others. Sarah Byrnes had burns over her face and hands. They were friends because nobody else wanted them. Once they went to high school Eric a.k.a Mobi joined the swim team. He struggled to deal with how to remain friends with Sarah Byrnes. He even tried to over eat to remain fat. They drift apart. Eric is in a class taught by his swim coach Mrs. Lemry that looks deeper into social issues. Sarah Byrnes enters a psych ward at the hospital detached from the world around her. Mobi visits her and tries to save her. At the same time, he is trying to juggle swim team, the girl of his dreams and his friends. He uncovers the truth about her scares and her father with the help of his middle school nemesis Dale Thornton. He also struggles with relationships with fellow swimmers and a girlfriend. He discovers the truth about true friendship. Unfortunately, in the process he tangles with Sarah Byrnes crazy father and gets stabbed in the shoulder. At the end Sarah Byrnes is learning how to feel safe and loved. Mobi is learning to stand up for what he thinks is right and about is feelings about the world around him.
Readers Response: In Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes Eric is a swimmer. I am not a swimmer so all the swimmer talk went over my head but it did not distract from the core of the story. This book would be a great read aloud through a “read and tease”. Parts of the story are suspenseful and thoughtful. The book could be discussed in a high school class over the following questions: how one’s actions affect the people around you, how friendships affect choices, or how to make life decisions. Almost like mirroring the class that Eric is taking from his swim coach.
Author's website: http://www.chriscrutcher.com/
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