Ellie has been dealing with bullying for as long as she can remember. Things at school have become even worse since her 5th grade birthday party. An awesome cannonball entry into the pool got twisted into an on-going joke that resulted in the nickname Splash and constant comparisons between her size and that of a whale. Ironically, despite the incident, Ellie considers her backyard pool to be her happy place, the place she can be her true self.
Bullying isn't just reserved for Ellie's time at school. She has learned that bullying can actually begin at home. Ellie's mother makes daily comments about Ellie's weight. She posts weight loss articles and diet plans on the refrigerator and uses Ellie's weight as a bargaining chip for any reward or privilege Ellie seeks. The constant threat of bariatric surgery looms large in any conversation between mother and daughter.
If her mother's taunts aren't enough, Ellie's older brother is as big a bully as all the kids at school, and her older sister can't seem to find a way to defend or support Ellie during battles with their mother. The only person Ellie can count on is her father. As a psychiatrist one would think he would have giving support and advice down pat, but it is maddeningly difficult for him to stand up and defend Ellie from her mother's often vicious comments.
When Ellie begins going to see a therapist, it takes courage for her to open up and reveal just how hurtful people have been to her. Eventually, she comes to trust the doctor she at first refers to as Dr. Woodn't-You-Like-to-Know. Ellie's humor and grit could be her saving grace if she can harness her frustration and learn to direct it toward the people who hurt her most.
STARFISH is the debut middle grade novel of author Lisa Fipps. Written in verse that captures Ellie's pain and torment as well as her spunk and courage, STARFISH is sure to speak to others facing bullying both at home and beyond. Ellie's experience will open up discussion among readers and hopefully educate bullies about the damage they cause. Perhaps reading STARFISH will end the pattern of bullying or at least prevent a potential incident.
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