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What I Like About Me

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What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume follows the story of Maisie, a plus-size teenage girl spending her summer vacation at a camping ground with her family and friends. Throughout the book, Maisie navigates friendship, body positivity, and romantic entanglements, including dealing with her best friend dating her crush. The novel is written in a journal-style format, providing insight into Maisie's thoughts and struggles, especially regarding her self-image and weight issues.

Characters:

The characters in the story include a relatable protagonist and a mix of supporting characters, some of whom lack depth while others add significant value to the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style combines journal entries with detailed storytelling, showcasing the protagonist's evolving voice and emotional experiences.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative revolves around the protagonist's struggle with friendship dynamics, romantic feelings, and self-image during a summer vacation, interspersed with moments of frustration and growth.

Setting:

The setting primarily takes place at a camping ground during summer, contributing to the themes of friendship and personal growth.

Pacing:

The pacing is inconsistent, influenced by the journal format, leading to some rushed developments and uneven character arcs.
Source: This journal, which I’m supposed to write my ‘discoveries’ in every damn day, complete with sources and explanatory notes, like I have so much time for that. All because my English teacher thi...

Notes:

The book follows Maisie and her family spending Christmas break with friends.
Maisie has a complicated friendship with Sebastian, whom she has known since childhood.
She develops feelings for Sebastian after discovering his poetry.
Maisie's father won't be joining them for the holiday, leaving her feeling unsupported.
The narrative is told from Maisie's perspective, which leads to some frustrations, as she misses obvious social cues.
Maisie's character shows growth, especially regarding her self-confidence and body image.
The supporting characters are described as hit or miss, lacking depth at times.
Weight issues are a central theme, with Maisie often being mean to herself about her body.
Maisie writes daily journal entries that structure the narrative style of the book.
The relationship dynamics between Maisie, her best friend, and her crushes create tension in the story.
Leila, a new friend, brings positivity and helps improve the narrative with her bubbly personality.
The author addresses themes of friendship, body positivity, and love in a relatable way.
Readers identify with Maisie's struggles around body image and insecurity common among teens.
The ending leaves readers wanting more depth in the exploration of critical themes.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings involve themes relating to body image and potential emotional struggles with self-esteem.

Has Romance?

The book includes elements of romance that are significant to the plot without overshadowing the main themes.

From The Publisher:

A funny, authentic YA debut about a teen girl juggling body image, friendship, family, and a beauty pageant…all on her summer vacation. From debut author Jenna Guillaume.

"This is the book I would hand to teen me." -Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"Features funny dialogue and fresh takes on body image and personal relationships as well as a plucky heroine who slowly but surely comes into her own…. Perfect for fans of Dumplin'." -Kirkus Reviews

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing on her vacation is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her Dad is AWOL and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie's already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she's always loved. But Maisie's got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this vacation is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn't let anything, or anyone, hold her back.

Jenna Guillame's American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie's realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one's body and celebrating one's self.

Also available from Jenna Guillaume:

You Were Made for Me

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