Week 4: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Round Things

Book Cover Image:

Book Summary:

This is a realistic fiction book of a 15 year old trying to find her place in this world. She is faced with many trials that a teen faces, especially a teenage girl. She battles with her weight, boys, her mom, and fitting in with her classmates. Virginia, the main character, learns to deal with negative comments from her family and classmates about her weight and how she is nothing like her popular, cute brother. Over the course of the school year, she encounters a brush with love, self-mutilation, tattoos, and other deep issues. She will have to find a way to deal with all of these trying issues that many teens also face. This book is best suited for grades 7 and up, focusing on upper middle school and high school.

APA Reference:

Mackler, C. (2003). The earth, my butt, and other round things. Cambridge, MA:

            Candlewick Press.

My Impressions:

I really liked this book and think it would be a great book for most teen girls. Almost every girl goes through the insecurities that Virginia suffers. Being perfect is an unrealistic feat and I love the way Virginia finally comes to grip with learning to love and accept herself. For example, she deals with her mom’s disapproval of her weight and finally starts showing some independence. She runs off to Seattle to spend time with a friend and while there, she gets a tattoo that her mom will surely disapprove of. Her mom is an adolescent psychologist and really does not know how to deal with her daughter. This is a great cause of Virginia’s problems but over time, they figure a way to have a better, healthier relationship. I think many girls can relate to the body image issues and the parental relationship issues. It could really help teens get through some tough times in their lives. Even though it does deal with some deeper, possibly controversial issues like date rape and self injury, it is a great addition to middle and especially high school libraries.

Professional Review:

“Gr 7 Up-- Virginia is the sassy, sad, chubby teen in a perfect, prominent family. Cracks occur when idolized college brother, Byron, commits date rape. Piercings and wild clothes symbolize Virginia's rebellion, enhance her confidence, and unexpectedly help heal family rifts. The teen's funny, rocky journey to self-acceptance also includes a brush with self-mutilation, incredulity that the boy she experiments with sexually likes her, and the support of a sister who escaped to the Peace Corps.”

Review Reference:

Hofmann, M. (2005, November 1). [Review of the book The earth, my butt, and other

round things, by C. Mackler]. School Library Journal, 51(11), 58. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 7-12

This book would be a great “Just Between Us Girls” themed booktalk or bookclub. The librarian can hold this talk after school and open it to all girls who are interested. They can all be invited to read the book before the event and bring a conversation starter question they may have. This could be a valuable way to use a book as a therapeutic outlet. 

This book could be a part of a special collection on bullying. Most schools have some sort of anti-bullying efforts and it could be displayed when the bullying campaign begins.