Book Review: Maggie Goes on a Diet

A day late and a dollar short this week.

The Book: Maggie Goes on a Diet by Paul Kramer

Front Cover

Premise: This book is about a 14 year old girl who goes on a diet and is transformed from being extremely overweight and insecure to a normal sized girl who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image (From Barnes & Noble).

Ages: 6-12

This book first came to my attention through Jezebel and I was immediately incensed. I am well aware that there is an 'epidemic' of obesity among children, and I think it is important to educate them on healthy eating and active lifestyles, however this? This is obscene.

Treasury Islands  says it best I think.

"Let’s take in the cover. It is, after all, the only thing we currently have to go on. This smiley girl with Pippi Longstocking plaits is probably Maggie. And Maggie is, lets face it, a little on the plump side. Maggie has a pretty pink frock. Girls like pretty pink frocks. But look! The pretty pink frock will not fit her – it is too small! Here’s a suggestion for your next book Mr. Kramer: write a book called MAGGIE’S MUM BUYS A DRESS THAT ACTUALLY FITS HER AND DOESN’T DEGRADE HER DAUGHTER, and get someone else to write it."

There are many different reasons that a child can be over weight, but a diet should never be started unless under the direction of a medical physician, and can be accomplished through a combination of nutritious meals with proper portioning which teaches children healthy eating habits, and encouragement to engage in more physical activities like sports or going for family hikes. Studies have shown that pre-pubescent girls are the most at risk group for developing eating disorders because they are being shown from a young age that their bodies are not quite right, that if they were thinner they would be prettier and therefor happy.

This book does not teach children how to live a happy and healthy life. It barely teaches children how to be happy. What it does teach, is that to be happy, you cannot be fat, overweight, a little bit plump, or anything in between. Worse, it is teaching children that they need to think about their weight! Not only is this book unnecessary, it has totally missed hitting the side of a freaking huge barn from five paces.

My hat is off to you Paul. I truly did not know that there was, in fact, a new low children's authors could sink to.

Grade: F-

It's fine to show kids how to lead a healthy lifestyle, but the concept of "going on a diet" — and all the obsessive behavior and self-loathing that can go along with it — shouldn't be part of childhood (Jezebel).

UPDATE:

For your amusement, I am adding the tags people have added to the Amazon page.

teaching kids to self-hate give your children neuroses sexist drivel anorexia bait body fascism talentless hack writer

dangerous abusive if you hate your daughter sick waste of a good tree poor dress sense eating disorder to order

girl-hating horrible why self publishing exists child abuse diets don t work