Today I am excited to be featuring the book Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber on the Blog Tour hosted by Turn The Page Tours! I am sharing a giveaway, so be sure to read on. This post contains affiliate links, so if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
About The Book:
Title: Taking Up Space
Author: Alyson Gerber
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 5/18/21
Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health
Find it: Goodreads | Purchase Here
Book Description:
Sarah loves basketball more than anything. Crushing it on the court makes her feel like she matters. And it’s the only thing that helps her ignore how much it hurts when her mom forgets to feed her.
But lately Sarah can’t even play basketball right. She’s slower now and missing shots she should be able to make. Her body doesn’t feel like it’s her own anymore. She’s worried that changing herself back to how she used to be is the only way she can take control over what’s happening.
When Sarah’s crush asks her to be partners in a cooking competition, she feels pulled in a million directions. She’ll have to dig deep to stand up for what she needs at home, be honest with her best friends, and accept that she doesn’t need to change to feel good about herself.
About Alyson Gerber:
Alyson Gerber is the author of the critically-acclaimed, own-voices novels Braced and Focused. Her third novel Taking Up Space will be in stores on May 18, 2021. She has an MFA from The New School in Writing for Children and lives in New York City with her family.
BRACED received three starred reviews, was a Junior Library Guild Selection, and has been nominated for state book awards in Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire, Virginia, South Dakota, and Georgia. Alyson’s second novel, FOCUSED, about a girl caught between her love of chess and her ADHD, was picked as a best book of year by The Today Show, Kirkus Reviews, and A Mighty Girl and has been nominated for state book awards in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Michigan. Her latest novel, TAKING UP SPACE, based on her experience with disordered eating, will help readers recognize how much they matter and see that if something negative is taking up space in their minds, even if there isn’t a name for it, they should ask for help.
Learn more about Alyson at www.alysongerber.com and find her everywhere else @alysongerber.
My Review:
Sarah is a basketball player who is being raised by a mom with issues around eating. Unfortunately, her mom’s issues lead to a lack of food in their house. Her dad is often away for work, which doesn’t help. Sarah gets some messages from her mom that lead her to believe certain things about food and eating and this begins to effect her ability to play basketball well.
As the author says in her author’s note, “this book is about learning to trust that you’re worth believing in and about finding the courage to stand up for what you deserve.”
I would recommend this book with a caveat. It takes time for Sarah to get help and young readers may find themselves influenced by her unhealthy thoughts and choices around eating before she learns that those choices aren’t actually healthy. A lot can be learned from this book but adults should make sure their young readers understand the mistakes Sarah makes along her journey.
Taking Up Space Giveaway:
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win one (1) finished copy of Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber! Open to USA residents only. There will be 1 winner. Giveaway starts: Monday, May 17, 2021 Giveaway ends: Monday, May 24, 2021 at 12:00 a.m. CST
I received my copy of the book too late to include my review originally, but I have now added it in!