Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
by Chris Crutcher
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Description
The daily class discussions about the nature of man, the existence of God, abortion, organized religion, suicide and other contemporary issues serve as a backdrop for a high-school senior's attempt to answer a friend's dramatic cry for help.Tags
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Joybee Also about many very controversial topics brought up in a humorous story. A 'mature' book
Member Reviews
Eric's only friend in middle school was Sarah Byrnes, a girl with an acerbic sense of humor and severe burns on her face and hands. She and Eric, the fattest boy in school, made up a sort of club of rejects, banding together to use their wits against their tormentors. Now, in high school, Eric has discovered swimming and has made at least one other friend, but Sarah Byrnes is still one of the most important people in his life. And she's in a mental hospital, in a catatonic state. Eric visits her regularly, wondering all the time: what happened to make her check out like this? Is there any way he can help her find her way back?
I thought I had read this as a teenager, but if I did, a whole lot of it went right over my head! I suspect that show more I remember seeing the title on the library shelves, but that I never checked it out. I have such mixed feelings about this title. First off, parts of it are extremely dated. I can't really hold that against the book; in its time, I'm sure they added a lot. It's just that teens now are going to struggle with that aspect and miss out on a lot of the humor. Other parts, including some of the class discussions from Eric's Critical American Thought class, are starkly relevant. Certain plot elements are extremely predictable, like the Inspirational Teacher vs. Uptight Administration storyline, and the way Jody's story plays out (I'm being intentionally vague to avoid spoilers) -- again, they might have seemed fresher in 1993. All of the adult antagonists are pretty one-dimensional, though a kid bully gets some more nuance. All in all, I can see this book being taught in a YA literature course, as it's a strong example of a 1990s realistic teen novel, but I'm not sure I'd hand it to teens today, at least not without some additional context. show less
I thought I had read this as a teenager, but if I did, a whole lot of it went right over my head! I suspect that show more I remember seeing the title on the library shelves, but that I never checked it out. I have such mixed feelings about this title. First off, parts of it are extremely dated. I can't really hold that against the book; in its time, I'm sure they added a lot. It's just that teens now are going to struggle with that aspect and miss out on a lot of the humor. Other parts, including some of the class discussions from Eric's Critical American Thought class, are starkly relevant. Certain plot elements are extremely predictable, like the Inspirational Teacher vs. Uptight Administration storyline, and the way Jody's story plays out (I'm being intentionally vague to avoid spoilers) -- again, they might have seemed fresher in 1993. All of the adult antagonists are pretty one-dimensional, though a kid bully gets some more nuance. All in all, I can see this book being taught in a YA literature course, as it's a strong example of a 1990s realistic teen novel, but I'm not sure I'd hand it to teens today, at least not without some additional context. show less
CATEGORY: Required
Moby is a fat kid turned slightly less fat kid. Middle school was rough for him, but he had Sarah Byrnes to get him through it. Sarah Byrnes is a burn victim. She's witty, harsh, and will stop at nothing to get revenge on the popular crowd. But when Sarah and Moby get to high school and Moby starts swimming, they drift apart. Sarah resents Moby's move to the popular crowd and his slight weightloss, losing his physical "loser" marker. But now Sarah is in the hospital after a mental breakdown and she isn't speaking. Moby goes and talks to her everyday, and finds out more about Sarah's traumatic past. Suddenly, everything becomes clear in Moby's life and part of that is because of Lemry's Contemporary American Thought show more class. Abortion, child abuse, Christianity, and suicide attempts are all in play in Chris Crutcher's phenomenally deep YA book.
I loved this book so much. I loved the Christian criticism, the adult topics in high school, and the greatest depictions of friendship I've seen in a YA book. I think that, although this book is fairly controversial, it would be a great fit for a large number of high school students. Crutcher promotes critical and deep thinking about things a large number of teenagers have just accepted as fact, religion included. show less
Moby is a fat kid turned slightly less fat kid. Middle school was rough for him, but he had Sarah Byrnes to get him through it. Sarah Byrnes is a burn victim. She's witty, harsh, and will stop at nothing to get revenge on the popular crowd. But when Sarah and Moby get to high school and Moby starts swimming, they drift apart. Sarah resents Moby's move to the popular crowd and his slight weightloss, losing his physical "loser" marker. But now Sarah is in the hospital after a mental breakdown and she isn't speaking. Moby goes and talks to her everyday, and finds out more about Sarah's traumatic past. Suddenly, everything becomes clear in Moby's life and part of that is because of Lemry's Contemporary American Thought show more class. Abortion, child abuse, Christianity, and suicide attempts are all in play in Chris Crutcher's phenomenally deep YA book.
I loved this book so much. I loved the Christian criticism, the adult topics in high school, and the greatest depictions of friendship I've seen in a YA book. I think that, although this book is fairly controversial, it would be a great fit for a large number of high school students. Crutcher promotes critical and deep thinking about things a large number of teenagers have just accepted as fact, religion included. show less
Don't let the weird cover scare you away-this was great.
I'd never read anything by this author before now, and I'm glad to see he's written several books. It was surprising to find out this one was written in 2003. It doesn't feel dated at all except for the absence of cell phones. And maybe the curiously derogatory word "adjusto"-I don't remember that ever being a thing. Otherwise, the kids could be from a book written this year.
I always like a YA book where the adults are more than just props, and there are some swell ones here-parents, teachers, and other cool grown-ups. They're not all great, which is the heart of this book's problem. The book deals with several hard issues, but the author does a fine job of navigating them. I show more loved that the characters changed over the course of the book. I loved that enemies could become friends, or at least friendly. Moby's voice was great. Despite the difficult subject matter, this was a quick, enjoyable read. show less
I'd never read anything by this author before now, and I'm glad to see he's written several books. It was surprising to find out this one was written in 2003. It doesn't feel dated at all except for the absence of cell phones. And maybe the curiously derogatory word "adjusto"-I don't remember that ever being a thing. Otherwise, the kids could be from a book written this year.
I always like a YA book where the adults are more than just props, and there are some swell ones here-parents, teachers, and other cool grown-ups. They're not all great, which is the heart of this book's problem. The book deals with several hard issues, but the author does a fine job of navigating them. I show more loved that the characters changed over the course of the book.
I can't remember when I first read this book - probably middle school, definitely by high school - but I read it over and over again. Crutcher's books are compellingly clear: characters are usually good or bad, but the books are still satisfying instead of predictable. Humor functions not just to make readers laugh but as armor for the characters; it protects them from mean fellow students, unsympathetic teachers and administrators, and terrifying parents. There is always at least one good adult though, usually a coach, sometimes also a parent.
Rating: A+
I think I could write a one-word review of this book (obviously I've exceeded that already, but I'm making a point here). The problem is that if I drop this one word on you, you'll be like, "What?!" It's a racy word, and I think it might be okay to use it because it's not like I go throwing the sauce around on this blog all the time--I prefer to save my racy talk for when I hang out with my sailor friends. Anyway, here's my one-word review:
FAN-_ _ _ _ _ _ _-TASTIC. Seriously. I know a lot of people say that using foul language is the hobgoblin of little minds (along with routine), and that if you can't say it more creatively than you're a loser, but the situation called for it. Read this one-word review, and tell me which is show more better: FANTASTIC. The middle part of the first review had an impact, didn't it?
Here's why this book is FAN-_ _ _ _ _ _ _-TASTIC:
1. The characters are amazing. Crutcher used to be a child therapist, and he's got this stuff nailed down tight. I loved it, it was gripping, moving, heart-wrenching, and beautifully drawn. Everybody--Eric, Sarah Byrnes, his parents, friends, foes, everyone--was fully developed.
2. The plot is hands-down dynamite. There's angst, there's sports, there's all kinds of lovey-dovey beauty. Strong friendships, lies, fears, everything you need for a good hard-boiled story.
3. The themes are tough to handle, but complex and thought-provoking. I work at a camp for abused and neglected kids every summer, and I don't think I'll ever be the same. This book is reach-down-into-your-chest-and-rip-your-heart-out writing. I actually gave my sister a summary of what the book was about, I only got through two sentences before she broke me off and said she couldn't handle any more, it was too much. I said, "You read books where the protagonist is a rape victim, but this is too much for you?" (This was in reference to some books by Charlaine Harris). My sister said crimes against adults, although awful, are nothing compared with crimes against children.
Tough to read, but totally worth it. I'm going to have to go out and get every last one of Crutcher's books. The guy is FAN-_ _ _ _ _ _ _-TASTIC. show less
I think I could write a one-word review of this book (obviously I've exceeded that already, but I'm making a point here). The problem is that if I drop this one word on you, you'll be like, "What?!" It's a racy word, and I think it might be okay to use it because it's not like I go throwing the sauce around on this blog all the time--I prefer to save my racy talk for when I hang out with my sailor friends. Anyway, here's my one-word review:
FAN-_ _ _ _ _ _ _-TASTIC. Seriously. I know a lot of people say that using foul language is the hobgoblin of little minds (along with routine), and that if you can't say it more creatively than you're a loser, but the situation called for it. Read this one-word review, and tell me which is show more better: FANTASTIC. The middle part of the first review had an impact, didn't it?
Here's why this book is FAN-_ _ _ _ _ _ _-TASTIC:
1. The characters are amazing. Crutcher used to be a child therapist, and he's got this stuff nailed down tight. I loved it, it was gripping, moving, heart-wrenching, and beautifully drawn. Everybody--Eric, Sarah Byrnes, his parents, friends, foes, everyone--was fully developed.
2. The plot is hands-down dynamite. There's angst, there's sports, there's all kinds of lovey-dovey beauty. Strong friendships, lies, fears, everything you need for a good hard-boiled story.
3. The themes are tough to handle, but complex and thought-provoking. I work at a camp for abused and neglected kids every summer, and I don't think I'll ever be the same. This book is reach-down-into-your-chest-and-rip-your-heart-out writing. I actually gave my sister a summary of what the book was about, I only got through two sentences before she broke me off and said she couldn't handle any more, it was too much. I said, "You read books where the protagonist is a rape victim, but this is too much for you?" (This was in reference to some books by Charlaine Harris). My sister said crimes against adults, although awful, are nothing compared with crimes against children.
Tough to read, but totally worth it. I'm going to have to go out and get every last one of Crutcher's books. The guy is FAN-_ _ _ _ _ _ _-TASTIC. show less
My older son read this in his eight grade English class this fall. It raised controversy from some parents who were concerned about some of the themes raised in this book (abortion, suicide, and religion to name a few). I tend to prefer that my son be discussing these themes in the classroom than with an unsupervised group of friends, especially given my respect for his English teacher. But I also wanted to read the book so that I could have conversations with my son about these issues as well.
Despite my reasons for reading this book, I was barely passed the first chapter when I became completely enthralled in the story. The story is told from the perspective of Eric Calhoune (aka Moby). Eric was overweight when we was younger. He was show more also a bit of an outcast, and that is how he became friends with Sarah Byrnes, a girl whose face was terribly burned when she was three. Her father, a cruel man, didn't allow any reconstructive surgery, saying that growing up disfigured would make her tough. Sarah and Eric coped with the challenges of middle school together, and when Eric joined the swim team in high school, he ate even more so that he could stay fat for Sarah Byrnes. But as the story begins, Sarah Byrnes has been admitted to the hospital and is refusing to talk. With the help of his friend Ellerby, his swim coach Mrs. Lemry, and an old nemesis Dale, Eric has to figure out how to help Sarah Byrnes deal with a situation that seems unsolvable.
Crutcher captures the voices and trials of high school in voices that are authentic and complex. The issues that Eric, Sarah Byrnes, and others face are difficult ones, and Crutcher doesn't shy from the conflicting viewpoints that are raised in these debates. The story moves quickly, and for the final third, I could barely put it down. I wasn't surprised to learn in the author's sketch at the end of the book that Crutcher has worked as a family therapist and a child protection specialist. He clearly has firsthand knowledge of the struggles that he writes about. show less
Despite my reasons for reading this book, I was barely passed the first chapter when I became completely enthralled in the story. The story is told from the perspective of Eric Calhoune (aka Moby). Eric was overweight when we was younger. He was show more also a bit of an outcast, and that is how he became friends with Sarah Byrnes, a girl whose face was terribly burned when she was three. Her father, a cruel man, didn't allow any reconstructive surgery, saying that growing up disfigured would make her tough. Sarah and Eric coped with the challenges of middle school together, and when Eric joined the swim team in high school, he ate even more so that he could stay fat for Sarah Byrnes. But as the story begins, Sarah Byrnes has been admitted to the hospital and is refusing to talk. With the help of his friend Ellerby, his swim coach Mrs. Lemry, and an old nemesis Dale, Eric has to figure out how to help Sarah Byrnes deal with a situation that seems unsolvable.
Crutcher captures the voices and trials of high school in voices that are authentic and complex. The issues that Eric, Sarah Byrnes, and others face are difficult ones, and Crutcher doesn't shy from the conflicting viewpoints that are raised in these debates. The story moves quickly, and for the final third, I could barely put it down. I wasn't surprised to learn in the author's sketch at the end of the book that Crutcher has worked as a family therapist and a child protection specialist. He clearly has firsthand knowledge of the struggles that he writes about. show less
Eric Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes have been best friends for years. Their bond has been their outcast status: he is overweight and her face is badly scarred from an accident when she was three. Sarah has always been tough about her situation but suddenly stops talking and is put in a mental hospital. After swimming practices Eric goes to visit Sarah at the hospital hoping to break through to her. Finally, she does speak and it turns out she has purposely gotten admitted to the hospital because her father has been behaving erratically and she fears he may really hurt her. It becomes a race for Eric to protect Sarah before her abusive father can hurt her further.
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Author Information
16+ Works 9,079 Members
Chris Crutcher is the critically acclaimed author of seven young adult novels and a collection of short stories, all of which were selected as ALA Best Books for Young Adults. Drawing on his experience as a family therapist and child protection specialist, Crutcher writes honestly about real issues facing teenagers today: making it through school, show more competing in sports, handling rejection and failure, dealing with parents. Chris Crutcher has won two lifetime achievement awards for his work: the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Outstanding Literature for Young Adults, and the ALAN Award for a Significant Contribution to Adolescent Literature. He lives in Spokane, Washington show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Alternate titles
- Secrets of Sarah Byrnes
- Original publication date
- 1993
- People/Characters
- Eric "Moby" Calhoune; Sarah Byrnes; Steven Ellerbee; Jodi Mueller; Mark Brittain; Carver Middleton (show all 10); Ms. Cynthia Lemmry; Dale Thornton; Virgil Byrne; Sandy Calhoune
- Important places
- Reno, Nevada, USA
- Dedication
- For all those who finally stand up for themselves
- First words
- My dad left when I still had a month to go in the darkroom, and historically when people have tried to figure me out (as in, "What went wrong?"), they usually conclude that Mom spoiled me; gave me everything I wanted because ... (show all)I had no pappy.
- Quotations
- I think most of us tell ourselves we don't want what we think we can't have just to make life bearable.
And I think if you're going to be with somebody you owe it to them to show yourself.
It's a scary thing, moving on. Part of me wishes life were more predictable and part of me is excited that it's not. I think it's impossible to tell the good things from the bad things while they're happening. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)I've gotta bulk up; give my new swim coach something to work off me.
- Disambiguation notice
- 'Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes' was also published under the title 'Secrets of Sarah Byrnes'
Classifications
- Genres
- Teen, Fiction and Literature, Young Adult
- DDC/MDS
- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PZ7 .C89 .S — Language and Literature Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Juvenile belles lettres
- BISAC
Statistics
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- 1,638
- Popularity
- 13,666
- Reviews
- 73
- Rating
- (4.10)
- Languages
- Dutch, English, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 30
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 4