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Over All:
This entire book was very interesting and thought provoking over all. I think that this was a good book for our age group to read because it has very many issues that happen in our teenage years. You will enjoy a story so much more if you can connect with it. I also thought that Chris Crutcher did an excellent job creating character’s personalities to fit the story and the part they played in it. From what I researched about child abuse Sarah really fit the part with her being rebellious and running away all the time from people that want to help her. She was also very strong and didn’t cave into anything which is what most teens are like when they are getting abused. Jody also fit the part that she played very well. She had a lot of the emotions and thoughts that a girl would probably have if she was forced to have an abortion. The characters descriptions played a key role in the book as well. In order for Eric to have liked Judy without talking to her at all, she was probably remotely pretty, and for Eric to have sweated as much as he did, he had to be a little over weight. Having the characters fit the parts that they play both physically and emotionally really helped the book become more believable to the reader.

This book, although confusing, had a very interesting layout really had to think about where they were and if it was before or after the paragraph before. “It really clicks together well”, said Kayla (Mulan361), of MN. I also thought it was interesting how Sarah didn’t tell anybody what really happened to her face when she was younger. I thought that she would have told someone right after it happened when she was at the hospital. Her dad must have really threatened her or she got something in her mind that she couldn’t tell anybody otherwise something bad would happen. She must have been a strong little girl to have kept all her feelings inside. I also wonder wither the hospital staff would have looked more into her case when she got burned then they did. If I worked in the hospital I would not have believed that the burn marks she had was from a pot of boiling water.

I also thought that CAT class addressed some pretty strong topics and I wonder if they would really have a class that talks about topics like that in a modern day school. In the middle of the book I started to think that Sarah and Eric were going to fall in love. If that would have happened Sarah may as well be a Disney princess and Eric a Prince. I think, even thought stuff like this happens in real life, it would have been not as realistic.
I found it funny that Dale was an enemy at the beginning of the story but later turned out to be a big help in so many ways. Like he helped when he told what really happened to Sarah’s face and also when he saved Eric’s life. So many things happed in this book that was unpredictable that it kept me on the edge of my seat while I was reading it. I would have to say over all this has been a very interesting book and it taught me to stick up for myself and others no matter what might happen to you.

If it was different: When Eric found out that Sarah’s dad was the one that made the burn marks on her face by pushing her into a stove, he told a person that he could trust, Mrs. Lemry. He could have done so many other things that could have ended the book differently. Another choice he had was to tell the police or the hospital staff. They might have not believed him and Sarah would have gotten very mad and ran away. If Sarah would have accepted their help I believe the whole story would have been different. The police would have arrested Mr. Byrnes and then they would of helped Sarah find her mom and the police would check if she had a stable enough life to keep Sarah. Eric then would not have gotten stabbed and carver would have not had to go to jail. There would be so many things that would be different and some things that would be the same. If all these things were changed then the whole theme would be changed too. Sarah would have not been such a strong character and would not have shown individual strength. It would also not seem such a big deal either. This book would have also been extremely different if Eric would have picked a different way to help Sarah become safe. If Eric would have told the hospital staff they would have not allowed Mr. Byrnes to see Sarah and then he would have suspected something and hurt either Sarah, Eric, or the hospital staff.

This book would have also been different if Carver wouldn’t have gone to find Mr. Byrnes. He might still be out there if he didn’t find him. Mr. Byrnes probably would of gone to find Sarah and either kill her of hurt her. The he might have finished off Eric and Mrs. Lemry for helping Sarah find her mom and escape. In this book changing one big or small detail would change everything.

Problems in the story:
Child abuse is a growing problem and in this book it is a big problem. It is nearly impossible for a kid so stop their parent from abusing them by them self. You need support. In this book, even though Sarah is strong and can take care of her self for the most part she needed help. I think that there is no reason for abusing a child. Most people choose to have a child and even if it was a “mistake” it is still their responsibility to take care of it, treat it well and give it what it needs. I also think that there is no excuse to verbally abuse a child if for something that the other parent did or something that the abusive parent did. It is unfair to the child to have to live their life with out the necessities and without a chance to grow up and become what ever they want to be. No matter what kind of abuse a child gets they shouldn’t be getting it because they can hardly defend their self and they most likely feel lost in the world. Child abuse is a growing problem that should be stopped because there is not one excuse in the world to abuse a child.

Another problem in the book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is abortion. They talk about this problem a lot in the class that Eric and some of the other main characters argue about what they think about it. When Mark thinks that abortion is ok and Eric thinks it isn’t the story gets pretty heated up. They are arguing and both making some good points. I don’t think that Eric would have had that much of an opinion about abortion before he knew Jody but he did. I also don’t think that Mark should have said too much because it must have been very awkward for Jody. Also when Eric found out that that Jody had an abortion he must have been very shocked that she let Mark say what he did. Jody’s and Mark’s relationship must have been very controlling since Mark made her get an abortion. I thought that this problem really helped the main point and all the little points come together in the story.

A third problem in the story was religion. Also in CAT class this was talked about. I think that this issue was probably bigger then Chris Crutcher had to make it. I don’t think that this had too much to do with the story except for the small part where Mark tries to commit suicide. Mark and Ellerby were the two people with the biggest religious views. I really don’t think it was necessary to include this small section but I am glad that Chris Crutcher did because if he hadn’t then Mark and Ellerby wouldn’t be as big of characters as they were.

All the little problems just contribute to the big problem of how to get Sarah safe. This makes the story more interesting so all the characters contribute to the conflict somehow.