I Get So Hungry

by Bebe Moore Campbell, Amy June Bates (Illustrator)

Beloved author Bebe Moore Campbell's latest book shines light on childhood obesity. Once Nikki starts eating, it's hard for her to stop. She snacks when she is upset, angry or bored. But when her teacher, Mrs. Patterson, is taken to the hospital because of her weight, Nikki realizes that she wants to live a healthier lifestyle. She and Mrs. Patterson work together to help each other succeed, and Nikki even convinces her mom to get involved and exercise, too.

Acclaimed author Bebe Moore Campbell said she wrote this as she felt strongly about the worth and necessity of this story. She hoped to touch kids and parents and help them make changes in their lives. Amy Bates' charming illustrations bring to life this important story of one young girl's struggle with weight gain, an all-too-familiar problem for children today.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, School, Nonfiction, Health, Food

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2008

About the author

Bebe Moore Campbell (February 18, 1950 – November 27, 2006), was the author of three New York Times bestsellers, Brothers and Sisters, Singing in the Comeback Choir, and What You Owe Me, which was also a Los Angeles Times "Best Book of 2001". Her other works include the novel Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and the winner of the NAACP Image Award for Literature; her memoir, Sweet Summer, Growing Up With and Without My Dad; and her first nonfiction book, Successful Women, Angry Men: Backlash in the Two-Career Marriage. Her essays, articles, and excerpts appear in many anthologies.

Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which was published in September 2003. This book won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. The book tells the story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother. Ms. Campbell was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, "Even with the Madness", debuted in New York in June 2003. This work revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.

As a journalist, Campbell wrote articles for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, as well as other publications. She was a regular commentator for Morning Edition a program on National Public Radio.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not think this book is a good way to teach children about childhood obesity. I think it reinforces negative thinking, focuses on body image, shows the parent to be a bad example and the teacher to be the hero. After reading it, I chose not to read it to my kids. I would prefer a book that is positive and focuses on healthy eating and exercise. I found this book disturbing on many levels.

[Rakisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet and insightful yet hopeful book about an obese little girl who sets out to lose weight with her plus-size teacher. The cherubic cheeks and expressive eyes of little Nikki immediately draws you in, makes you want to love her like a cuddly teddy bear. But it is those same characteristics that make my throat tighten with tears as she describes eating away her pain when a classmate makes fun of her. As a plus-size woman, I feel little Nikki's pain and understand her struggle. I want to hug her and tell her that she'll be okay, but the truth is that she does need to lose weight and eat healthier. This book says it gently and directly without preachiness.

[kati · Rating 1 out of 5]

i can't believe there are so many positive reviews of this. this is so horrible. i really hope it wouldn't be published today. there is so much wrong with this book.

[Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Get So Hungry is a book that brings awareness to the issue of childhood obesity. The main character, Nikki, is revealed to be an emotional eater. Nikki eats when she is sad and when she is angry; she states that once she starts eating it is hard to stop. Nikki's teacher ,Mrs. Patterson, who happens to be a large woman is seen sneaking food in class by Nikki. Mrs. Patterson is absent from school due to what can be surmised as a major health issue. When Mrs. Patterson returns Nikki notices that something is different about her, she has lost weight and is eating differently. Nikki eventually takes the initiative to become a healthier her. Nikki begins to walk with Mrs. Patterson before school and learns to eat when she is hungry rather than when she is sad or angry. After talking to Mrs. Patterson Nikki's mother joins their journey to a healthier lifestyle. This story is encouraging and relevant to today's society. The illustrations are bold and eye-catching but not too bold to where it outshines the message that the story is trying to present to its' readers.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikki is a girl who eats to feel better. She even sneaks potato chips during class when she is teased. Her new teacher, Mrs. Patterson is also heavy and Nikki sees her sneaking a cookie from her purse during the day too. When Nikki goes to the doctor later, she is told to not eat any more junk food. Her mother agrees, but on the way home buys them some doughnuts. When they return from Christmas break, Mrs. Patterson has changed. She isn't sneaking food, she's drinking water and she spends her early mornings walking. Nikki joins Mrs. Patterson on her walks in the mornings and starts to watch what she is eating too.

This picture book perfectly captures the issues of family and youth obesity. I appreciated that Nikki has good friends. She is not a loner, not disliked, but she is teased by one boy in her class. The depiction of using food as a mood stabilizer is also well done. There is no miraculous weight loss here, which is also a good thing. Rather there is a change in attitude and lifestyle. Bates' illustrations are filled with doughnuts and potato chips at first and then transition to vegetables and the green of the outdoors.

This book is ideal for classroom use when speaking about good nutrition. Appropriate for ages 6-8.

[Alia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the cover. Seeing a smiling black girl and a story about her struggles with food is not common in kid lit. I liked what this book tried to do but It did not get where it needed to be. The class bully is not truly dealt with. The topic of over-eating as linked to bad food choices, family habits, and mental health could've been fleshed out more. It could've been in the story AND with detailed back-matter. I didn't like that the Mom was briefly turned into a villain and the Black teacher the hero. I did appreciate that the mom and daughter were inspired to make better life and health choices. As I said, this book was an attempt but needs much much more context in writing and illustration and more care. This story without more care and context can actually be QUITE harmful to young readers. If this book is read at storytime or used in a classroom, it will need to be supplemented with other books. I also heartily encourage deep discussion about the problematic aspects of this book with young readers.

[Erica Cowhick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will inspire all readers who face similiar issues in their own lives. Mrs. Patterson and Nikki both start eating, and realize that it is hard for them to stop. Both of them sneak food throughout the day when they think no one is watching. Nikki asks her mother to go on a diet and her mother refuses to help her. When the children come back from winter break they notice that Mrs. Patterson has lost a bunch of weight. Nikki asks Mrs. Patterson to walk with her every morning and to help her with a diet. Both of them lose a bunch of weight together!

Activities
1. Have students write in a journal a time where someone has made fun of them for something such as weight, looks, etc. and how that made them feel.
2. Have students keep a diary as if they were a character in the story. The students will write down different events that happen and reflect how they are affected by the character.

[Whitney White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Get So Hungry is an eye-opening book for people of all ages. Even though it is a picture book, it gives adults a sneak peak into the psychological ways of a child. The book is about a young girl that struggles with her weight and eventually becomes overweight; a great book shedding light on a dramatic social issue. It brings awareness to the epidemic of childhood obesity and would be a useful tool for a child that is struggling to overcome it.

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a realistic and positive portrayal of an overweight child and her overweight teacher learning healthy habits together. Finally something that is not so heavy handed as Marc Brown's stupid The Gulps.

[Riley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should know better than to expect much from a fictional story about a fat girl with a title that includes any mention of size/weight/food/hunger. They always disappoint me. ALWAYS. Full review when I get a moment...

[Emelda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. I can't even focus my thoughts on this, I have so many conflicting yet mostly negative feelings about this.

[Tatum Edwards]

This wasn't my favorite book because I don't think it approached obesity in a very positive light. I feel like this book could make students feel bad about their size.

[Eddie Cartier · Rating 1 out of 5]

The goal of the author (may she rest in peace) was well intentioned, but this book falls woefully short in execution. She relies on all of the tired and inaccurate stereotypes surrounding overweight kids and adults (they eat too much of bad things and don't do anything other than sit around eating). While this is true for some overweight individuals, it is more often due to underlying health or genetic factors. Health issues like lipedema (may effect 1 in 9 women worldwide), hypothyroidism, etc. can result in weight that will not drop even with diet and exercise. Genetics are also a strong factor. Everyone knows those people that can eat literally anything without gaining a pound. Well, likewise, some folks are going to be heavier even with a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

This book risks causing kids in the latter categories to suffer from self-esteem issues and believe in the book's quick fix of eating less and walking a little when it is doomed to fail. The book also employs a bully and rude nicknames "Nikki-thickie" as motivating factors. Instead of strongly calling out the bullying, the resolution is that the bully stops when Nikki loses weight. In what world is this an appropriate storyline? The mother is even made the "villain" for part of the book as she refuses to change what she feeds Nikki, lies to the doctor about what they eat, and uses food as an emotional crutch for herself and Nikki (all set up to oppose Nikki's desire to lose weight). However, that is hardly the type of parent that raise most overweight children.

So, I would avoid this book at all costs. For normal weight kids, it says it is OK to body shame others because it will help them lose weight. And for those whose "normal" weight is not slim, this book will cause much more emotional harm than help.

[Jatoria Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikki being a thick little girl gets pick on throughout the book and to cope with it she eats. Eating comfort food makes her feel better and when she see her teacher do it as well it makes her feel a little better. However her teacher ends up having a health scare that allows for her to start eating healthier and exercise. Nikki sees this an starts her journey on a healthier lifestyle with her teacher and eventually gets her mom to participate too. This is a fictionally book that a lot of girls should read, although it maybe fictional, this plot is very realistic and engaging. The language in this book is easy for child to understand and it can also be a conversation starter about bullying, eating healthy and exercising, as well as self-esteem. The book is somewhat diverse with the children in the classroom but you can definitely tell that the author was trying to depict an urban area. This book also let's children take a lot into others culture we eating fried foods and junk food was something that's done on the regular. I really like this book and I love the illustrations even more especially the fact that you can read Nikki's emotions on her face during the entire story.

[Skyler McSheehy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picturebook. I thought it was an interesting book and it was hard to read when the other children in the class would make fun of her because of her weight. I did enjoy how the teacher and student worked together to make healthier goals and reach their goals together. Overall it helps promote a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of exercise and eating right.

[Chad Seevers · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book for a kid who is struggling with there weight or is being bullied.

[Sydney Goodjoines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because it was positively written to tackle childhood obesity :)

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a unique book that tackles the difficult topic of childhood obesity. Honest look at how Nikki copes with her emotions by eating.

[Taneka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki is an overweight child, who eats when she is sad, bored or lonely. In class she is teased by a kid and is envious of her friends. The doctor told Nikki's mom that they are to have no more junk food but mom doesn't listen. Her teacher, Ms. Patterson, is overweight too and she snacks on cookies and chips just like Nikki. One day Ms. Patterson doesn't come to class and the teachers wisper things that scare Nikki. When Ms. Patterson returns she is a new person and Nikki wants to find out first hand, how.

This is a really good story. Kids that are suffering from food insecurities or come from a line of obese people will relate to Nikki if they are trying to lose weight. Nikki's doctors inform her mother "No more junk food" and what does she do; she takes Nikki to get a donuts AFTER the doctors visit. Her comment to Nikki after she asks to go on a diet is that "We come from a long line of big-boned women. We'll never be Skinny Minnies."

Nikki is determined and instead takes matters into her own hand. When Ms. Patterson returns she starts questioning her about her weight lose. Soon she begins to participate with her during her morning exercises. When Ms. Patterson tells her what she eats, Nikki begins to cry. My mom won't buy me the food you eat. It is sad that there are many parents out there that do the same thing to themselves and their family.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Get So Hungry by Bebe Moore Campbell, illustrated by Amy Bates addresses the problem of childhood obesity by focusig on Nikki, who eats when she feels bad, but works to change her lifestyle when an overweight teacher has health problems.

Bates' illustrations match the story well. My favorite images are cover, title page, Arnold as a pretend chip, walking with Mrs. Patterson, and walking with Mom.

Overall I found this a valuable book to make children aware of childhood obesity and the need to change lifestyles to live healthier. There aren't many large children depicted in picturebooks, and this story is presented in a thoughtful, positive manner. I do think the changes came a bit easy, with just walking as exercise and healthier eating resulting in a major change. I do recommend this for school and public library collections.

For ages 6 to 8, childhood obesity, obesity, exercise, over-eating, bullying, peer pressure, and fans of Bebe Moore Campbell and Amy Bates.

[Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a wonderful children's book. It is told with honesty. Nicki deals with her emotions by eating. When she's sad, she eats; when she's upset, she eats. One day she notices her teacher doing the same thing. Over the school year, she and her teacher start walking together and Nicki learns about eating healthier foods. She's upset because her mother won't buy those foods for her. Her teacher offers kind words and some good advice.

Childhood obesity gets a lot of press. Kids aren't exercising as much as they should/could and they're not eating as well either. I appreciate how the author dealt with "uncooperative" parents and emotional eating, all things overweight children deal with. They are not the decision makers in their homes. They don't choose what to buy for dinner or if they get to go outside and play. But, as Nicki learns, there are still choices she can make.

I don't recommend this book just for parents of overweight children either. I recommend it for all children. I think kids need to learn empathy and how to give encouragement.

[Elizabeth Smitheram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who is nick-named "Nikki-Thicky" in her class because she is overweight. The girl eats very unhealthy, and eats whenever she is upset or happy. Her teacher is also overweight, and so is her mom. One day Nikki goes to school and realizes that her teacher, Mrs. Patterson, is skinnier. She sees Mrs. Patterson eating healthy foods and walking around the playground before school starts. She asks Mrs. Patterson if she can walk with her and ask her advice on how to be healthier. Mrs. Patterson gives her great advice, telling her to eat lots of healthy foods and exercise, and not to eat her emotions. Eventually, Nikki's mom starts walking with her and they become healthy. I like this book because obesity is becoming an epidemic in America and children need to learn how to make healthy choices and this book does it in a sensitive way. Also, the pictures are just great and really make the story visual. I liked this book a lot and would have it in my classroom.

[LLash · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ ALOUD SELECTION:
"I Get So Hungry" by Bebe Moore Campbell is a story about an overweight girl who struggles with her self-esteem and self-confidence. She eats unhealthy food as a way to comfort herself. Her teacher, she notices, does the same. As time passes, however, she notices her teacher is losing weight. She asks her teacher about it and learns the idea of eating healthy and exercising. She joins her teacher in doing the same thing, and sure enough, becomes happier and healthier.
I loved this book. I felt it was a great story that kids can relate to in regards to the bullying and maybe having a low self-esteem. It has a positive ending and the story definitely can encourage kids to make healthy eating choices and to keep active.

[Alexandra "Alec" · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book could be used to discuss obesity. This is a huge topic these days especially in younger grades. It could be related to a lesson in political science and/or a lesson in geography/culture because it is a current event topic. This lesson might also hit home for a lot of students either personally or with people they know. They might be able to relate to Nikki and her struggles. This subject could be combined with a lesson on homelessness because the two are topics that are not mentioned frequently in classrooms, but that are a hot topic in the country today.

[Danica Midlil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering the theme, this actually wasn't too preachy. The illustrations really helped bring the characters to life. It's funny to realize there aren't too many fat characters in picture books. It's nowhere near the actual ratio in the real world. This is a problem that's just starting to get attention and this will be a good book to know.
I'm a little peeved that the bully didn't get stopped until Nikki was skinny. Her size doesn't condone his behavior and I didn't feel that was made very clear.

[Joenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book of a girl who loves to eat and she can't stop. Her new teacher for the year is big like her and they form an instant bond. All the kids make fun of the girl because she eats so much, but her mom won't buy any healthy food. She starts walking in the morning with her teacher and learns new healthy habits. She soon gets her mom to walk more and eat healthy. A good book for a younger child who is big for their age.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is getting a five from me because I have not seen anything like it before. I love the Bebe Moore Campbell was willing to talk about the issue of childhood obesity. There are so many children dealing with this right now. They are teased and want to make changes but dont need the paris hiltons of the world to be the way to go. In this story an overweight teacher inspires her student and it never sounds easy but it would help a child talk about why they may eat too much. Grades K+

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really shows the idea that younger kids model adults they are around such as teachers, family, etc. The young girl in the book, Nikki, does a great job of explaining how she eats away her feelings. However, she wants to change her habits, once she sees her overweight teacher doing the same. C. 2008, genre-realistic fiction

[Kayla Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get so hungry described how if you eat so much, it can be bad for your health. Children can learn of all the serious consequences of not eating like they should. It is important for children to eat correctly. Around age 4 is when you should read this book to a child. This could also be a helpful book for children who are struggling with eating their fruits and vegetables.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story to read because it was about a child having an overweight issue. I think children should read this book because it could be encouraging for them to get up and exercise. I thought it was cute that the teacher and Nicki bonded together by exercising and eating healthier. This book promotes good eating lessons that children need to read about.